Norway vs Senegal Prediction 23 June 2026
🔊 Senegal went toe-to-toe with France for 60 minutes in their opening match, but ultimately fell short. Now, the African runners-up (or perhaps champions, depending on your perspective) find themselves on the brink - another defeat would all but end their hopes of advancing from the group. Norway, on the other hand, have a chance to secure an early spot in the knockout stage. At MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, two sides boasting world-class attacking talent - but still shaky at the back - will battle it out. Who will handle the pressure better?
Head-to-Head
📊 Norway and Senegal have never met in an official head-to-head clash. This upcoming fixture will be their first encounter. Interestingly, just before the start of the World Cup, Norway faced another African champion, Morocco, with that match ending in a 1-1 draw.
Norway Team Overview
Norway marked their return to the World Cup after a 28-year absence with an emphatic 4-1 win over Iraq. Erling Haaland struck twice in the first half, while Leo Østigård headed home from a set piece after the break. The fourth goal came courtesy of an own goal from the Iraqis. The Vikings created 2.66 expected goals (xG) compared to Iraq’s 1.44, underlining that their flawless qualification campaign was no fluke.
Despite an injury-hit season at Arsenal, Martin Ødegaard played 80 minutes against Iraq, looked sharp, and provided an assist. Coach Ståle Solbakken has built an aggressive, direct side that constantly looks to find Erling Haaland with vertical passes. However, Norway’s true strength will be tested in their clash with Senegal. In the opening round, the Norwegians simply did what was expected of them.
Match Results: Norway
Senegal Team Overview
The opening round ended in bitter disappointment for Senegal. Against France (1-3), the “Lions” didn’t just show up to make up the numbers - they took charge for much of the first half and should have gone ahead, but Nicolas Jackson was denied by the post. Senegal limited the World Cup runners-up to a single shot before the break, but everything changed after halftime.
The main reason for their collapse was straightforward fatigue. The team ran out of steam physically and couldn’t keep up with France’s rapid attacking unit, while only managing one effort on goal themselves. That lone strike, however, resulted in a goal from 18-year-old Ibrahim Mbaye. Heading into the second round, the biggest concerns revolve around the fitness of their aging leaders - Mané, Gueye, and Koulibaly. It’s possible that Pape Thiaw will opt to leave one of them on the bench.
Match Results: Senegal
Latest news
Norway
✔ Norway have no squad concerns ahead of this match. Defenders David Møller and Julian Ryerson, who picked up minor knocks against Iraq, have fully recovered. The entire roster is available for selection. It’s highly likely that Solbakken will stick with the same starting XI as in the opening round.
Senegal
❓ Senegal are also at full strength, with no injuries or suspensions to report. Pap Thiaw is expected to stick with his experienced core, opting for a tried-and-tested lineup rather than experimenting in such a crucial fixture.
Expected Lineups
📋 Norway probable XI: Nyland - Ryerson, Ajer, Heggem, Møller - Ødegaard, Berge, Aursnes - Sørloth, Haaland, Nusa
📋 Senegal probable XI: Mendy - Diatta, Koulibaly, Niakhaté, Diouf - Gueye, Guye - Sarr, Camara, Mané - Jackson
🟨 Yellow Card Prediction
The match will be officiated by the controversial Wilton Sampaio, who was in charge of the World Cup opener. He’s known not only for his less-than-perfect English but also for showing three red cards in that game. Sampaio’s record with yellows is just as striking: in his last eight matches, he’s handed out 46 bookings - an average of 5.75 per game. With both teams expected to play aggressive, end-to-end football, this clash is set to be a physical battle. Neither Norway nor Senegal picked up a yellow card in their opening fixtures, but it’s hard to imagine that trend continuing in such a high-stakes head-to-head, especially under this referee. Backing over 2.5 yellow cards at odds of 1.52* looks like a well-founded prediction.
⚽ Goals Prediction
Norway have developed a useful habit: they’ve scored in the second half in 10 of their last 11 competitive matches, including two late goals against Iraq after the 75th minute. Senegal, on the other hand, have a worrying trend of fading after the break: the African side have conceded in the second half in five straight World Cup games, something that continued against France. These patterns are too convincing to ignore, so backing Norway to score in the second half at 1.72* seems like a reasonable prediction.
🚩 Corners Prediction
Both teams have nearly identical averages when it comes to corners over their last ten competitive matches - Norway with 5.6 per game, Senegal with 5.5. But the focus here is on Senegal, who managed four corners against the tournament favorites in their opener. Mane and company can catch Norway on the break or pin them back in their own third. No matter how the game unfolds, we like Senegal over 3.5 corners. That’s happened in 14 of their last 15 (excluding friendlies). Odds stand at 1.59*.
🚀 Player Stats Bet
We backed Erling Haaland to score against Iraq and see no reason to change course now. The striker made his World Cup debut with a brace. For the national team, he has more goals (57) than appearances (51). The “Viking” has now scored in 11 straight competitive games for Norway, netting at least twice in each of his last five. The numbers are simply out of this world, and yet the price for Erling Haaland to score remains attractive at 1.99*. If you fancy another brace, that’s available at 6.20*.
😱 Risky Bet
Here’s a straightforward double: first, the over has landed in 13 of Norway’s last 14 competitive matches; second, a Norway win. Solbakken’s side still look capable of another gear, while Senegal may have already peaked in their opener - expending plenty of energy that could be costly against a direct rival. The combo bet Norway to win & over 2.5 goals is offered at around 3.80*.
🎯 Safe Bet
Norway have scored in 14 straight official matches, while Senegal conceded three to France in their opener. You can probably see where this is going - even if things go wrong, Norway’s firepower led by Haaland should see them find the net at least once. Backing Norway to score at 1.26* looks like a no-brainer. And if they can’t do it from open play, set pieces could make the difference-the Scandinavians boast the tallest squad at the tournament (187.2 cm on average).
👀 If the Game Doesn’t Go to Plan
An early goal from Senegal would be a surprise but is unlikely to rattle this mentally tough Norwegian side. They’ve shown their composure before - like in a recent friendly against Morocco, where they came from behind with 15 minutes left, or in their final qualifier at San Siro when they thrashed Italy 4-1 despite trailing at halftime. A good live bet here is Norway double chance (Norway not to lose).
*Odds are approximate and may vary across bookmakers.
Editorial Prediction
To sum it up as concisely as possible: we have two sides who know how to find the net. Senegal have scored in 15 consecutive official matches (excluding the AFCON final), while Norway are on a run of 14 straight games with at least one goal. In fact, both teams have scored in seven of the last eight fixtures involving the Vikings. Given these attacking records and the firepower on both teams, the most well-founded prediction here is both teams to score (yes). As for the scoreline, our editors are backing a 2-1 win for Norway, who should edge it thanks to superior fitness levels.
Will this prediction come true?
Betting Tips: Norway - Senegal
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