Ivory Coast and Norway meet in the Round of 32 fixture on Tuesday at the Dallas Stadium after both teams secured second place in their respective group table.
Ivory Coast vs Norway – Match preview and team news
- Date: Tuesday, 30th June.
- Kick-off: 6pm BST.
- Venue: Dallas Stadium, Arlington, Texas, USA.
Ivory Coast team news
Ivory Coast faces a significant blow ahead of their knockout match as defender Wilfried Singo is officially ruled out due to a hamstring injury sustained in the group stage.
The Elephants receive a massive defensive boost with centre-back Evan Ndicka fully fit and available for selection after missing the tournament’s initial phase entirely.
In attack, Nicolas Pépé is expected to retain his starting spot up front following his spectacular, match-winning brace against Curaçao.
The experienced forward will spearhead a dynamic, high-energy front line alongside Manchester United winger Amad Diallo and teenage sensation Yan Diomande.
Managerial staff face tough decisions in midfield, but the robust pairing of Franck Kessié and Ibrahim Sangaré is set to anchor the side to combat physical opposition.
The tactical focus will heavily rely on utilising their explosive wide areas to exploit structural gaps.
Norway team news
Norway approaches this crucial knockout tie with a fully refreshed squad after manager Ståle Solbakken made ten sweeping tactical rotations in their final group fixture against France.
Global superstars Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard are completely rested and primed to lead the starting eleven alongside dangerous Atletico Madrid forward Alexander Sørloth.
The primary selection concern lies in defence, where versatile full-back Julian Ryerson remains highly doubtful due to a persistent thigh strain picked up against Senegal.
Defender Torbjørn Heggem is also facing a late fitness test to determine his availability for the match.
Haaland enters this Round of 32 clash in lethal form, having scored back-to-back braces in his opening tournament appearances.
Norway’s tactical approach will centre on Ødegaard’s creative playmaking in midfield to repeatedly release Haaland into space behind the Ivorian defensive line.
Form
Ivory Coast
Ivory Coast enters the knockouts with strong momentum, having won 14 of their last 19 matches across all competitions. During the group stage, the organised and physically dominant Elephants kicked off their campaign by defeating Ecuador 1–0. Despite a narrow 2–1 loss to Germany, they bounced back brilliantly in their final group match with a commanding 2–0 victory over Curaçao, courtesy of a stellar Nicolas Pépé brace.
Norway
Norway qualified for the Round of 32 by finishing second in Group I. They displayed a devastating attack early on, sealing consecutive victories by defeating Iraq 4–1 and edging past Senegal 3–2. Although they suffered a heavy 4–1 defeat to France in their group finale, that result is heavily skewed, as a qualified Norway deliberately rested ten key starters, including superstars Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard.
Predicted lineups
Ivory Coast: Fofana; Doue, Kossounou, O Diomande, Konan; Sangare; Diallo, Kessie, Oulai, Y Diomande; Pepe
Norway: Nyland; Aursnes, Ajer, Heggem, Moller Wolfe; Odegaard, Berg, Berge; Sorloth, Haaland, Nusa
How to watch Ivory Coast vs Norway?
In the United Kingdom, you can watch the Ivory Coast vs. Norway World Cup Round of 32 match live and completely free on BBC One.
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