Norway vs Georgia

Norway and Georgia are set to trade tackles at the Ullevall Stadion in a high-stakes Euro 2024 qualifying match-up.

Following an unsuccessful attempt to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, Norway’s bid to advance into the Euro finals for only the second time in the nation’s history went from bad to worse in the early stages. A 1-1 draw against Georgia, sandwiched by a brace of high-scoring losses to Spain and Scotland, left the Norwegians pinned to the bottom of qualifying Group A ahead of round four. But Erling Haaland’s double inspired his team to a 3-1 home triumph over Cyprus last time out, reigniting Norway’s chances of securing a top-two finish and in turn their first Euro qualification since 2000. Stale Solbakken’s men thumped Jordan 6-0 in their first international game in September, setting themselves up nicely for this must-win contest.

In the meantime, a two-game unbeaten start to their Group A adventure (W1, D1) handed Georgia plenty of reason for optimism as they bid to reach the Euro finals for the first time as an independent nation. However, the wheels have since fallen off, with Willy Sagnol’s team following up a 2-0 defeat in Scotland with a 7-1 home rout to Spain last weekend. An embarrassing result in Tbilisi left Georgia’s qualification hopes in tatters, yet a two-point deficit on the second-placed Spaniards suggests nothing’s lost yet. The ‘Crusaders’ must recover from the heaviest defeat in the nation’s history if they’re to stay in the top-two frame, especially considering they take on a Norway side they’ve not won against across all three historic H2Hs (D1, L2).