Norway vs Italy prediction: EUROPE: World Championship – Qualification betting tips on match 2025-06-05 18:45.
[p]Absent from the World Cup since 1998, Norway could not have wished for a better start to their qualifying (WCQ) campaign for the 2026 edition (W2). Ståle Solbakken’s men thrashed Moldova and Israel in March to make it two out of two in this competition and four successive wins by an aggregate scoreline of 18-3 overall, so they’re unlikely to be overawed by the visit of illustrious opposition in Italy here.[/p]
[p]The Norwegians are looking to win three successive WCQ matches for just the second time this century, but will have to arrest a four-match winless H2H run to do so (D1, L3), with their last victory over Italy coming back in June 2000. Norway at least boast some strong home WCQ form, with just one of their last nine such matches ending in defeat (W5, D3), while four of those wins came by multiple-goal margins.[/p]
[p]Due to their participation in the UEFA Nations League in March, this serves as Italy’s first match in this WCQ cycle. The Azzurri have demons to banish on this stage having failed to qualify for the last two World Cups, with their last appearance at the finals coming back in 2014. That’s despite going unbeaten in the previous WCQ cycle (W4, D4) before eventually losing a play-off to minnows North Macedonia![/p]
[p]Luciano Spalletti’s men have hardly had the perfect preparation as they’re winless in three matches (D1, L2) and have also been followed by off-field controversy. Veteran defender Francesco Acerbi withdrew from selection this week, citing a lack of respect from leadership, leading to the team’s head of delegation, Gianluigi Buffon, to accuse the centre-back of “saying no to all of Italy”. [/p]
[p]Players to watch: Alexander Sørloth rounded off the club season with seven goals in his last four matches for Atletico Madrid, while he’s also been on target in five of Norway’s last six matches (W4, L1). Mateo Retegui (G25) ended the Serie A season with at least six more goals than any other player in the division, and having missed Italy’s last two matches, is primed for a return having directly contributed to goals in three of his last six international appearances (G2, A1). [/p]
[p]Hot streak: Italy have kept four successive away WCQ clean sheets (W2, D2), last conceding against Sweden back in November 2017.[/p]
[p][i]Written by Ryan Fisher[/i][/p]