England faces Norway in World Cup quarter-final
England is considered a favourite to advance to the semi-finals of the World Cup, according to Norway boss Stale Solbakken. The Three Lions are set to face Norway in a quarter-final match in Miami on Saturday. Norway secured their spot by defeating five-time world champions Brazil in the last 16 phase of the tournament. Solbakken noted that while England is favoured, they are not overwhelming favourites.
The Norway manager also suggested that England might be under more pressure, though he emphasized that his own team also places high expectations on their performance. He believes that once the game begins, players tend to focus on the match itself rather than external pressure. Norway‘s squad features several players with experience in the Premier League, including Arsenal‘s captain Martin Odegaard and Manchester City forward Erling Haaland.
Solbakken highlighted the historical significance of facing either Brazil or England in the World Cup. The winner of this quarter-final match will proceed to face either Argentina or Switzerland in Atlanta next Wednesday, competing for a place in the final on July 19.
Haaland and Kane in the spotlight
Much of the attention leading up to the quarter-final has centred on the prolific strikers from both teams: Erling Haaland for Norway and Harry Kane for England. Haaland has scored seven goals during Norway‘s journey to the quarter-finals, marking their first World Cup appearance since 1998 and their furthest progression in the tournament. Kane, the captain for England, has netted six goals in five matches during the competition.
Despite the focus on individual goal-scorers, Solbakken stressed that the match is a contest between Norway and England as teams. He acknowledged that both Kane and Haaland are primary match-winners for their respective sides. Solbakken added that while Haaland is undoubtedly a significant player for Norway, it would be an underestimation to overlook the contributions of other players, as Haaland also relies on service from his teammates.
Haaland himself views the match as particularly special, given his birth in England and his current play for a club in England. He will be competing against some of his Manchester City teammates. England midfielder Morgan Rogers acknowledged the challenge of stopping Haaland, who has scored multiple goals in bunches throughout the tournament, including two goals against Iraq, Senegal, and Brazil.
Nico O’Reilly, Haaland‘s teammate at Manchester City, suggested that the key to containing him is to prevent the ball from reaching him in dangerous positions. There are nine players in the Norway squad who play for clubs in England, indicating a degree of familiarity between the opposing sides.
Team preparations and challenges
Both Norway and England reached the quarter-finals after dramatic victories. Norway defeated Brazil 2-1, while England overcame co-hosts Mexico 3-2 in Mexico City. England‘s victory came despite defender Jarell Quansah receiving a red card in the 54th minute. Solbakken expressed admiration for England‘s performance against Mexico, noting their ability to create few chances for their opponents and effectively utilize their key players like Jude Bellingham and Kane.
Solbakken does not anticipate Norway having a similar level of possession against England as they did against Brazil, where they maintained 66.4% possession. He mentioned that his team has been training lightly and focusing on technical sessions at a lower tempo to ensure freshness for the upcoming match. England forward Bukayo Saka emphasized the need for his team to move past the emotions of their win against Mexico and concentrate fully on the challenge posed by Norway.
England faces some health concerns, with midfielder Declan Rice and defender Marc Guehi reportedly having issues. Additionally, Jarell Quansah will be unavailable due to a two-match suspension following his red card against Mexico. Thousands of Norway fans have travelled to Miami for what is considered one of the most significant football matches in the country’s history. Solbakken, who played for Norway in their last World Cup appearance in 1998, remarked that this tournament run has united the entire country.
During his news conference, Solbakken also paid tribute to Kevin Keegan, his childhood idol and former Liverpool player, who is currently battling stage four cancer. Solbakken stated that his biggest regret in World Cup history was Keegan not scoring against Spain in 1982.
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Source: bbc.com
