Sports Mole previews Thursday’s Nations League clash between Norway and Slovenia, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Norway and Slovenia will both want to maintain their unbeaten starts to the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League when they face off in Oslo on Saturday.
The two nations are both sitting level on four points in Group B3, leaving them three points clear of Austria and Kazakhstan.
Match preview
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Norway are competing in League B for the third consecutive edition of the Nations League after missing out on promotion in 2022-23.
They won three, drawn one and lost two of their six matches in 2022-23 as they fell three points short of group winners Serbia.
Stale Solbakken‘s side began their current campaign with a frustrating goalless draw in Kazakhstan, before they returned home to claim a narrow 2-1 victory over Austria.
Manchester City’s Erling Haaland scored his 32nd international goal to clinch maximum points after Felix Myhre saw his opener cancelled out by Marcel Sabitzer.
After claiming maximum points in their last outing, Norway will now look to record back-to-back victories for the first time since September/October 2023.
The hosts boast an encouraging record in Nations League home fixtures, having won seven of their 10 home matches in the competition (D1, L2).
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Slovenia are competing in League B for the second straight campaign after finishing in third place in their group in the 2022-23 Nations League.
They won one, drew three and lost two of their six matches to finish two points above the relegation place and seven points adrift of promotion.
Having taken four points from their first two games of the current Nations League, Matjaz Kek‘s side are already just two points away from equalling their six-point tally from the 2023-24 edition.
They kicked off their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Austria, before they cruised to a 3-0 win over Kazakhstan thanks to a Benjamin Sesko hat-trick.
Having competed in back-to-back home games, Slovenia will now head on their travels with hopes of ending a four-game winless away run in the Nations League (D3, L1).
The visitors will draw inspiration from the fact that they are unbeaten in their last three meetings with Norway, including a 2-1 win in their most recent meeting in the Nations League in September 2022.
Norway Nations League form:
Norway form (all competitions):
Slovenia Nations League form:
Slovenia form (all competitions):
Team News
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Norway are unable to call upon their captain Martin Odegaard, who is recovering from an ankle injury in the last international break.
As a result of Odegaard’s injury, Solbakken will have to make at least one change to the side that started the win over Austria, with Antonio Nusa among those who could replace the Arsenal star.
Haaland will continue to offer Norway’s main goal threat, having scored 13 goals in his 12 Nations League appearances.
As for the visitors, they are unable to call upon Udinese’s Sandi Lovric and Sturm Graz’s Tomi Horvat due to injury.
Experienced goalkeeper Jan Oblak will line up between the posts, and he is likely to be shielded by the back four of Petar Stojanovic, Vanja Drkusic, Jaka Bijol and Erik Janza.
At the opposite end of the pitch, RB Leipzig’s Sesko will look to continue his fine form after scoring 10 goals for club and country this season.
Norway possible starting lineup:
Nyland; Ryerson, Ostigard, Hanche-Olsen, Wolfe; Myhre, Berg, Berge; Sorloth, Nusa, Haaland
Slovenia possible starting lineup:
Oblak; Stojanovic, Drkusic, Bijol, Janza; Ilicic, Gnezda Cerin, Elsnik, Mlakar; Sesko, Sporar
We say: Norway 2-2 Slovenia
Norway and Slovenia both possess significant firepower on their sides, with the likes of Sorloth, Haaland and Sesko all expected to start on Thursday.
With that in mind, we think that the contest should produce goals, but we also believe that the two teams may have to settle for a draw in a close-fought encounter.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
