MX23RW : Thursday, November 7 23:09:30| >> :120:19276:19276:
[monks data]
Scotland national football team
Euro Champ Qualifying | Group Stage
Nov 19, 2023 at 7.45pm UK
Hampden Park
Norway national football team

Scotland
3 - 3
Norway

McGinn (13' pen.), Skiri Oestigaard (33' og.), Armstrong (59')
McKenna (79')
FT(HT: 2-2)
Donnum (3'), Strand Larsen (20'), Elyounoussi (86')
Ajer (10'), Berg (45'), Berge (58')

Preview: Scotland vs. Norway - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Sunday's Euro Champ Qualifying clash between Scotland and Norway, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

With their first-placed destiny in Euro 2024 qualifying Group A out of their own hands, Scotland close out their preliminary campaign against Norway at Hampden Park on Sunday.

Steve Clarke's side were forced to do it the hard way to rescue a point in a 2-2 draw with Georgia on Thursday, while their visitors are still in contention to land a spot in the playoffs.


Match preview

Scotland manager Steve Clarke reacts on November 16, 2023© Reuters

Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta memorably labelled the level of officiating in the Premier League a "disgrace" earlier this month, and Scotland midfielder Scott McTominay used the same word to describe Georgia's antics during Thursday's bad-tempered draw with the Crusaders.

The Manchester United man had restored parity for Clarke's side following an opener from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who subsequently doubled his side's advantage with a fine piece of individual skill before Lawrence Shankland headed home an injury-time equaliser to silence the Tbilisi crowd.

No fewer than 32 fouls were committed throughout the fiery 90 minutes as McTominay lashed out at Georgian players "crying like babies", but the Group A rankings will make for positive reading for the midfielder and co, who have already guaranteed a direct route to Germany while the Crusaders seek redemption in the playoffs.

However, Scotland's chances of a first-placed finish in the section have now diminished owing to Spain's victory over Cyprus, which sent La Roja two points clear of Clarke's men at the top of Group A, and Spain will consign Scotland to a second-placed ranking with all three points against Georgia.

Any other result would leave the door ajar for Scotland to rise to the summit, although their vastly inferior goal difference means that the hosts realistically need Spain to lose to Georgia while they endeavour to get the job done against Norway, whose path to Euro 2024 is not totally blocked off just yet.

Norway coach Stale Solbakken before the match on October 12, 2023© Reuters

Seeking to inflict a fourth loss from five matches on Scotland during their miserable winless sequence, Norway took a break from competitive duties to butt heads with the Faroe Islands in an exhibition contest on Thursday, where Jorgen Strand Larsen and Oscar Bobb ensured victory before the half-time whistle blew.

That success marked a fifth win from six games for Stale Solbakken's in-form troops during a stellar autumnal period, which also saw Norway string together a run of three successive Euros qualifying wins over Cyprus (twice) and Georgia before falling to Spain's superiority on October 15.

As Spain and Scotland ride off into the top-two sunset, Norway - who are two points better off than Georgia in third place - have been left to bemoan their disastrous start to proceedings, but the Nordic nation could yet be one of 12 teams to have a second bite at the cherry in the playoffs.

The visitors' current Nations League standing will not suffice, but if enough teams ranked higher than them earn direct qualification to Euro 2024, Solbakken's men will fight for the right to progress to only their second continental championships, having made their first and only Euros foray so far in 2000.

Norway were the victims of a late Scottish turnaround five months ago, though, as Erling Haaland's spot kick had Solbakken's men leading until the final five minutes, where Lyndon Dykes and Kenny McLean's strikes propelled Scotland to their 10th win from 19 games against their familiar foes.

Scotland Euro Champ Qualifying form:


Scotland form (all competitions):


Norway Euro Champ Qualifying form:


Norway form (all competitions):


Team News

Erling Haaland celebrates scoring for Manchester City on November 7, 2023© Reuters

No Scotland players were forced off the pitch due to injury in Thursday's draw with Georgia, although Clarke was not afraid to shuffle his pack at half time, sacrificing Billy Gilmour and Ryan Christie for McLean and Lewis Ferguson.

McLean - the hero of the hour in Oslo five months ago - set up McTominay only a few minutes after being introduced and is a candidate to start in the middle, while fellow substitutes Stuart Armstrong and Shankland combined for Scotland's injury-time leveller in Tbilisi and ought to come into contention too.

Much was made of the Scotland goalkeeping situation with Angus Gunn injured, and while Zander Clark was given the nod for Thursday's encounter, Clarke may now wish to see Liam Kelly in international action.

In contrast, fans of Norway and Manchester City are waiting for updates on Erling Haaland's condition with bated breath after the Premier League Golden Boot winner suffered another ankle problem during his side's win over the Faroe Islands, where he was brought on as a second-half substitute.

Haaland was able to complete the match, but it would be a shock to see him risked here given the previous ankle issue he sustained against Bournemouth a few weeks ago, while Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard will not be involved as he recovers from an undisclosed problem, believed to be a concussion after taking a ball to the face in training.

With Haaland's availability up in the air and Alexander Sorloth also absent through injury, Celta Vigo's Strand Larsen ought to retain his spot at the tip of the attack, where Mohamed Elyounoussi could be reintroduced on the left flank.


Scotland possible starting lineup:
Kelly; Porteous, McKenna, Cooper; Ralston, Armstrong, McGregor, Taylor; McGinn, McTominay; Shankland

Norway possible starting lineup:
Dyngeland; Ryerson, Ostigard, Ajer, Wolfe; Berge, Berg, Aursnes; Bobb, Larsen, Elyounoussi


SM words green background

We say: Scotland 1-0 Norway

Already making do without creator-in-chief Odegaard and a talented marksman in Sorloth, Norway's attacking bite will shrink further if Haaland misses out at Hampden Park, and Solbakken's men did not blow the Faroe Islands away by any stretch.

Jellied legs from a long trip to Georgia will do Scotland no favours either, potentially leading to a relatively low-key affair, but we can envisage Clarke's men keeping their depleted visitors at arm's length and doing all that they can to pip Spain to first place.


For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting a home win in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Home Win:data


ID:529237:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect15978:

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


Game History

How you voted: Scotland vs Norway

Scotland
64.9%
Draw
16.5%
Norway
18.6%
97
Collect / Create New Data
Share this article now:
Norway's Martin Odegaard during the warm up on October 15, 2023
Read Next:
Norway boss plays down Martin Odegaard injury fears
>
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free daily transfer newsletter! Sent twice a day during the transfer window.
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS

Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Cyprus Cyprus00000
2 Georgia Georgia00000
3 Norway Norway00000
Q Scotland flag Scotland00000
Q Spain Spain00000

Group B

TeamPWDLPTS
Q France France00000
2 Gibraltar flag Gibraltar00000
3 Greece Greece00000
Q Netherlands Netherlands00000
5 Ireland Rep. Ireland00000

Group C

TeamPWDLPTS
Q England flag England00000
Q Italy Italy00000
3 Malta flag Malta00000
4 Macedonia N. Macedonia00000
5 Ukraine Ukraine00000

Group D

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Armenia Armenia00000
Q Croatia Croatia00000
3 Latvia Latvia00000
Q Turkey Turkey00000
5 Wales flag Wales00000

Group E

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Albania national flag Albania00000
Q Czech Republic Czech Republic00000
3 Faroe Islands Faroe Islands00000
4 Republic of Moldova Moldova00000
5 Poland Poland00000

Group F

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Austria Austria00000
2 Azerbaijan Azerbaijan00000
Q Belgium Belgium00000
4 Estonia Estonia00000
5 Sweden Sweden00000

Group G

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Bulgaria Bulgaria00000
Q Hungary Hungary00000
3 Lithuania Lithuania00000
4 Montenegro Montenegro00000
Q Serbia Serbia00000

Group H

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Denmark Denmark00000
2 Finland Finland00000
3 Kazakhstan Kazakhstan00000
4 Northern Ireland flag N. Ireland00000
5 San Marino flag San Marino00000
Q Slovenia Slovenia00000

Group I

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Andorra flag Andorra00000
2 Belarus Belarus00000
3 Israel Israel00000
4 Kosovo flag Kosovo00000
Q Romania Romania00000
Q Switzerland Switzerland00000

Group J

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Bosnia Bosnia H'vina00000
2 Iceland Iceland00000
3 Liechtenstein flag Liechtenstein00000
4 Luxembourg flag Luxembourg00000
Q Portugal Portugal00000
Q Slovakia Slovakia00000


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!