Erling Haaland is on a quest to revive Norway’s presence in international football. The country’s best years were in the 1990s and early 2000s, during which they qualified for two European Championships and one World Cup. Despite having standout players like Haaland, Odegaard, and Sorloth, Norway missed out on Euro 2024 in Germany.
Their downfall came from lapses in concentration in Group A, where Scotland claimed second place behind Spain, who topped the group with 21 points. In June 2024, Norway defeated Kosovo 3-0 but suffered a 1-3 loss to Denmark. Last Friday, they faced Kazakhstan.
Austria, on the other hand, has been a steady performer in European football, qualifying for four of the last five European Championships since 2008.
This run is a testament to Austria’s current golden generation. In Euro 2024, they found themselves in a challenging Group D with France and the Netherlands but surprisingly finished first with six points after defeating both the Netherlands and Poland.
However, Austria’s journey ended in the Round of 16 with a 2-1 loss to Turkey, with both goals coming from headers by Demiral. Last Friday, Austria played Slovenia.
For Norway’s Nations League matches, several key players were unavailable. Defenders Kristoffer Ajer (Brentford) and Birger Meling (Copenhagen), along with midfielder Oscar Bobb (Manchester City), were sidelined due to injury.
Additionally, Elyounoussi (Copenhagen) was not called up, and midfielders Vetlesen (Club Brugge) and Schjelderup (Benfica), who played in June friendlies, were also absent.
Haaland has been in incredible form, scoring seven goals in his first three Premier League games this season, including two hat-tricks. He also scored in the Community Shield match against Manchester United.
Captain Martin Odegaard, with 59 caps, will continue to pull the strings in the number 10 role behind Haaland. Other important players include Sorloth (Atletico Madrid), Larsen (Wolverhampton), and emerging talents like Nusa (RB Leipzig, 19) and Egeli (18).
On the Austrian side, key players like Michael Gregoritsch, Florian Grillitsch, Maxi Entrup, and Sasa Kalajdzic are missing. However, fresh faces such as Kevin Stöger (Borussia Mönchengladbach) and Arnel Jakupovic (NK Maribor) could make their debuts.
Familiar names like Kevin Danso (Lens), Max Wöber (Borussia Mönchengladbach), and Marcel Sabitzer (Borussia Dortmund) will strengthen the defense, while Konrad Laimer (Bayern Munich) will lead the midfield. Veteran striker Marko Arnautovic (116 caps, 37 goals) remains a key presence up front.
Prediction
Norway has struggled against Austria in recent years, winning only a few of their last 16 competitive meetings.
Austria, on the other hand, comes into this match in fine form, with eight wins in their last ten games, which gives them a slight edge.
Prediction: Norway 1-2 Austria
