Di World Cup knockout stage don reach, and we get one big match wey go happen for AT&T Stadium for Arlington, Texas on Tuesday, 30 June. Na Ivory Coast and Norway go face each other for di Round of 32. Many pipo dey expect say Erling Haaland go lead Norway to victory.
Ivory Coast, wey dem dey call di Elephants, don show say dem get muscle for dis tournament. Dem win two of dia three group matches and only lose small to Germany. Di coach, Emerse Fae, talk say dem no go stop at just reaching di round of 32. Dem want go far. Fae talk: ‘Pride is di first word wey come to mind. We knew we could do it, and we also knew e go hard. We do am. We happy and proud, but we dey look further ahead.’
Di Ivorians start dia World Cup with a 1-0 win against Ecuador, thanks to Amad Diallo wey score for di 90th minute. Den dem lose 2-1 to Germany, even though Franck Kessie score first. But dem bounce back with a 2-0 win over Curacao, wey Nicolas Pepe score two goals. Dis one put dem on six points, same as Germany, but dem finish second for Group E.
For Norway side, dem also get two wins and one loss for Group I. Erling Haaland na di main man, wey score two goals each against Iraq and Senegal. Dem beat Iraq 4-1 and Senegal 3-2. But for dia last group match, dem rest many key players and lose 4-1 to France. Di coach, Stale Solbakken, change di whole team, so dat match no show dia true strength.
Di expected lineup for Ivory Coast go include Fofana for goal, Doue, Kossounou, Ndicka, and Konan for defense. For midfield, dem get Sangare, Kessie, and S. Fofana. For attack, Diallo, Haller, and Y. Diomande go try cause trouble. For Norway, Nyland go be goalkeeper, with Ryerson, Ajer, Ostigard, and Moller Wolfe for back. Di midfield get Berge, P. Berg, and Odegaard. For front, Bobb, Haaland, and Nusa go dey.
Both teams get plenty attacking power. Dem don score 12 goals together for di tournament so far. Ivory Coast keep two clean sheets, but against Ecuador and Curacao, no be top teams. Norway go be bigger test. Fae know dis and go prepare well. Di match go be tight, but many analysts dey back Norway to win because of Haaland.
Haaland na di biggest threat. For di 2025/26 season, e score 38 goals for Manchester City for 52 matches. For World Cup, e don score four goals in two games. Di odds for am to score anytime no dey sweet, but e fit open scoring like e do for Norway first match. E go be di one to break di deadlock for dis Round of 32 clash.
Di match go kick off by 7pm CAT. Di Elephants get pride and history for dia side, but Norway get Haaland. Na one interesting match wey we go watch.
