Gibraltar Vs Norway
Gibraltar Vs Norway Wednesday 24th March 2021 – 19:45
2022 World Cup Qualifying
Pick: Norway Win & Over 3.5 Goals
Odds: 1/2
Bookmaker: PaddyPower
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 21st March 2021)
Preview: Inside Victoria Stadium on Wednesday, Norway embark on what they hope will be the first steps on their successful journey to qualifying for next summer’s FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The Scandinavians begin away to minnows Gibraltar, who are seeking a first ever point in a UEFA qualifier.
UEFA Champions League Betting at Bet365
Table of Contents
Gibraltar – Maiden point unlikely under the circumstances?
The latest FIFA Rankings has Gibraltar down at 195, ranking them the second worst performing team in Europe ahead of only San Marino who hold on to last place (210) with an iron grip. This merely serves to emphasis the enormous task that awaits on Wednesday and beyond for UEFA’s smallest nation, one whose team has finished bottom of its group without registering a point in all three qualifying campaigns before now.
Gibraltar are so far averaging less than a goal every three qualifiers (0.28 per game). Consequently, breaching a Norwegian backline that has conceded in six of its last eight internationals is a more realistic target than securing a maiden point. This is in spite of coach Julio Cesar Ribas probably feeling his team acquitted themselves well in 2020 (W2 D2 L2) – though all their positive form came against Lichetenstein and San Marino.
Norway – Solbakken eases into new role?
The Norwegians begin a new era on Wednesday under former Wolverhampton Wanderers and FC Copenhagen manager Stale Solbakken. His predecessor, Lars Lagerback, stepped down in December after seeing his team beaten in extra-time of a Euro 2020 play-off final by Serbia. His final match in charge the 1-1 draw in Austria which cost them promotion from Nations League Group B1.
Those shared spoils with Austria do, however, mean Norway embark on a fresh qualifying campaign – looking to qualify for their first World Cup finals for 24 years – having lost only twice in sixteen matches (W7 D7) when excluding results after extra-time. Moreover, they have lost just one of the last seven away (W3 D3), although are without a clean sheet on their travels since June 2019 (2-0 vs Faroe Islands).
Don’t miss out on other Betting Tips & Predictions
Click here for more Betting Tips
Gibraltar Vs Norway Betting Advice
Since their very first international back in 2015, Gibraltar have only scored against four sides of any tangible quality: Greece, Poland, Scotland and Switzerland. They were all in defeats, predictably. There were others, such as Armenia and Cyprus, but it is slim pickings on the whole. Six goals in their last eight games is undoubtedly an upturn, though, having failed to score in eight straight matches beforehand.
Gibraltar Vs Norway – Key Facts:
- Just the small matter of 151 places splitting these teams in FIFA’s latest rankings, thus highlighting the huge challenge in front of Gibraltar ahead of a first meeting with Norway.
- Gibraltar are yet to register a point in a UEFA qualifier, losing all 28 of their World Cup/Euro qualifiers until now.
- Norway have seen both teams score in six of their past seven away matches (W3 D3 L2), conceding exactly one goal in five of these matches.
Gibraltar’s recent matches have largely been against lower ranked sides similar to themselves, and the fact they could only muster up three goals across four recent contests with San Marino and Liechtenstein suggests a long night on Wednesday. Then again, Norway aren’t the most reliable defensively (no away clean sheet in past six games, albeit against much stronger outfits than their upcoming opponents) but should rack up a big victory nonetheless.
Best Betting Odds – Gibraltar Vs Norway
Gibraltar – 80/1 (BetFred)
Draw – 20/1 (BetFred)
Norway – 1/33 (Betfair)
