3 hours ago
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Key events
38 min: Berg and Nusa combine well down the left at high speed. The ball’s shuttled infield for Odegaard, who has options either side but decides to shoot instead. That’s blocked easily enough.
37 min: … and then Norway launch their first attack for a while, Sorloth dinking a ball in from the right, Haaland sending a weak downward header straight at Fofana.
36 min: Norway spend a bit of time on the ball in the middle of the park, simply to take the heat out of the match. “The Ivorians are so calm, they remind me a bit of a Messi-less Argentina,” writes Casiano Martinez. “They really trust their individual and collective ability on the ball.”
34 min: … Diomande delivers low. The ball’s worked to the other flank, where Oulai wins yet another corner. That one’s met by Agbadou, who shins a long-distance attempt high into the air and softly down into Nylan’s hands. Côte d’Ivoire are really lively.
33 min: Sorloth’s heavy touch allows Diomande to tear off down the left. He slips a pass forward for Bonny, just inside the box; Heggem becomes the latest Norwegian to be forced into poking behind for a corner. From which …
31 min: One corner leads to another, which leads to nothing. But Côte d’Ivoire are very much on top.
30 min: A speculative Odegaard shot is blocked and Côte d’Ivoire counter. Pepe curls a cross in from the right, and the ball sails over Bonny’s head. But Pedersen is forced to concede another corner.
29 min: … nothing of note occurs. Côte d’Ivoire have had the best two chances now.
28 min: The Norway fans entertain themselves with the old Viking Row. But they fall silent as Côte d’Ivoire nearly score, Diomande crossing from the left, Pepe hitting a cross-cum-shot back across the face of goal, and Pedersen slicing a clearance over his own bar. And from the resulting corner …
27 min: … and that’s the end of the bevvies.
26 min: Boooooooooooooooo.
25 min: Booooooooo.
24 min: … and that’s drinks. Emu palm wine all round!
23 min: Nusa turns on the jets down the left, surprising Doue into the concession of a corner. Berg curls it towards the near post but doesn’t beat the first man. Diomande tries to counter at speed, only for Moller Wolfe to get in the way. It’s a free kick, and should be a booking, but for some reason the referee deems the challenge accidental rather than cynical, and Moller Wolfe gets away with it.
21 min: Konan chops infield from the left, past the flailing Pedersen, and tries to catch the Norway keeper Nyland out with a snap shot towards the bottom-left corner. He only manages to ripple the side netting. Not a great shot, but a fine run. He probably should have scored.
20 min: Sorloth rolls a pass down the inside-left channel for Moller Wolfe, who should immediately send a low cross into the box, but delays for a split second and his attempt to deliver is blocked.
19 min: Pepe one-twos with Doue down the right, then does so again with Kessie. Pepe nearly gets onto the final ball into the box, but Heggem comes over to get in the way and shepherd the ball out for a goal kick. Just in time. Crisp, intricate play by Côte d’Ivoire.
17 min: Côte d’Ivoire stroke the ball around the back awhile. They’re really growing into this game.
15 min: Diomande bustles down the left and wins a corner off Pedersen. The set piece is half cleared, but Doue recycles possession out on the right and crosses long. Diomande tries to take the ball down for a shot, ten yards out, but it’s travelling so fast it’s impossible to control. Goal kick.
13 min: Sorloth bombs down the right touchline with purpose, but is stopped by Oulai’s perfectly timed intervention. Côte d’Ivoire counter, Bonny unable to control a pass sent down the right that would have seen him tear clear. But he’d have been offside anyway. Both teams seem committed to attacking.
11 min: Kessie sends a long pass down the inside-right channel for Bonny to chase. Last man Ajer comes across to intercept. Norway counter, and Odegaard has the opportunity to find Haaland just to the left of the Côte d’Ivoire D, but messes up the pass.
9 min: Pepe sends a low cross in from the right, forcing Heggem to turn behind for the first corner of the match. Pepe takes the corner himself but it’s no good. Goal kick. But after a slow start, Côte d’Ivoire are getting into the match.
7 min: Pepe slips Doue into space down the right. A long cross finds Diomande at the far stick, but the man of the moment can’t get a decent header away, and the ball skims off the top of his head and away.
6 min: Pedersen goes barrelling down the right again. He’s eventually crowded out by the time he reaches the edge of the Côte d’Ivoire area, but that’s another eye-catching run. Norway have started confidently.
4 min: Diomande snaffles possession and embarks on his first run down the left. It’s unlikely to be his last. He slips the ball forward to Bonny, who can’t keep control and runs it out for a goal kick.
3 min: Pedersen makes good down the right, reaching the byline and chipping into the centre for Haaland, who aims a downward header towards the bottom right. It’s heading wide, but Kossounou blocks and clears anyway. Both of Norway’s full-backs getting involved early doors.
2 min: … and now Moller Wolfe nearly latches onto a pass threaded down the same flank by Nusa. But Doue is over quickly to cover.
1 min: Norway are immediately on the front foot, Moller Wolfe probing down the left. But there’s no way through.
Côte d’Ivoire get the ball rolling. A fine atmosphere at the home of the Dallas Cowboys.
… meanwhile the latest from Norway … “Just popped in to the supermarket and it’s much quieter than normal. Come to that, the traffic is also more like a Sunday too. Can’t think why” – Bob O’Hara
“Hello from a former colleague who just arrived by bicycle into Stavanger (from Hamburg). The atmosphere is building. Everyone is wearing red and blue and the beers are flowing, despite costing £10/pint. Locals are quietly confident” – Miles Brignall
The teams are out! Côte d’Ivoire are the designated home team, so they’re in their first-choice orange, while Norway wear third-choice white. Les Éléphants versus the Vikings. Glorious nicknames and the anthems are pretty good as well. Let’s belt them out, and we’ll be off in a few minutes.
♬ ♪ ♫ Proud Ivorians, the country calls us.
If we have brought back liberty peacefully,
It will be our duty to be an example
Of the hope promised to humanity ♬ ♪ ♫
♬ ♪ ♫ Yes, we love this land as it rises,
Furrowed, weather-beaten over the water,
With its thousand homes,
Love it and think of our father and mother ♬ ♪ ♫
Pre-match postbag. “This one is an interesting game. Ivory Coast are a team who when I looked at squad before the tournament, I was surprised at the number of good players they have and they’ve done well so far beating Ecuador and almost holding Germany (although yesterday might be putting that result in perspective). Norway are favourites but I’ve got to think the resting of so many players against France and basically throwing that game has put them under enormous pressure today. Lose today and that decision will come under enormous scrutiny. I heard the great Phillipe Auclair on World Cup Daily mention a lot of Norwegian fans were not happy with that and something like that can puncture the feel-good mood around a team. Despite all that, I’m going for Norway to win 3-1 with Haaland getting at least two goals” – John
“Will be an engaging match and both teams are quite physical and pressing in their game. But can anyone stop Haaland when he is in his groove?” – krishnamoorthy v
“Viking helmet horns versus Les Éléphants tusks. We have definitely reached the sharp, pointy end of the tournament!” – Peter Oh
Today’s Football Daily newsletter has landed … and it’s riffing, be-bopping and scatting on Germany’s pain. Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!
There’s plenty of time yet before kick-off, and I guarantee there’s no better way to spend it than with our Then and Now photo essay. This is great fun. But who really did do it best? The choice is yours, though to set you off in the right direction, the 1994 versions of Brazil and Alexi Lalas beat their 2026 counterparts, Diana Ross trumps Shakira equally easily, and Maple, Zayu and Clutch can’t hold a candle to Striker.
Norway named almost a complete team of reserves for the 4-1 loss to France, and so only Patrick Berg keeps his place from that very particular starting line-up. Ståle Solbakken welcomes back all of his first-choice men, so it’s the same team that started the 3-2 win over Senegal, with the exceptions of Marcus Holmgren Pedersen, who replaces the injured Julian Ryerson, and the aforementioned Berg, who is in for the benched Fredrik Aursnes. Erling Haaland resumes his quest for the Golden Boot.
Côte d’Ivoire make three changes to the side that started the 2-0 win over Curaçao. Emmanuel Agbadou, Ghislain Konan and Christ Inao Oulaï come in for Ousmane Diomande, Christopher Opéri and Amad Diallo.
The teams
Côte d’Ivoire: Yahia Fofana, Doue, Kossounou, Agbadou, Konan, Sangare, Pepe, Kessie, Oulai, Yan Diomande, Bonny.
Subs: Kone, Lafont, Ousmane Diomande, Seri, Singo, Seko Fofana, Adingra, Wahi, Operi, Diakite, Diallo, N’Dicka, Guessand, Toure, Guiagon.
Norway: Nyland, Pedersen, Ajer, Heggem, Wolfe, Odegaard, Berge, Berg, Sorloth, Haaland, Nusa.
Subs: Tangvik, Selvik, Thorsby, Ostigard, Larsen, Aursnes, Bjorkan, Thorstvedt, Aasgaard, Schjelderup, Bobb, Hauge, Langas, Falchener, Ryerson.
Referee: Jesus Valenzuela (Venezuela).
… and here’s how Norway have done. Two Group I wins for their main men, one heavy defeat for their B team.
This is Côte d’Ivoire’s 2026 World Cup story so far. A more than respectable performance in Group E.
This is how we saw it from the outset. Not too much has changed. Plenty of time left for all that.
Preamble
Can you imagine a future where Côte d’Ivoire or Norway are champions of the world? Yan Diomande on one team, Erling Haaland on the other, it’s not entirely beyond the realms, is it? Two of the tournament’s dark horses, these hipster-approved outfits, face off in Texas for a place in the last 16, and we’re here for it. This has the makings of a classic, it could be so much fun. Kick-off is at 12pm local/1pm EDT/6pm BST/3am AEST. It’s on!
