England will be looking to seal the deal against a clinical Norway team in Group A at the Amex Stadium to advance into the quarterfinals of Euro 2022.
The hosts opened the tournament with a 1-0 win over defensively resilient Austria whereas their opposition on the night put four past debutants Northern Ireland in their game.
ENG vs NOR Match Details:
Date: Monday, 11th July 2022/ Tuesday, 12th July 2022
Time: 20:00 (BST)/ 00:30 (IST)
Venue: AMEX Stadium, Brighton
ENG vs NOR Match Preview:
When Beth Mead continued her hot streak of form under coach Sarina Wiegman by scoring the opener and the decisive goal for England she knew she had rewarded a memorable night for the record-breaking attendance Euro history. England did the business on the day in a tough opening game against an opposition like Austria restricting a smooth ride. The game wasn’t convincing yet enough to draw out the necessary three points which is the only thing that matters especially in a tournament football. Mead headlined for the victory but plaudits were there for the player of the match Georgia Stanway running the show from midfield with unshakable Millie Bright in the defence. The Three Lioness have now kept five straight clean sheets in their seven consecutive games winning run and extend their unbeaten record to a remarkable 15 games. Sarina Wiegman’s side are determined to carry out their impressive task again in a tantalizing matchup with Norway. A game where the best attack will help the team to go through. Despite the hype, it is expected both teams will be cautious in their approach to the game knowing their favorites tag in this group.
England’s toughest opposition in the group, Norway sustain one of the most lethal attacks in the tournament. Ada Hegerberg’s return on the forward line was much talked about but her teammates have stepped up when she is not finding the back of the net. It was proven again in their 4-1 routing of Northern Ireland in their first group game. The 27-year-old did provide an assist although Caroline Hansen stole the show with her movements and became a nightmare to defend for the new-comers to the tournament. Another star of the game, Chelsea’s Guro Reiten scored a goal and picked up an assist announcing her as a real threat to other opposition in the tournament. Coach Martin Sjorgen admits Norway’s attacking play dominated again but is not pleased about the showings in the second half when the team allowed the opposition a goal back. However, Sjorgen knows the team knows to assert themselves on the pitch to take the next big challenge in the form of England. He is happy with the overall form that saw Norway scoring in each of their last seven games and picking up a sixth win on the trot. They have made it to the quarterfinals in each of the editions they have participated in so this should not be a hurdle to get off this group.
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ENG: WWWWW
NOR: WWWWW
ENG vs NOR Team News
England had no injury concerns but had to leave Lotte Wubben-Moy out of the camp after she contracted Covid-19. The Arsenal defender was an unused substitute in the 1-0 win over Austria and will miss out the rest of the games in the group stages. It was speculated whether Sarina Weigman will put Leah Williamson in the midfield to allow Alex Greenwood some minutes in the defense but it didn’t happen in the first game and is unlikely to change.
Norway have everyone available, confirms coach Marin Sjogren. England players from Chelsea were laudable about their club teammate Maren Mjelde after she battled her knee injury to make it to the tournament. Mjelde partnered Maria Thorisdottir in the centre of the defence in the first game and will do again in facing the hosts on Monday evening. Also returning to the national side, Ada Hegerberg is desperate to get onto the scoresheet in the tournament.
ENG vs NOR Expected Lineups:
ENG: Mary Earps, Lucy Bronze, Millie Bright, Leah Williamson, Rachel Daly, Georgia Stanway, Keira Walsh, Beth Mead, Fran Kirby, Lauren Hemp, Ellen White
NOR: Guro Pettersen, Anja Sonstevold, Maren Mjelde, Maria Thorisdottir, Julia Blakstad, Frida Maanum, Ingrid Engen, Amalie Eikeland, Caroline Hansen, Guro Reiten, Ada Hegerberg
ENG vs NOR Head to Head
England and Norway have two wins each in the last four meetings. A friendly game in December 2020 was cancelled and the one prior to it in 2019 was won by Norway. Georgia Stanway gave the Three Lionesses the lead inside ten minutes of the game but Norway made the turnaround in the second half with Frida Maanum netting the equaliser before Caroline Hansen came up with the late winner. In the same year, England triumphed over them with Jill Scott, Ellen White and Lucy Bronze giving a deserving 3-0 victory.
ENG vs NOR Dream11 Team Prediction
GK: Earps (8.5)
DEF: Bronze (9), Bright (8.5), Thorisdottir (8.5), Blakstad (8.5)
MID: Mead (9.5), Stanway (8.5), Maanum (9), Reiten (9.5),
FW: Hansen (9.5), Hemp (9)
Captain: Guro Reiten
Vice-Captain: Beth Mead
Beth Mead scored the opening goal of the tournament and now has added 15 goals in her last 14 games for England.
Guro Reiten dominated the attack for Norway with a goal and an assist in the 4-1 win over Northern Ireland.
Stanway and Maanam were instrumental in the midfielder for their respective nation and while the Norweigian got on the scoresheet, Stanway received the player of the match for England.
Graham Hansen earned the player of the match in the last game for Norway netting a goal
