Norway continue their World Cup campaign with growing confidence after a convincing 4-1 victory over Iraq in their opening fixture, a result that confirmed their strong start to the tournament. That win placed them at the top of Group I, level on points with France, and further strengthened the momentum surrounding their return to the competition. They now travel to New York New Jersey Stadium to face Senegal on Tuesday, with both sides approaching the match from very different emotional positions after their opening results. Pre-match projections suggest Senegal has a 56.5% chance of progressing, while Norway’s outlook is rated even more strongly at 98.6% following their dominant start.

Norway’s form heading into this fixture is also backed by an extended unbeaten run in competitive football, which has added to expectations around their performance in this tournament. The contrast between their opening success and Senegal’s defeat sets up a meeting where momentum clearly sits with the European side, although the group situation still leaves room for change depending on the outcome of this match.

Norway’s form, key players and momentum

Norway arrive at this match on the back of a commanding 4-1 win over Iraq, a game that showcased both their attacking sharpness and their ability to control key moments. In that opening fixture, Erling Haaland made a decisive impact by scoring his first World Cup goals, immediately underlining his importance to the team on the biggest stage. Alongside him, Leo Østigård also found the net, while the result was completed by a late own goal from Aymen Hussein, sealing a comfortable scoreline.

The side coached by Ståle Solbakken are now enjoying an impressive sequence of results in competitive football, having won their last 11 matches. During this run, they have scored 50 goals while conceding just seven, reflecting a strong balance between attack and defence. Their only recent setback came in October 2024, when they suffered a 5-1 defeat to Austria in the UEFA Nations League, a result that now stands as their last loss.

There is also added historical motivation for Norway in this tournament, as they have never managed to win more than one match in a single World Cup edition, with this being only their fourth appearance at the finals. This gives additional weight to their current form, especially with Haaland in particularly prolific international condition. He has scored in each of his last 11 competitive matches for Norway and has recorded multiple goals in each of his last five appearances, showing consistent scoring output over a long stretch.

Creatively, Martin Ødegaard has also been central to their play, particularly in their opening win, where he played a major role in progressing the ball. His passing influence stood out through a high level of accuracy and involvement in forward moves, helping Norway consistently break through opposition lines and maintain attacking pressure.

Last 5 Norway matches stats

Senegal’s response and challenges

Senegal come into this match needing a response after a 3-1 defeat to France in their opening World Cup game. Despite the loss, they were able to find a late consolation goal through Ibrahim Mbaye, who made history by becoming the youngest African player to score at a World Cup at 18 years and 143 days old. His goal provided a small positive moment in an otherwise difficult match.

The defeat exposed defensive issues that Senegal will need to address quickly if they are to stay competitive in the group. Their opening match also highlighted the strength of their opponents, with France proving too strong throughout the encounter in New York. As a result, Senegal now face a situation where their next fixture becomes increasingly important for maintaining hopes of progression.

Coach Pape Thiaw will be focused on reorganising his team and finding solutions to their current problems, especially at the back. Senegal have now gone 12 consecutive World Cup matches without keeping a clean sheet, a run that dates back to their tournament debut in 2002. This long-standing issue adds pressure as they prepare to face a Norway side that is currently in strong attacking form.

Historically, Senegal’s record against European opposition at the World Cup began positively, with only one defeat in their first five such matches, but they have since lost their last three encounters, including their opening defeat in this tournament. This trend will be a concern as they prepare for another European opponent in high form.

Last 5 Senegal matches stats

Historical context and team comparison

This upcoming fixture will be the first World Cup meeting between Norway and Senegal and also their first encounter in more than two decades. Their last competitive meeting came in a friendly in March 2006, when Senegal won 2-1 in Dakar, giving them the only recent head-to-head advantage between the sides.

Norway’s history against African teams at the World Cup is limited, with their only previous meeting ending in a 2-2 draw against Morocco in 1998. Senegal, meanwhile, has had mixed experiences against European teams in World Cup history, showing early success but struggling more in recent editions.

Overall, the match brings together a Norway side full of confidence, strong scoring numbers, and key individual form against a Senegal team searching for stability after a difficult opening result. The contrast in momentum, combined with both teams’ historical context, adds further importance to what could be a decisive group-stage encounter.

Past H2H Results

Prediction and expected outcome

Norway comes into this match as clear favourites following their dominant 4-1 win over Iraq and an impressive run of 11 consecutive competitive victories, which highlights both their attacking firepower and defensive stability. With Erling Haaland in exceptional scoring form and Martin Ødegaard orchestrating play from midfield, Ståle Solbakken’s side have enough quality to trouble any opponent in the tournament. Senegal, however, is under pressure after a 3-1 defeat to France and will need a significant defensive improvement to cope with Norway’s forward line. Pape Thiaw’s side still carry individual talent and pace in transition, but their lack of clean sheets and recent struggles against European opposition raise concerns. The most likely pattern is Norway controlling large spells of possession and creating sustained attacking pressure, while Senegal look to respond through counter-attacks and physical duels. Overall, Norway’s consistency and attacking efficiency make them favourites to take another step toward qualification.

Prediction: Norway 2-1 Senegal

Expected outcome: A competitive match where Senegal remains dangerous in spells, but Norway’s superior form and finishing quality ultimately decide the game in their favour, keeping them top of the group and extending their winning streak.