Norway vs. Iraq

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Boston Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts

Tuesday, June 16th, 6 p.m. ET

Norway makes their first World Cup appearance since reaching the Round of 16 in 1998, and there is growing belief that this could be a side capable of making a serious run. Priced as short as +2500 in some places to win the tournament, they begin their campaign against Iraq, the 48th and final nation to qualify for the World Cup.

Iraq faces a difficult opening assignment as they look to claim their first-ever World Cup point. They needed 21 qualifying matches to secure their place, more than any other nation, and return to the tournament for the first time since 1986, where they lost all three matches by a single goal. The form during that time does little to inspire confidence either, with defeats to Palestine and Bahrain, while they were also held scoreless against Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

Norway, meanwhile, arrives in exceptional form and could be a dangerous side if the draw opens up for them. They have lost just one of their last 16 matches, winning 12 of those, and were one of the few nations to come through qualification with a perfect record, winning all eight matches.

The strength of this Norway side lies in attack, and I expect goals throughout this tournament. Erling Haaland scored 38 goals this season, Alexander Sørloth added 20, while right-back Julian Ryerson contributed 18 assists across all competitions. Captain Martin Ødegaard also arrives after leading Arsenal to a Premier League title and a runner-up finish in the Champions League.

Norway showed during qualification that they are more than capable of running up the score, netting 37 goals in just eight matches while conceding only five. I simply don’t see Iraq being able to keep pace with that firepower, and I expect Norway to win comfortably. My best bet for Day 6 is Norway -2.0 on the Asian Handicap.

World Cup Best Bet: Norway vs Iraq – Norway –2.0 Asian Handicap +100

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