The visitors need only to avoid a heavy defeat to end their 28-year World Cup drought, while the Azzurri cling to the faintest of mathematical hopes.
The FIFA World Cup Qualifiers reach a dramatic conclusion this Sunday at San Siro, where Italy hosts Norway.
📈Team Form📉
🔹 Italy: Have won six consecutive qualifiers under new boss Gennaro Gattuso.
🔸 Norway: Perfect in Group I with six wins from six matches.
📊Key Stats & Head-to-Head 📊
🔥 Norway is the top scorer in European qualifying with 33 goals.
🔥 Erling Haaland has 14 qualifying goals, two from the all-time UEFA record.
🔥 Norway won the reverse fixture 3-0 on the opening match-day.
🔥 Italy needs a nine-goal victory margin for automatic qualification.
🔬 What to Expect From Both Teams 🔥
🇮🇹Italy | Form: W🟢W🟢W🟢W🟢W🟢W🟢:
With automatic qualification requiring a "pure football miracle," Italy's focus is on building morale for the playoffs and avenging their earlier defeat.
Coach Gennaro Gattuso has admitted that team selection will be influenced by avoiding suspensions for key players ahead of the knockout matches.
🇳🇴Norway | Form: W🟢W🟢W🟢W🟢W🟢W🟢:
Ståle Solbakken's side is on the verge of its first World Cup since 1998. They merely need to avoid a catastrophic loss at the San Siro to confirm their place mathematically.
Boasting the most potent attack in qualifying, they will be confident of getting the result they need.
👥 Predicted Lineups 👥
🇮🇹Italy (possible):
Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Mancini, Bastoni, Dimarco; Barella, Locatelli, Cristante; Politano, Retegui, Raspadori.
🇳🇴Norway (possible):
Nyland; Ryerson, Heggem, Ajer, Bjorkan; Bobb, Berg, Berge, Nusa; Sorloth, Haaland.
🔥 Players to Watch 👀
✨ Erling Haaland — Norway's main attacking threat, within touching distance of the UEFA qualifying goals record.
✨ Mateo Retegui — With five goals and four assists in Group I, he is a key figure for Italy's attack.
✨ Alexander Sorloth — A constant danger who partners with Haaland in a formidable frontline.
✨ Nicolò Barella — Returns from suspension to bolster the Italian midfield.
💵 Odds Market on MSport 💵
💵 Italy/Home to win = 2.07
💵 Norway/Away to win = 3.55
💵 Both teams to score (GG/NG Yes) = 1.63
💵 Over 2.5 total goals = 1.73
This match presents a stark contrast in motivations: Italy seeks pride and playoff momentum, while Norway stands one step from a historic achievement. All eyes will be on San Siro for a compelling conclusion to Group I.
Who do you think will win? Tell us your prediction in the comments.
🔗 You can follow the Italy vs Norway World Cup Qualifier here on MSport.
#Italy #Norway #WorldCupQualifiers #Azzurri #Landslaget #Haaland #Gattuso #SanSiro
A place as Africa's representative in the 2026 World Cup inter-confederation playoff is at stake this Sunday in Rabat, as Nigeria faces DR Congo.
The Super Eagles are bidding for a seventh World Cup appearance, while the Leopards chase only their second ever trip to the global showpiece.
📈Team Form📉
🔹 Nigeria: The Super Eagles come into this final with five wins in their last six outings.
🔸 Congo DR: The Leopards have won each of their last three matches by a single goal.
📊Key Stats & Head-to-Head 📊
🔥 This is the first competitive meeting between the two nations.
🔥 Their only previous match in the last decade was a 1-1 friendly draw in 2018.
🔥 Nigeria has won two of the six historical encounters, with Congo DR winning three.
🔥 Congo DR aims for a first World Cup appearance since 1974, when they competed as Zaire.
🔬 What to Expect From Both Teams 🔥
🇳🇬Nigeria | Form: D🟡W🟢W🟢W🟢W🟢W🟢:
Confidence is expected to be high after a 4-1 extra-time victory in the semi-final. The team has shown defensive solidity, conceding only three times in their last three matches while netting 10 goals.
Victor Osimhen, who scored a brace last time out, will be a central figure in their attack.
🇨🇩Congo DR | Form: W🟢W🟢L🔴W🟢W🟢W🟢:
Sebastien Desabre's side progresses through defensive solidity rather than an attacking flourish.
They advanced dramatically thanks to a stoppage-time winner from captain Chancel Mbemba and will likely rely on a similar resilient strategy as underdogs in this final.
👥 Predicted Lineups 👥
🇳🇬Nigeria (possible):
Nwabali, Osayi-Samuel, Frederick, Bassey, Sanusi, Chukwueze, Onyeka, Iwobi, Lookman, Osimhen, Adams.
🇨🇩Congo DR (possible):
Mpasi, Wan-Bissaka, Mbemba, Tuanzebe, Kayembe, Moutoussamy, Pickel, Sadiki, Mbuku, Bakambu, Bongonda.
🔥 Players to Watch 👀
✨ Victor Osimhen — Scored a brace in the semi-final and is a key threat for Nigeria, edging closer to the country's all-time scoring record.
✨ Cedric Bakambu — Spearheads the Congo DR attack and is just two goals shy of the national scoring record.
✨ Chancel Mbemba — The captain scored the dramatic stoppage-time winner to send his team to the final.
✨ Chidera Ejuke — Inspired Nigeria's semi-final win from the bench and could be more involved here.
💵 Odds Market on MSport 💵
💵 Nigeria to win = 2.24
💵 Congo DR to win = 3.75
💵 Both teams to score = 2.10
💵 Under 2.5 total goals = 1.52
This playoff final presents a classic contrast: Nigeria's higher-ranked attack against Congo DR's resilient defence.
With a World Cup playoff spot on the line, a tense and dramatic encounter is in store in Rabat.
Who do you think will win and advance? Tell us your prediction in the comments.
🔗 You can follow the Italy vs Norway World Cup Qualifier here on MSport.
#Nigeria #CongoDR #WorldCupQualifiers #SuperEagles #Leopards #Osimhen #Bakambu
It's CAF African FIFA World Cup Qualifiers playoff action on Thursday, November 13th, and the stakes could not be higher as Cameroon and Congo DR go head-to-head at Al-Barid Stadium in the semi-final of the World Cup qualifiers' four-team playoff, with a place in the final playoff round on the line.
📈Team Form📉
🔹 Cameroon: The Indomitable Lions concluded their group campaign on 19 points (W5, D4, L1), finishing as one of the top four second-placed nations.
🔸 Congo DR: The Leopards ended their qualifying series with 22 points (W7, D1, L2), finishing two points behind the group leaders.
📊Key Stats & Head-to-Head 📊
🔥 This is the first encounter between the countries since January 2021, when Cameroon won 2-1.
🔥 Congo DR have failed to beat Cameroon in nine previous encounters across all fixtures (L6).
🔥 Cameroon haven't lost any of their last 15 home matches in all competitions.
🔥 DR Congo haven't lost a match in 7 of their last 8 matches in WC Qualification Africa
🔬 What to Expect From Both Teams 🔥
🇨🇲Cameroon | Form: D🟡W🟢W🟢L🔴W🟢D🟡:
The eight-time World Cup participants must navigate a long road after an inconsistent group stage. Coach Marc Brys has bolstered his squad with recalled experienced players, and the team will rely on their strong recent away form.
🇨🇩Congo DR | Form: W🟢W🟢W🟢L🔴W🟢W🟢:
The Leopards secured their playoff spot despite squandering a final-round lead that cost them direct qualification. They face the daunting task of overcoming historical woes against Cameroon while missing several key players.
👥 Predicted Lineups 👥
🇨🇲Cameroon (possible):
A Onana, Tchatchoua, Castelletto, Nouhou, Nagida, Avom, Baleba, Anguissa, Nkoudou, Eyong, Mbeumo.
🇨🇩Congo DR (possible):
Mpasi, Masuaku, Mbemba, Tuanzebe, Wan-Bissaka, Mbuku, Moutoussamy, Mukau, Kayembe, Essende, Bakambu.
🔥 Matchups & Players to Watch 👀
✨ Andre Onana — Regaining form with Trabzonspor, he's expected to start in goal for Cameroon.
✨ Cedric Bakambu — Congo's top qualifier scorer with four goals, now two shy of the national record.
✨ Bryan Mbuemo — would lead Cameroon's attack alongside Etta Eyong or veterans Choupo-Moting and Aboubakar.
✨ Aaron Wan-Bissaka — Part of Congo DR's likely Premier League-strength back four.
💵 Odds Market on MSport 💵
💵 Cameroon/Home to win = 2.43
💵 Congo DR/Away to win = 3.46
💵 Draw = 2.86
💵 Both teams to score (GG/NG Yes) = 2.34
💵 Over 1.5 total goals = 1.64
This playoff semi-final presents a clash of histories: Cameroon leans on a dominant record, while Congo DR draws confidence from their competitive World Cup qualifying history against the Lions.
With a spot in the Intercontinental Playoffs at stake, the stage is set for a tense battle at Al-Barid Stadium.
Who do you think will advance to the final? Tell us your prediction in the comments.
🔗 You can follow the Cameroon vs Congo DR game here on MSport.
#Cameroon #CongoDR #FIFAWorldCup #CAF #WCQ #IndomitableLions #TheLeopards