Group I reaches its conclusion on Friday night as Norway and France battle for top spot while Senegal and Iraq meet in a clash that will determine who finishes third. We take a look at both fixtures from a betting perspective.
Group I Update
France and Norway have already secured qualification for the Round of 32 after winning both of their opening fixtures. France currently lead the group on goal difference, with both teams on six points heading into the final round.
Senegal and Iraq have both been eliminated from contention for the top two positions after suffering defeats in their opening two matches. However, with eight of the twelve third-placed teams advancing to the knockout stages, there is still a possibility that the winner of their meeting could finish third and keep qualification hopes alive depending on results elsewhere.
The winner of the Norway versus France showdown will secure first place in the group, while the loser will progress as runner-up. A draw would be enough for France to remain top due to their superior goal difference.
For Senegal and Iraq, only victory will suffice if either nation is to maintain any realistic hope of reaching the knockout stages.
Norway vs France
Norway have enjoyed an outstanding tournament so far and arrive at the final group fixture with maximum points from their opening two matches. Their campaign began with a commanding 4-1 victory over Iraq, where they took control early and never looked in danger of dropping points.
They followed that performance with an entertaining 3-2 win over Senegal. Marcus Pedersen opened the scoring before Erling Haaland struck twice after the break to put Norway firmly in control.
France have been equally impressive and currently sit top of Group I after recording back-to-back victories. Their opening fixture ended in a convincing 3-1 success against Senegal. Kylian Mbappe found the net twice while the French attack consistently caused problems throughout the contest.
They backed that up with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Iraq. Mbappe once again led the way with a double before Ousmane Dembele added a third to complete another dominant display and secure qualification with a game to spare.
Head-to-Head
The last six meetings between the nations have produced two wins for France, one win for Norway and three draws. Their most recent encounter ended in a 4-0 victory for France during an International Friendly in 2014.
Betting – Click here to bet
Norway 5.25
Draw 4.25
France 1.67
Verdict
Both sides have been excellent going forward during the tournament, combining for 13 goals across their four matches. Norway possess enough attacking quality to trouble any defence, while France have looked ruthless in front of goal and carry world class firepower throughout their squad. With first place in the group on the line, I think this has all the ingredients for an entertaining contest and I am picking France to win with both sides producing goals.
BET: Result and Both Teams to Score – France and Yes at 3.25
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Senegal vs Iraq
Senegal have endured a disappointing World Cup campaign despite showing flashes of attacking quality. Their opening match ended in a 3-1 defeat against France, although they remained competitive for long periods before the European giants pulled away.
Their second fixture produced another narrow defeat as they went down 3-2 against Norway. Ismaila Sarr scored twice and caused plenty of problems for the Norwegian defence, but Senegal ultimately fell just short after conceding three goals of their own.
Iraq have also struggled throughout the competition and are without a point after two trips to the pitch. They started things off with a heavy 4-1 defeat against Norway, finding themselves under pressure for most of the encounter despite beating the Norwegian keeper in the first half.
Their most recent test ended in a 3-0 defeat to France. Iraq battled hard defensively but were undone by the quality of the French side, leaving them bottom of the standings heading into the final round.
Head-to-Head
There have been no previous meetings between these nations.
Betting – Click here to bet
Senegal 1.25
Draw 6.75
Iraq 13.00
Verdict
Senegal have lost both matches, but their performances have been more encouraging than the results suggest. They have scored against both France and Norway and created opportunities frequently across both games. Iraq, meanwhile, have conceded seven goals across two matches and have struggled to compete against the higher ranked teams in the group. I am expecting Senegal to finish their campaign on a winning note and give themselves a chance at qualification provided other results go their way.
BET: Senegal to Win and Under 3.5 Goals at 2.15
Note: All prices are correct at the time of writing but are subject to change.
