Norway vs Serbia 09/10/20

09 October 2020

Serbia (FIFA ranking: #31) travel to the Ullevål Stadion to take on Norway (#44) in their EURO one-off play-off semi-final tie.

The hosts have been a force to be reckoned with lately, suffering just one defeat from their last 11 competitive fixtures (W5, D1, L1), despite 72.73% (eight) of those games seeing both teams on the scoresheet. In turn, the ‘Lions’ have run out winners in ten of their last 16 home matches, friendlies included (W10, D5, L1), beating their opposition via at least a two-goal margin on six of those occasions. Notably, quick-start Norway have opened the scoring inside the first seven minutes of play in three of their previous four outings, going on to win each of them (W3, L1). But, the ‘both-teams-to-score’ theme has highlighted Norway’s recent matches, as six of the last seven have seen both sides get on the scoresheet.

As for the visitors, they are winless in three competitive games entering this clash (D2, L1) but have only played twice this calendar year. Away from home, however, the ‘Eagles’ have only picked up two wins from their last seven matches (W2, D3, L2), with the previous four all producing over 2.5 goals and three seeing both teams hit the net. Serbia’s hopes of claiming a positive outcome here will hinge on whether or not they can score first, as they’ve avoided defeat in each of their last five competitive away fixtures in which they opened the scoring (W4, D1). It will be a daunting prospect for Ljubisa Tumbakovic’s side to keep a clean sheet, though, considering they’ve conceded at least once in 12 of their previous 14 outings.