Czech Republic vs Norway: Preview and Prediction

Czech Republic vs Norway
European World Cup Qualifiers (Group C)
Date: Friday, 11th November 2016,
Kick Off at 19:45 UK
Venue: Eden Arena, Prague, Czech Republic.

Czech Republic will have no more excuses, lose this and they will face a huge struggle to reach the World Cup in 2018. They currently have been underwhelming without being awful but lie in 5th place in Group C with 2 points where from the first 3 games they drew two and lost one. The most worrying aspect is that they have yet to register a goal.

Norway is a place and a point above them and even a win here would not put the nation into the top 2. Their one win was expected a 4-1 thrashing of whipping boys San Marino.

The Czech team were a few years ago a staple top 15 FIFA ranked team but they have slipped down to 40th place now and have been in a steady decline for some time. They have just one win in their last six internationals and recently could only draw 0-0 to Azerbaijan.

Norway stopped a 4 game losing streak to San Marino but that match can’t tell us anything about their overall form.

Czech Republic vs Norway: Head to Head Stats

The teams have faced off against each other for a total of 9 occasions in all competitions. And Czech Republic hold an excellent record over Norway with 6 wins, 2 draws and lost only once. Norway’s lone victory came at their home ground in 2011. While they are yet to win in the away trips to Czech Republic.

In the qualifying rounds, Czech Republic boast an unbeaten record over Norway after having grabbed 3 wins and a draw from the 4 meetings. At home, they have a perfect record with 2 wins from 2 matches.

The most common result when these two teams met is 1-0 to Czech Republic. We have seen 4 of the same in the last 6 games played, with 70% of games finishing with fewer than 3 goals.

Czech Republic vs Norway: Prediction

Experienced players and roughly a quarter of the squad from Euro 2016 retired from the Czech Republic team and this is a new dawn which evidently has not been easy. However they are at home and playing against a poor side in Norway, who don’t traditionally travel well.

The only way the home side will win this game is to start like lightning from the very first whistle. Expect a close game but the home nation should be celebrating all three points.