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Côte d'Ivoire and Norway feature this Tuesday in one of the most exciting matchups of the Round of 32 of the , with kickoff scheduled for 1:00 PM Cuba time at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The winner will advance to the Round of 16, where Brazil awaits.
The match holds double historical significance: it is the first official clash between the two national teams and marks the Ivorians' first appearance in a knockout round in four World Cup participations.
The Elephants finished Group E in second place with six points, resulting from victories against Ecuador and Curaçao and a narrow defeat to Germany. The Ivorian team arrived at the tournament having never advanced past the group stage in 2006, 2014, or 2022, marking this achievement as an unprecedented milestone for African football.
Amad Diallo has been the standout player for the Ivory Coast team, scoring the decisive goal against Ecuador in the 89th minute. Nicolas Pépé also contributed with a brace in the thrashing of Curacao, solidifying an attack with skills and finishing ability.
On the other hand, Norway enters as one of the tournament’s surprises, backed by the best generation in its history. The Nordics finished second in Group I with six points, after defeating Iraq and Senegal before falling 1-4 to France, in a match where they rested several starters with this matchup in mind.
Erling Haaland is the standout Nordic player. The Manchester City forward made his World Cup debut with four goals in the group stage —two against Iraq and two against Senegal— placing him among the tournament's top scorers alongside Kylian Mbappé, just behind Lionel Messi. His combination of physical power, speed, and goal-scoring instinct makes Norway a formidable opponent for any team.
The record of both teams in this World Cup reflects the level of the upcoming match. Côte d'Ivoire has scored four goals and conceded two; Norway has scored seven goals and conceded six, showcasing a more open and risky game style.
The context of the tournament adds more excitement to the day. This Tuesday, the matches France-Sweden and Mexico-Ecuador are also taking place, while on Monday Morocco eliminated the Netherlands in penalties and Paraguay surprised Germany also from the spot, making it clear that in this knockout phase, there are no guaranteed favorites.
The winner of Ivory Coast and Norway will face Brazil, who came back against Japan on Monday to advance with a 2-1 victory, making Tuesday's match a significant opportunity for the team that can prevail.
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