By Bilal Ahmed
England prepares for Norway challenge
England is set to face Norway in a World Cup quarter-final match in Miami, with both teams preparing for a challenging encounter. Nico O’Reilly, a left-back for England and a teammate of Erling Haaland at Manchester City, emphasised the significance of containing the Norwegian striker. While acknowledging Haaland as a primary threat, O’Reilly stressed that Norway possesses other dangerous players capable of causing problems for England.
Haaland has been in strong form during the 2026 World Cup, scoring seven goals to help his team reach the quarter-finals for the first time in their history. The upcoming match will feature several club connections, with Haaland potentially facing O’Reilly and centre-back Marc Guehi. Additionally, Arsenal players will be well-represented, as Norway captain Martin Odegaard could come up against Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka.
Thomas Tuchel’s England squad advanced to the last eight after a victory against co-hosts Mexico, a game in which they played with 10 men after defender Jarell Quansah was sent off. O’Reilly downplayed concerns regarding England’s defence, which has faced injury issues and Quansah’s two-match suspension, stating that the team has capable players who can step up.
Tactical considerations for England
Norway’s tactical approach involves both ball retention and quick attacks, often stemming from their build-up play. From goal-kicks, Orjan Nyland’s distribution is a key element, with Norway frequently opting for short passes and creating numerical overloads at the back. When short options are not viable, Nyland often uses long diagonal balls to Alexander Sorloth, who plays as a wide target man on the right wing. O’Reilly, given his height, is expected to be a more even match-up against Sorloth than previous opponents.
To disrupt Norway’s build-up, one option for England is a man-to-man press across the pitch. However, this approach could leave a defender isolated against Haaland in open space. Many coaches would prefer to have an extra defender at the back to manage Haaland, which would mean pressing with fewer players against Norway’s build-up, or dropping off and blocking space. The latter, while offering defensive solidity, could allow Norway to control possession and slow the game, as they demonstrated against Brazil.
Odegaard plays a central role in Norway’s game management, often dropping deep to dictate play with short passes. Brazil’s strategy against Norway involved curving runs to cut off one side of the pitch, forcing Nyland to play to his weaker side, and positioning wingers to press full-backs. England, typically defending with a front two, might be outnumbered against Norway’s three central players in build-up. Pushing a midfielder higher, possibly Rice, could create more chaotic situations that favour England.
Stopping Haaland and England’s attack
Stopping Haaland involves either cutting off his supply or directly managing him, with the latter being a more difficult task. When Norway attacks high up the pitch, their focus is on wide units and rotations. Antonio Nusa and Andreas Schjelderup, playing on the left wing, have provided service to Haaland, often benefiting from the underlapping runs of left-back David Moller Wolfe. These runs can pull opposition midfielders deeper, opening space for wingers to cut inside or deliver deep in-swinging crosses to the back post, a common method for Haaland to score.
Crowding Haaland out is one of the few ways teams have managed to limit his impact. For example, in a past match, West Ham used three central defenders and a holding midfielder to closely mark the Norwegian striker. Preventing back-post crosses by doubling up in wide areas or using adept one-on-one defenders could be effective, though this might leave the on-running full-back unmarked. A more concerted defensive effort from Jude Bellingham, dropping into a midfield five during England’s defensive block, could also be seen.
England’s offensive strategy will involve maintaining possession to pin Norway back, then utilising their own wide units. If wide midfielders hold their positions, opposition full-backs making runs off them can create two-on-one situations against Norway’s full-backs. O’Reilly will aim to make similar underlapping runs to create space for wingers. Pacy wingers driving the ball past full-backs to the bye-line can create cut-back opportunities for late-arriving attackers, a tactic Anthony Gordon has facilitated for England previously. If Norway loses possession, England’s players like Gordon, Bellingham, Rice, and Noni Madueke are adept at attacking the resulting open spaces, as Brazil demonstrated by creating numerous chances from counter-attacks against Norway.
The Three Lions have the advantage of more experience in the latter stages of tournaments and are focused on winning the World Cup, with Saka stating their immediate focus is on the Norway game in Miami.
Haaland, who plays his club football for Manchester City, has stated there is no pressure on his Norway side, suggesting that England are among the clear favourites. He also noted the special nature of playing England in the quarter-finals in the US, especially after Norway’s historic achievement of reaching this stage for the first time.
The 24-year-old Saka mentioned that England has mentally recovered after their dramatic victory at the Estadio Azteca, and their focus is now entirely on preparing for the tough match against Norway.
A challenging factor for both teams will be the extreme heat and humidity expected in Miami. England has largely avoided such conditions so far, with three of their five matches played in the rain and two in air-conditioned stadiums in Atlanta and Dallas.
Norway, in their first World Cup appearance in 28 years, has exceeded expectations, with their team photo dressed as Vikings going viral before the tournament. The Viking theme has continued with fans performing a Viking row celebration after each victory, from the stands in the United States to Times Square in New York and the streets of Oslo. Haaland himself conducted this celebration after his late double against Brazil secured Norway’s place in the quarter-finals.
The match will take place on Saturday in Miami.
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Source: dawn.com
