“The best in the competition by far.”
That was how Norway coach Stale Solbakken described the France frontline which electrified against his much-changed side on Friday.
Les Bleus’ speed, guile and slick interplay in the final third was devastating, and Ousmane Dembele produced one of the finest individual performances of the tournament in hitting a 32-minute hat-trick.
The Scandinavians battled hard throughout, and the 4-1 result was perhaps a little harsh on them. Jorgen Strand Larsen saw a second-half penalty saved by Mike Maignan, while Desire Doue added gloss to the scoreline with 94th-minute header.
Norway went into the game with their place in the knockout phase already secure, but knowing victory would see them leapfrog France and bank top spot in Group I.
Solbakken took the chance to rest star duo Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard, with the pair among ten changes from their starting XI against Senegal last time out.
The Norway coach explained how the decision was based on the feedback from his wider staff and tests carried out after Monday's 3-2 victory over the Lions of Teranga.
“It was a no-brainer on my part, the physio, the health and medical staff, and from some players themselves,” he said. “The only consideration was taking the Norwegian fans into consideration, who want to see Martin and Erling. But we want to stay here [at the World Cup] for as long we can.”
On France's quality, Solbakken added: “They are one of the three or four big favourites for the World Cup. [Kylian] Mbappe, Dembele, Doue and [Michael] Olise… they are the best four players together in offence.”
By finishing runners-up in the group, Norway have booked a last-32 meeting with Côte d'Ivoire. The African side made sure of their progress on Thursday with a 2-0 victory over Curaçao.
Solbakken is braced for a stern examination against a team with threats from all over park. The sides will meet at Dallas Stadium on Tuesday.
“I think they have a good mix in their midfield three, with a playmaker, a runner and a stabiliser," Solbakken said. "They also have two good wingers, a striker that can both keep the ball up and go behind and they have two powerhouses at centre-back. Their team is very good, but we are a good team when we play to our best. So, let’s see in four days. “We have cancelled out their one extra day to rest [by making changes for the France match] so now we should be on equal terms in terms of physicality, which I see one their biggest strengths.”
Sources: FIFA Official
