Norwegian Footballers To Get A Dramatic Finish Either Way

Finding a place flat enough to play football in Norway is probably quite difficult, and once you've shoveled the snow off the pitch you probably fancy going skiing instead of playing football. This then perhaps explains why Norway's winter sports successes far outweigh those of Norwegian footballers, but that may change as the Scandinavians close in on a possible qualification for Euro 2016.

Backing Norway to qualify for anything that doesn't involve snow or ice is always a bit of a risky gamble. Oh sure, there's a couple of cyclists around somewhere you could probably find if you follow the smell of artificial blood substitutes and trail of steroid coated needles, but the vast majority of Norwegian sporting success has come from skis and skates. Not that it should surprise anyone the far flung northern nation of Norway is good at winter sports.

Norway Make Headway
• Euro 2016 qualifiers
• Norway 2-0 Croatia
• Final game against Italy

This does mean however that they've not always been as successful in sports that are common elsewhere. Ice hockey and the biathlon might be hugely popular there, but the rest of the world (except for the whole Canada/Hockey silliness) prefers far warmer pursuits than skiing through a forest with a rifle, or slapping a puck about until a fight starts. This means Norwegian footballers have rarely got to the finals in a major football competition, as those that like to bet on sports in Norway will know to their cost.


Thus, at the outset, there weren't perhaps the hopes amongst those who like to bet on sport in Norway that one might find elsewhere on for their national team to qualify for the Euro 2016 finals in France. The belief of hardcore diehard fans was, naturally, unshakeable, in the skill of Norwegian footballers however many independent pundits were quite scornful of the Norwegian's chances, their form having dipped a little in recent years from high that saw then at both World Cup and Euro 2000.

Norwegian Footballers Have Italy To Come Again

Ten games later the Norwegian footballers are second in their group behind Italy and with just two games left they can almost grasp that automatic qualification for France, and indeed under Per-Mathias Hogmo they've worked to deserve it. They may have faltered a little to begin with, a loss against the ever strong Italy pretty much a run to form, but after that three wins in a row helped hope rise and despite a bit of a hammering from Croatia five-one since march they've been unbeaten.

Indeed last Sunday the Norwegian footballers got revenge of sorts on the Croatian side with a resounding two nil defeat in Oslo much to the absolute delight of Norwegian fans, but the job isn't done quite yet Croatia are only a point behind and Norway still have a game against the unbeaten Italians to come. The question then is that can the heights to which Jo Inge Berget dragged them on Sunday be sustained in the final matches of the Group H campaign?

More to the point, perhaps, is just how hard will the Italians play with qualification well and truly in the bag? Certainly they'd like to go into the tournament unbeaten in qualification, and they'll be in front of thousands of jubilant Azzuri fans in the Stadio Olimpico, Rome, so if you were gambling news of their assured place in France would make them an easy side to beat, think again, this will be Italy in full force and unrelenting, and the Norwegian footballers might just fold before them.

The Dreams Of Norwegian Footballers Dashed By The Odds?

So then Norway's qualification is far from certain, and indeed Croatia will be factoring in that last tough game for the Scandinavians as possibly the savior of their own automatic place. What does look likely going on recent form, however, is that should they be pushed down into the playoffs for a place in France the chances are the Norwegian footballers will battle extremely hard and be a side few wish to come up against as fewer and fewer hopes remain.

Should you then take advantage of the Norwegian gambling laws and back the team to qualify from Group H? Well the odds aren't encouraging to be frank. ComeOn! Sportsbook will give you 1.02 on the Italians getting to France, and 1.57 on the Croatians to get there, but poor old Norway is way back at 2.00 which may indicate just how the bookies believe this fairytale might play out. Sure, the Norwegians could make the finals, but they'll have to fight like hell to do it.

Fortunately the Norwegians, particularly Norwegian footballers, are not adverse to a hard fought battle, and as sure as internet laws in China are a waste of everyone's time and energy, it is as certain that Norway will play hard right up to the moment they either earn their place in France at Euro 2016, or hear the final whistle called on their dreams. Worth a punt to qualify, certainly, worth a bet to win the trophy? At 101.00? Nah, I don't think so. After all, they're not Iceland or anything.