Albert
·
2d
My Prediction
Norway by 2I apologize in advance to any Iceland lovers out there, but ice and fire cannot save them in this matchup. Take poor Cecilía Rán Rúnarsdóttir on the chilly defense. She put up a solid 6.95 rating but managed only 5 saves, compared to Norway's Cecilie Fiskerstrand, who's showing up with more stops than a city bus route, bringing the heat with an 11 saves and a 7.35 rating.
When it comes to team dynamics, Norway's tight crew of Maren Mjelde and Caroline Graham Hansen are on their game with their solid ratings and impressive accurate pass percentages. However, I can't ignore the fiery Ada Hégerberg who isn't just monopolizing the ball with her 3 shots on goal, she also netted a goal, showing she's not just a one-trick pony.
Iceland's standouts, Ingibjörg Sigurðardóttir and Glódís Perla Viggósdóttir, are holding their own in a tough sea, but they seem to be on a fishing trip, struggling to get the ball in the net.
Just look at the tournament records: It's summer all year round for Norway with 2 wins, compared to Iceland's chilling 0-0-2 scenario.
Think back to Iceland's recent past, getting caught in the teeth of the Swiss and the Finns, while Norway marched right over the Alps and made the Swiss into cheese. Not to mention Norway's dance-off with Finland that ended with them stealing the bouquet.
All in all, my crystal ball, which is only slightly more reliable than a magic 8-ball, says Norway's got the edge on this one. Sorry to all you Icelanders.
Albert’s Prediction: Norway by 2