Norway can no longer qualify for Euro 2024 via their qualifying group, but Erling Haaland and his teammates can still participate in the play-offs if Israel qualifies in the coming days.
Some observers will have their eyes turned this Saturday evening towards the Pancho Arena, a stadium named in tribute to Ferenc Puskas, west of Budapest (in Hungary). Israel hosts Romania for the penultimate day of the Euro 2024 qualifiers (kick-off at 8:45 p.m.). The Israeli selection is obviously ending its campaign away while the Jewish state is at war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Norway will closely follow the result of Israel-Romania. The Israelis are 3rd in the standings of Group I and can come back to within one point of the Romanians in the event of a victory, before a possibly breathtaking final with Romania-Switzerland (the first in the group) and Andorra-Israel on the program for next Tuesday!
A direct qualification for Israel would offer a play-off place to Erling Haaland’s Norwegians, who can no longer finish in the first two of their group before their last match against Scotland (current runner-up to Spain). The Manchester City star scorer is also injured in an ankle and is not expected to play in Glasgow on Sunday.
If Israel does not overtake Romania at the finish, it will compete in the road B play-off (and will play its semi-final at “home”). If Israel qualifies directly, Norway will benefit but by completing the Final Four of Path A, to challenge a big chunk (which could be Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Poland, the Czech Republic or the Wales according to the latest results).
🇳🇴 Norway will enter the Play-offs if Israel finishes above Romania in Group I.
For that to happen, Israel have to defeat Romania tonight and Andorra on Tuesday, with Romania not defeating Switzerland in the last round.
30% for this to happen, per @fmeetsdata. pic.twitter.com/uapxunZTmo
— Football Rankings (@FootRankings) November 18, 2023
