Norway vs Italy prediction, H2H and probable lineups – 16 July 2025
Norway
Italy
The Women's Euro enters its playoff stage, with the first quarter-final scheduled for July 16. Here’s my prediction for the Norway vs Italy clash.
Norway
The "Grasshoppers" boast a rich footballing tradition, with two European Championship titles to their name and four more appearances as runners-up. Norway have also claimed a World Cup crown and an Olympic gold.
In this tournament, the team landed in a manageable group, even though the opposition was solid. Norway kicked off with a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Switzerland. In the second round, they repeated the result, edging out Finland 2-1. Their third game saw them outgun Iceland 4-3. As a result, Norway took a perfect nine points from three matches, topping their group.
Italy
The group stage was anything but easy for Italy. They started with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Belgium. In the second match, the "Azzurre" had every chance to win, taking the lead and dominating play, but Portugal equalised late, ending the game 1-1.
Their toughest challenge came against powerhouse Spain. Italy struck first in the 10th minute, but their rivals responded within four minutes. The "Azzurre" couldn't even hold on for a draw, ultimately falling 1-3. Still, Italy managed to finish second in the group and continue their pursuit of the title.
Probable lineups
Norway: Fiskerstrand, Woldvik, Mjelde, Gavrikken, Hansen, Boe Risa, Leongardsen-Maanum, Noslunn, Ildhusoy, Terland, Gaupset.
Italy: Giuliani, Lenzini, Salvai, Linari, Boattin, Oliviero, Giugliano, Caruso, Bonansea, Cantore, Piemonte.
H2H
These sides share a long history of head-to-head encounters. Their most recent meetings came last year in Euro qualifying, with both games ending in draws—1-1 and 0-0. Italy topped the group, while Norway finished third.
Prediction
These are two evenly matched teams, so it's no surprise there’s no clear favourite here. Expect a tense, hard-fought battle, with neither side willing to take unnecessary risks. In such an unpredictable clash, a bet on under 2.5 goals looks promising.
