Norway vs France: Why to back Both Teams to Score in Second Half at 9/4 in World Cup 2026 clash

The group stages of the 2026 World Cup are slowly coming to a close, and perhaps the most anticipated clash is that of Norway against France on Friday, with the two vying for top spot.

Both have six points after two games in Group I, meaning they will both be in the round of 32, though the winner of the group will face the third-placed team from Group F, whereas the runner-up would face the second-placed nation from Group E.

That means Norway have to get the better of France in order to finish first because Les Bleus boast better goal difference, so Erling Haaland will have to be at the top of his game.

However, the bookmakers have not overlooked Frenchman Kylian Mbappe, with the odd providers pricing a France win at 8/13 (1.62), while pricing a Norwegian win at 15/4 (4.75).

The two teams have performed better after the intervals of their group clashes so far, and that could mean fans are in for an entertaining second half on Saturday.

Will both teams score in the second half?

So far at the World Cup, Norway have won two games, beating Iraq 4-1 on June 16 before emerging as 3-2 victors against Senegal on June 23.

Six of those 10 goals were scored after the half-time interval, with the Norwegians responsible for four of those strikes, while two of Haaland's four goals also came after the break.

As for France, all four of the goals in their 3-1 win against Senegal on June 16 came in the second half, while two of their goals in their 3-0 win over Iraq on June 22 came in the second 45 minutes.

It should be noted that there was nearly a two-hour gap between halves in Les Bleus' clash with Iraq due to severe thunderstorms, and that may have had an impact on the outcome of the match.

It therefore could be a value bet with bet365 to predict Both Teams to Score in the Second Half at 9/4 (3.25).

Erling Haaland vs. Kylian Mbappe: The key stars

Haaland and Mbappe are currently tied on four goals each, with only Lionel Messi (five) ahead of them in the goalscoring charts at the World Cup.

The Norway striker is arguably the most lethal attacker in the penalty area on the globe, while Mbappe provides a significant threat from multiple areas of the pitch.

Both are reliant on their teammates to an extent, so it will be fascinating to see whether they can make the difference on Saturday if they are provided the necessary chances.