BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

One of the most anticipated fixtures of the FIFA World Cup enters centre stage as Norway and France lock horns in Boston, with two of football’s most prolific goalscorers set to headline the contest.

The spotlight will inevitably fall on Norway’s Erling Haaland and France captain Kylian Mbappé, whose remarkable scoring exploits have made them among the most feared forwards in world football.

Haaland has enjoyed a sensational start to his World Cup career, becoming only the sixth player in tournament history to score at least twice in each of his opening two appearances at the finals. The prolific Norwegian will once again carry his country’s attacking hopes as they seek another memorable result.

Standing in his way is Mbappé, whose World Cup pedigree is already firmly established. The French superstar has netted 16 goals in 16 FIFA World Cup matches, underlining his reputation as one of the competition’s greatest performers despite still being in the prime of his career.

Beyond the individual rivalry, the encounter promises to be a fascinating tactical battle between two ambitious European nations with knockout-stage aspirations.

With Haaland and Mbappé both capable of deciding matches in an instant, fans at Boston can expect a contest packed with pace, power and world-class finishing in what could prove one of the standout matches of the tournament.

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BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

Egypt and IR Iran will meet competitively for the first time, with both nations pursuing a landmark achievement—qualification for the FIFA World Cup knockout rounds for the first time in their histories.

Neither side has previously advanced beyond the group phase despite several appearances on football’s biggest stage, making the encounter one of the most significant in their respective World Cup journeys.

Egypt will rely on their disciplined defensive organisation and attacking efficiency as they seek a victory that could rewrite the nation’s World Cup history.

Iran, meanwhile, have consistently emerged as one of Asia’s strongest representatives in recent years and will be determined to translate that continental success into a long-awaited breakthrough on the global stage.

With so much at stake, the contest is expected to be a tense and tactical affair where a single moment of quality could decide which nation moves closer to making history.

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BY KUNLE  SOLAJA.

Belgium will aim to stretch their unbeaten run in international football to 16 matches when they face New Zealand, who have quietly developed a reputation for frustrating European opposition at the FIFA World Cup.

The Oceania side have drawn each of their last two World Cup matches against European teams, demonstrating their ability to compete with traditionally stronger opponents on football’s biggest stage.

Belgium enter the match in impressive form and will be confident of maintaining their consistency as they continue their pursuit of another deep World Cup run.

However, New Zealand’s disciplined defensive structure and determination could once again test European opposition as they chase another valuable result.

The clash promises to pit Belgium’s attacking flair against New Zealand’s resilience in what could become another closely fought encounter.

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