Latvia are tipped to pull off a slight upset in this quarter-final clash.
The Latvians have hit their stride offensively over the past few games and their forward lines could cause all sorts of problems for Norway.
Key Numbers – Can Latvia Make It 4-In-A-Row?
- Latvia are on a 3-game win streak
- Latvia have scored 18 goals across their last 3 games
- Each of Latvia’s previous 4 games produced over 4.5 total goals
- Each of Norway’s last 4 games have seen over 4.5 total goals
Latvia Lead Head-To-Head; Won Last Meeting
Latvia lead the series 22-14 since 2003
Latvia won 4-3 when the two teams last met on May 7
Norway Advanced With Five Group Wins
Norway won five of their seven games during the group stage to finish second in the standings and advance.
The Norwegians made a losing start to the tournament as they fell 2-1 to Slovakia, but they responded in emphatic fashion with a 4-0 shutout win over Slovenia.
They backed that up with 4-0 success against Italy too, and then pushed tournament favourites Canada close before falling to a 6-5 defeat.
Norway responded with a 3-2 success against Scandinavian rivals Sweden, before easing to a 4-1 victory against Czechia.
The Norwegians then wrapped up second place in the group with a 4-3 victory over Denmark.
Latvia Booked Knockout Place With Four Wins
Latvia advanced to the knockout stage by winning four of their seven games during the group stage.
Like Norway, the Latvians also made a losing start to the competition as they were beaten 4-2 by hosts Switzerland.
They rebounded immediately to beat Germany 2-0, only to then suffer a 3-1 loss to Austria and a 7-1 blowout defeat to Finland.
Latvia’s response was impressive, as they stunned the United States by beating the defending champions 4-2.
The Latvians then backed that up with a 6-0 rout of Great Britain, and an 8-1 demolition of Hungary to secure a spot in the quarter-finals.