FanDuel Women's World Cup Single-Game Helper: Norway vs. England

Norway's Caroline Graham Hansen has emerged as one of the stars of the 2019 Women's World Cup and could cause problems for England in the quarterfinals.

The World Cup is here, and FanDuel is offering daily fantasy contests. They will feature the first game of the quarterfinals between two of the seven European nations to make it this far, Norway and England, on a single-game slate. The match begins at 3:00 p.m. EST on June 27.

Norway has reached this stage in the competition for the first time since 2007, while England were a semifinalist in 2015. England are slight favorites with a 50% implied win probability. Their odds to qualify for the next round convert to a 65% probability, so they are being given the edge if the match goes to extra time or penalty kicks.

FanDuel has altered its soccer format for the Women's World Cup in the multi-match offerings, and it's important to know how those changes impact things. The single-match slates, which are the majority remaining, are the same format as usual.

Let's look at some players across different price points that can shine for either Norway or England.


Caroline Graham Hansen, Norway ($14)

Only Ellen White ($16) is more expensive than Graham Hansen and anyone who watched Norway's triumph over Australia will understand why. The Matildas had no answer for her, especially with the ball at her feet. Graham Hansen had five shots on goal and four chances created in the penalty-kick win. It was her best game in terms of FanDuel points with 37. She does have a goal and an assist to her name so far in the tournament and has also drawn four fouls over the course of the competition. She has recorded six defensive actions, but she is on the field for her offensive ability.

Guro Reiten, Norway ($13)

Reiten shares the majority of corner duties with Graham Hansen, although Kristine Minde ($9) did take four corners against Australia. Reiten has played in all four matches and averages 20.72 FanDuel points. That is with two matches below 10 points to finish out the group stage. She had nine chances created against Australia as well as three fouls drawn. She got two shots off versus Australia, although they did not hit the target. Reiten has added 13 defensive actions over the four matches, including three tackles in the last match. Reiten has not missed a minute of action in the four matches.

Toni Duggan, England ($12)

Duggan should get consideration for the captain pick as she has shown to be an asset on corner kicks since returning from injury.

Duggan has created five chances in two matches and had two assists against Cameroon in the Round of 16. She has padded her stats with five defensive actions since returning to the lineup. She has scored goals in four seasons playing in two domestic leagues, splitting 13 goals between Manchester City and Barcelona. Duggan is still looking for her first World Cup goal, so she may not be a popular captain pick. However, she is heavily involved in England's offense and will continue to see much of the ball.

Jill Scott, England ($7)

Scott will be one of the tallest players on the field and a good target on corners, but her worth comes from the defensive work she puts in as a box-to-box midfielder. Through four matches, she has a minor trend of scoring over 15 FanDuel points in every other game, so she is due for a good match. Scott has only had one match with fewer than four tackles and has at least one clearance in every match. She also has two interceptions in three straight matches. Scott has made the most World Cup appearances of any England player and will be called upon to stop the emerging Norway offense.


Alex Greenwood, England ($10)

Greenwood scored a goal off one assist from Duggan, but she should not be considered a major offensive threat. Her 34-point performance in the last match catapulted her to the top average among defenders on the slate. That was clearly aided by the goal, but she did have three tackles, two interceptions, two clearances, and one foul drawn. Greenwood is averaging close to five defensive actions and only one foul per match. Greenwood will likely face off with Graham Hansen in the initial lineups, so she will have to remain active.

Maren Mjelde, Norway ($9)

Mjelde was profiled earlier in the tournament because she often gets the call on direct free kicks, but she has been solid at center back for Norway. The captain also has the added motivation of her mother in the stands to cheer her on. Mjelde's mother had been battling cancer, but was able to travel to France. Mjelde helped shut down arguably the world's best player, Sam Kerr of Australia, on the way to the quarterfinals. She had an incredible 13 clearances in that match, just three short of her total in the previous three matches combined. Mjelde has had her two best matches against Norway's toughest opponents, France and Australia. She should be up to the task against England.

Ingrid Moe Wold, Norway ($5)

Moe Wold is the riskiest play of any in this primer as she generally does not get involved offensively and was subbed out of the Round of 16 match. However, she should start at right back and comes with an increased floor given the blossoming England attack. Moe Wold's pricing will help to get at least two high-priced attackers into the lineup. She had her worst game against Australia, but the Matildas' game plan was route one soccer to try to get Kerr as many touches as possible. That is not what England will do. They will operate from the wings with a possession-based style, bringing Moe Wold more into the match. She has a tackle and interception in every match and three clearances in the past two.
