Raphael Durand
Dailysports's expert
One of the fixtures in round 10 of the Norwegian Eliteserien will take place on Sunday at the Briskeby Arena, where local side HamKam will host Tromsø. I’m backing a bet on goals in this clash with a solid value on offer.
Match preview
HamKam comes into this one with a "bag of problems"—and most glaring is their defense. They are among the worst in the Eliteserien for goals conceded: 17 in 9 matches is enough to drive any fan to the brink. Even when the team wins duels in midfield, their defenders often crumble on the edge of their own box, leaving opponents with simple chances to score.
The attack is equally lackluster: just 10 goals in the same span—a number that rarely puts you in contention for much. HamKam’s style remains highly predictable: slow, positional build-up with little use of the flanks and virtually no creativity near the opposition’s penalty area. At home, they try to feed off the crowd, but the support can't mask basic defensive lapses.
By contrast, Tromsø looks a tier above—even if not a top club, they’re definitely stable. Four wins in their last five matches is a strong answer to skeptics who wrote them off as mid-table stragglers with no ambition. The team transitions well from defense to attack and is ruthless in punishing even minor positional errors from the opposition.
Tromsø’s main weakness is a familiar one—their own defense can be shaky at times. Sloppy marking on set pieces and risky passes near their own goal sometimes create unnecessary trouble. Still, compared to HamKam, the visitors are far more balanced—both in team play and attacking quality. Away from home, Tromsø is unfazed and knows how to impose their style.
Probable line-ups
- HamKam: M. Sandberg (gk), G. Granad, L. Mares (c), B. I. Bjarnason, S. Nilsen, G. Simenstad, T. Soras, A. Roalsey, A. Ekerot, K. Lien, M. Mawa.
- Tromsø: J. Haugard (gk), V. Sjervik, T. Guddal, A. S. Kinte, L. Kornik, J. Hjerto-Dahl, R. Jenssen (c), D. Edwardsson, R. Norheim, J. Romsaas, V. Erlien.
Match facts and head-to-head
- HamKam has conceded at least one goal in each of their last five matches.
- Tromsø has won four of their last five Eliteserien fixtures.
- Head-to-head stats between these teams aren’t too relevant as their most recent meetings were a while ago and don’t reflect current form.
Prediction
Honestly, HamKam’s hopes rest on a miracle and suddenly finding defensive steel—but given their current form, that’s a long shot. Tromsø, on the other hand, is in rhythm, clinical in attack, and more than capable of making the most of any “gifts” from the hosts. Bookmakers expect a high-scoring affair, and I completely agree: this won’t be a dull, goalless grind. My pick: over 2.5 total goals at odds of 1.91.
