Raphael Durand
Dailysports's expert
One of the matches of the 10th round of the Norwegian Championship will take place on Sunday at the Intility Arena, where the home side Vålerenga will host Molde. I suggest a bet on goals in this match with an attractive odds value.
Match preview
Vålerenga are clearly struggling at the start of the season and with every round are increasingly at risk of being dragged into the relegation battle. Their current run of just one win in the last five matches perfectly illustrates their serious issues in both creativity and finishing. The home statistics are particularly worrying: over their last three outings at Intility Arena, Vålerenga have not managed a single win, settling for just one draw.
The hosts’ attacking arsenal looks pale: in ten rounds, the team has scored only 12 goals. Even in relatively successful games, Vålerenga rarely delivers a goal fest for the fans—more often than not, it’s just a single accurate strike per match. Against this backdrop, the task of scoring more than one goal against a solid Molde side appears nearly impossible.
Molde haven’t had the ideal start to the season either, but in terms of play, the visitors look much more composed and organized. Three defeats in their last four matches shouldn’t be misleading—all came by the narrowest of margins, which only highlights the resilience of their defense. Moreover, in six of their last seven outings, Molde have conceded no more than one goal, and on the road, they’ve kept a clean sheet in three of their four away games.
Molde’s main weapon is defensive discipline and sharp counterattacks, which are especially effective away from home. Despite a restrained style, the "blue and whites" can spring a nasty surprise on any defense with their intense pressure down the flanks and ability to exploit opponents’ weaknesses. Against a team with attacking issues like Vålerenga, that’s a huge advantage.
Probable lineups
- Vålerenga: M. Skjong, V. Hedenstad, A. Olsen, S. Jarl, V. Nogueira, E. Hagen, F. Ambina, K. Lange, F. Thorvaldsen, M. Brayanak, E. Sørensen.
- Molde: F. Gulbrandsen, S. Granaas, M. Eikrem, K. Eriksen, E. Breivik, I. Amundsen, S. Kabini, V. Lund Jensen, E. Haugan, H. Stenevik, J. Karlsrøm.
Match facts and H2H
- Vålerenga have scored exactly one goal in each of their last four league matches.
- At home, Vålerenga have netted fewer than 1.5 goals in two of their last three games.
- In the last five head-to-head meetings with Molde, Vålerenga have never scored more than one goal.
Prediction
Given all the factors and the current form of both teams, it’s hard to expect an attacking breakthrough from Vålerenga. Molde are solid at the back, and even in their best games, the hosts rarely score more than once. The logical choice is to bet on Vålerenga’s individual total under 1.5 goals, which is also backed by their head-to-head record against Molde.
