Valerenga Fotball will be bidding to record their first victory in the Eliteserien for a month when they continue their campaign with a contest against KFUM Oslo on Monday night.
The away team are 11th in the Eliteserien table, picking up eight points from their first eight games of the campaign, while KFUM are 15th, only managing to collect four points from their first seven matches.
Match preview
KFUM have found it difficult in the early stages of the season, boasting a record of one win, one draw and five defeats from their seven matches, with four points leaving them down in 15th spot in the table.
Johannes Moesgaard's side will enter this match off the back of a victory, beating Bryne 2-0 in the NM Cupen, but they have lost their last two in the league, including a 1-0 reverse to Fredrikstad on May 16.
Kaffa have only scored six times in their seven league matches this season, while they have conceded 14, which is the third-worst defensive record in the division.
KFUM earned promotion from the second tier of Norwegian football in 2023, finishing eighth last term, and they are expected to be one of the clubs battling against relegation during the current campaign.
© Iconsport
Valerenga, meanwhile, will enter the clash off the back of a 1-1 draw with HamKam on May 16, with that result following back-to-back losses to Brann and Sandefjord at the start of the month.
Geir Bakke's side have not been victorious in the league since a 2-0 success over Kristiansund at the end of April, while they have only won once in all competitions since the end of March.
The Bohemians have a record of two wins, two draws and four defeats from their eight league matches this season, with eight points leaving them in 11th spot in the table, four points above their opponents on Monday.
Valerenga have scored 10 times this term but have conceded 13, which is just one fewer than KFUM.
The Royal Blues secured promotion back to the top flight courtesy of their first-placed finish in the First Division in 2024, and they are actually five-time winners of the Eliteserien, with their last success coming in 2005.
Team News
KFUM will be without the services of Mansour Sinyan due to a knock, but the home side are otherwise in strong shape for their clash with Valerenga on Monday.
Moussa Njie has come up with two goals in six appearances for the team this term, and there will be another spot in the final third of the field for the 29-year-old, while Obilor Okeke is also in line to start.
As for Valerenga, Petter Strand and Omar Bully Drammeh are both out of the contest due to knocks, but the visitors will be boosted by the return of Magnus Bech Riisnaes, who is available again following a suspension.
Riisnaes was sent off in the clash with Sandefjord on May 11, but he should return to the XI on Monday.
There are unlikely to be many surprises when it comes to the away side's starting side, with Muamer Brajanac again set to feature in the final third of the field for the away team.
KFUM Oslo possible starting lineup:
Odegaard; Aleesami, Bergile, Tonnessen, Hjorth; Hestnes, Hoseth, Sandal; Njie, Okeke, Kristensen
Valerenga Fotball possible starting lineup:
Storevik; Hedenstad, Jarl, Tshiembe, Vinicius; Hagen, Ambina, Lange; Strand, Brajanac, Riisaes
We say: KFUM Oslo 1-1 Valerenga Fotball
Valerenga have made the stronger start to the season, with KFUM losing five of their seven league fixtures to date, but we are struggling to separate the two sides on this occasion and have therefore had to settle on a low-scoring draw.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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Matt Law
