Norway Elitserien
Event: Valerenga - Lillestrom
Prediction: Valerenga -1.00 Asian Handicap

On May 25th, we are in for an Oslo derby between two old rivals, which promises to be an exciting match for us, the spectators to watch. The match will take place at Intility Arena, the home of Vålerenga, where they haven't lost a match yet this season.

The home side, Vålerenga currently sit at the 3rd place in the league with a 5-2-2 record and 17 points. While they still have a long way to catch up to Molde and Odd, Vålerenga have been playing well recently. Coming from a 2 consecutive wins, where they defeated Ranheim (1:5) and Stromhodset (2:0), Vålerenga look more than ready to face off against their old rivals. While there could be arguments made that neither of the teams Vålerenga faced off in the last 2 fixtures are exactly good, we can not deny 2:0 and 1:5 are promising results, at least goalscoring wise. What I like about Vålerenga is that if they have a good day, they are arguably the best team in the whole league. The only problem is that they don't have "good days" all the time. Nonetheless, with the quality they possess and great form Vålerenga has been showing, I believe we will be watching them fighting for top spot this season.

The visiting side, Lillestrøm head into the next match barely above the relegation zone. With a 2-3-4 record and only 9 points, Lillestrøm are clearly miles from their rivals, quality wise and form wise. Looking at Lillestrøm performances this season, they have not been too convincing. Losing 0:3 to Odd and 0:4 to Glimt are only two of the most notable results that clearly point towards issues in the team. Even looking at their 2:2 draw against Mjondalen, Lillestrøm were far from good. They struggled for the whole 90 minutes and while we must give them some credit for catching up to their opponents who were 2 goals ahead in the 1st half, we expected much more from them, especially against a team like Mjondalen.

There is a clear difference in the quality of the two teams. Vålerenga are performing admirably well, Lillestrøm... not so much. Putting teams side to side, we simply don't believe Lillestrøm will stand a chance against their rivals. While there is an argument to be made that rivalries bring the best out of any team, there will be a problem for Lillestrøm if Vålerenga plays the best football they can. All in all, this match should end in Vålerenga favour. Lillestrøm failed to produce anything promising in their recent matches and I do not believe that will change here. In conclusion, expect the home side to win this one in style, which translates to winning by more than just one goal.

Norway Elitserien
Event: Tromso - Molde
Prediction: Molde -0.50 Asian Handicap

A clash between top vs bottom teams, that are not only in a complete contrast points-wise but form-wise as well. The clash will take place at Alfheim Stadion on May 26th, where Tromso will hope to impress their fans with an upset win, but that is easier said than done.

Tromsø won the opening match of the season against Ranheim, which remains the only win they have on their record. Following the win in the first round of Eliteserien, Tromsø lost 7 and drew 1 match, which not surprisingly pushed them to the bottom of the league. While they have won their most recent match in the NM Cup against Melbo (1:2), their performance was far from impressive. Conceding a goal from a team that plays in the 4th division of Norwegian football is just embarrassing.

Seeing a team struggle as much as Tromsø, it's only normal to ask ourselves what went wrong, and while it's hard to say where exactly problems lie at Tromsø, there are many factors that could've contributed to their faith. From injuries, which sidelined key players (Sokol and Wangberg) to lack of leadership and ultimately questionable quality of the players all contributed to Tromsø disappointing season. While the club does look promising with plenty of young players, this is a double-edged sword, as it means there is a clear lack of experience.

The visiting side today, Molde sit at the top of the league with 22 points and a 7-1-2 record. Looking back at their last 5 games, they have suffered their first defeat on May 16th, when Molde failed to perform against Kristiansund (3:2). Nonetheless, the team is looking mighty strong and should they continue with the form they have been showing up until now, I can comfortably say Molde will be a serious contender for the title.

What works for this team is their incredible offence, which scored 25 goals in 10 games played. While there is some work to be done in the defence (10 goals conceded), the team looks very strong overall.

While there is little positive to say about Tromsø, they at least play well at home. They did lose all 4 home games this season, however, it has become clear visiting Tromsø is not an easy task for any team. Molde on the other side, won all of the last 3 visits to the Alfheim Stadion, proving they do not mind traveling north. Furthermore, Tromsø do not fare well against Molde, as they historically only won once in the last 10 h2h matches.

All in all, I was not too convinced by Tromsø performance in their recent matches. Failing to win more than once in the whole season in addition to having issues with injuries, which sidelined their key players, I simply don't believe they will be able to stand up against the league leaders. In conclusion, expect Molde to travel to Alfheim Stadion and get themselves an additional 3 points in an attempt to run away from Odd on the leaderboard.