Dag-Eilev Fagermo’s Vaalerenga go into matchday 12 of the Norwegian Eliteserien on a three-match unbeaten streak.
The Sarpsborg manager watched the team collect five points from their last nine available which has them in third place.
For et forarbeid fra Sahraoui da Jatta fikk sitt første for @ValerengaOslo! 🔥👏 pic.twitter.com/9KDveXWRIK— Eliteserien (@eliteserien) June 27, 2021
For et forarbeid fra Sahraoui da Jatta fikk sitt første for @ValerengaOslo! 🔥👏 pic.twitter.com/9KDveXWRIK
Vaalerenga are seven points off of first-place Bodoe/Glint and Molde. A win on Thursday would continue their unbeaten run and could pull them closer to first place.
Standing in the Pride of Oslo’s way of potentially pulling closer to the top of the table are Sarpsborg. Sitting 11th in the Eliteserien table, Sarpsborg have taken nine points from 24 available.
They have blown hot and cold early on, and are coming off of a 2-1 home loss to Viking.
The last three games in all competitions between these teams ended without a loss for Vaalerenga. Two of those matches ended in victories for the Pride of Oslo and Fagermo’s team should be full of confidence of getting another victory.
Fagermo could be without three players for the game. Midfielder Aron Doennum is fighting for match fitness following a knee injury. He could return to the side for the match.
Forward Orn Kjartansson is ruled out with a leg injury, while Odin Thiago Holm is a doubt.
Sarpsborg manager Lars Bohinen has two players on the injury list including midfielder Gaute Hoberg Vetti and defender Jorgen Horn. Both players could return for the game as they near full fitness from injury.
One player Bohinen won’t have available is Ibrahima Kone. The forward will serve a red-card suspension for the match.
Vaalerenga have not been great at home this term. They have taken six points from 15 available to them. They are +1 in goal difference with seven goals scored and six allowed.
Sarpsborg, on the other hand, have been good on the road thus far taking seven points from 12 available. They should give Vaalerenga a run for their money this week. Sarpsborg have tallied a zero-goal difference with five goals for and five allowed.
Vaalerenga’s Doennum leads the team in goals with four. His potential absence could limit the Pride of Oslo’s goalscoring chances. Jonatan Tollas is second in scoring with three strikes.
Sarpsborg’s Kone is a big miss. The team do not score a lot of goals and Kone is co-leader in scoring with two strikes. Bohenin needs his other players to step up in Kone’s absence.
Vaalerenga are in good form and should keep it going this week at home versus Sarpsborg.
Two of their last three games ended with both teams scoring, which should occur once more this week. Expect a Vaalerenga win and over 2.5 goals.