Two sides in desperate need of a positive result in the Eliteserien will meet on Saturday afternoon when FK Haugesund take on HamKam at Haugesund Sparebank Arena.
The hosts are currently in 14th place in the league standings with 17 points after 16 games, while the visitors are 12th with 18 points, although they have played one game more than their opponents.
Match preview
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After spending last season in the bottom half and avoiding the drop by just four points, Haugesund look likely to experience the same battle this term, having managed just 17 points over the first half of the campaign.
The Seagulls are currently sat in the relegation playoff spot only one point above basement club Sandefjord, meaning that a loss in their upcoming match could see them end the weekend bottom of the league.
Since arriving at the club in May, Sancheev Manoharan has now overseen seven top-flight matches for his new team and has managed a record of two wins, one draw and four losses.
Haugesund's last two matches ended in defeat and saw them concede four goals in each, with the most recent coming against Bodo/ Glimt last weekend (4-2), marking their ninth league loss in 16 games.
Additionally, the side have only scored 18 goals so far this term, which is the joint-fewest of any side in the top flight alongside fellow strugglers Tromso and Odd, who are in 13th and 15th place respectively.
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Meanwhile, HamKam have not fared much better than their opponents, having managed just one more point than them while playing an additional game, though they have seen a slight improvement in results over the last few weeks.
Gronnbuksene got a major slice of luck last weekend when they received two own-goals to help them secure a 3-3 draw at home to Viking, which kept them above the dotted line.
The result also took them to eight points earned in the last five matches, during which they suffered only one defeat, which was against Fredrikstad, while they beat Sandefjord and Odd, and drew goalless with Tromso.
That is the best return the side have managed in a five-match period so far this season and is a significant upturn after failing to win any of their first eight matches this term, which included four draws and four losses.
When these two sides met earlier in the season, the match ended in a 2-2 draw, though HamKam are now winless in their last three against this opponent, having lost home and away to them last year.
Team News
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Amund Wichne suffered a cruciate ligament tear at the start of the season and is expected to miss the remainder of the campaign this year after undergoing surgery.
Claus Niyukuri has missed four matches with a hamstring strain and will join longer-term absentees Anders Baertelsen and Martin Samuelsen on the sidelines until the end of the month.
HamKam, on the other hand, have only one reported injury absentee for this match in the form of midfielder Halvor Opsahl, who sustained a knock in training and is ruled out until September.
Fredrik Sjolstad will be eligible to return this weekend having served his red card suspension, and he will likely be tossed straight back into defence alongside Luc Mares and Brynjar Ingi Bjarnason.
FK Haugesund possible starting lineup:
Selvik; Hope, Fischer, Fredriksen, Krusnell; Eskesen, Ludviksson; Tounekti, Konradsen, Sauer; Liseth
HamKam possible starting lineup:
Sandberg; Bjarnason, Mares, Sjolstad; Jonsson, Soras, Simenstad, Onsrud, Kongsro; Kirkevold, Udah
We say: FK Haugesund 2-2 HamKam
Matches between these two tend to be high-scoring affairs and based on their defensive numbers lately, we could see a handful hit the back of the net here as well. However, we cannot see a clear winner in this contest and feel that both teams will end up having to settle for a share of the spoils.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Devesh Jaganath
