Two sides that have made contrasting starts to the 2024 Norwegian Eliteserien season will meet on Saturday when Fredrikstad take on Tromso IL at Nye Fredrikstad Stadion.
The hosts are currently on 20 points after the first nine games of the season, while the visitors are languishing at the bottom of the standings with six points earned in eight games.
Match preview
Fredrikstad have made a dream start to life in the top flight and could end the weekend top of the standings if Bodo/Glimt and Brann drop points in their matches against KFUM and Molde respectively.
They have also already stamped their ticket to the quarter-final of the Norwegian Football Cup, where they will meet Valerenga after overcoming Raufoss 3-2 in round four at the start of the month.
The Aristocrats kicked off the league season with a 2-0 loss to Den Gule Horde but made a huge statement a week later when they picked up their first win of the campaign, beating The Reds 2-0 in Bergen.
Since then, Mikkjal Thomassen's side have maintained an unbeaten record in the league, drawing two and winning five in a row ahead of this match, including a solid 3-0 victory over Lillestrom last week.
Julius Magnusson, Oscar Aga and Sondre Sorlokk all got on the scoresheet against the Canaries, marking the fourth game in succession that Fredrikstad have scored two or more goals. They are already on 19 goals for the season, only two behind the league leaders and will fancy their chances of keeping their good form going against a stuttering Tromso side.
After securing Europa League qualification by finishing third last season, the 2024 campaign began in the worst way possible for Tromso, who will enter gameweek 10 at the bottom of the pile.
Gutan suffered defeat in each of their first five league games at the start of the campaign and also saw their domestic cup hopes brought to an end at the start of the month when they were beaten 1-0 by Valerenga.
There have been signs of life from Jorgen Vik's side in recent weeks, though, as they managed to claim six points in their last three games, beating Odd and Rosenborg either side of a 4-0 drubbing at the hand of Bodo/Glimt on May 16.
However, both those victories came at Alfheim Stadium and the side now have to have to find a spark on the road, where they are still in search of their first points of the season, following three successive defeats.
Team News
Fredrikstad will have to make do without the services of defender Philip Aukland, who picked up his third caution of the season last week against Lillestrom and will serve a one-match suspension in this match.
Mai Traore has yet to feature for the hosts this season as he continues his recovery from a thigh injury, while Joannes Bjartalid and Filip Stensland are both sidelined until next month with a knock and heel injury respectively.
Tromso are also missing a few players due to injury, including central midfielder Sakarias Opsahl, who picked up a muscle injury in the side's 2-1 loss to Viking at the start of the month.
Attacker Elias Aarflot is facing an extended period on the sidelines due to a dislocated knee cap, and midfielder Miika Koskela has been ruled out for the next two months due to a back injury.
Fredrikstad possible starting lineup:
Fischer; Skaret, Kvile, Woledzi; Metcalfe, Sorlokk, Magnusson, Rafn, Molde; Bjorlo, Kjaer
Tromso IL possible starting lineup:
Haugaard; Skjaervik, Psyche, A Jenssen; Robertson, Hjerto-Dahl, R Jenssen, Antonsen, Norheim; Romsaas, Erlien
We say: Fredrikstad 2-1 Tromso IL
Fredrikstad have adapted to life in the top flight impeccably, and their free-flowing attacking football has been a joy to watch this season. Tromso have improved in the last few weeks after a dismal start to the campaign, but they are yet to earn a single point on the road, and we feel they may struggle to take anything from this match as well.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Devesh Jaganath
