Newly-promoted KFUM Oslo and defending champions Bodo/Glimt get round 16 of the Norwegian Eliteserien underway when they go head to head at KFUM Arena on Saturday.
The Glimt head into the weekend fresh off the back of an emphatic victory in the Champions League qualifiers, while the hosts will be looking to make it three league wins on the bounce for the first time this season.
Match preview
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Heading into the second half of the Eliteserien campaign, KFUM Oslo will feel delighted with their performance so far as they find themselves in the top half of the table and in contention for European qualification.
Making their first-ever appearance in the top flight, having secured promotion from the 1st Division following a second-placed finish last season, the Kaffa have picked up five wins and six draws in their 15 matches to collect 21 points and sit sixth in the table.
KFUM head into the weekend off the back of securing back-to-back league wins for the first time this season as they edged out Molde in a five-goal thriller when the sides squared off at the Aker Stadion last Saturday.
Petter Nosa Dahl and Ayoub Aleesami hit the target to cancel out Mathias Fjortoft Lovik's 20th-minute opener and turn the game on its head, and after Magnus Wolff Eikrem pulled Molde level with a 64th-minute strike, Johannes Nunez struck with seven minutes left in the game to hand the visitors a dramatic 3-2 victory.
Prior to that, Johannes Moesgaard's men snapped their run of six consecutive games without a win across all competitions on July 13, when they beat Tromso 2-1 at the Alfheim Stadion courtesy of goals from Nunez and Momodou Lion Njie.
After two impressive results on the road, KFUM now return home where they have struggled to impose themselves this season, losing three and claiming four draws in their seven matches so far — the only side yet to taste victory at home in the Eliteserien this season.
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Bodo/Glimt, on the other hand, kicked off their quest for Champions League football in style as they stormed to a 4-0 victory over Latvian outfit RFS in the second qualifying round on Tuesday.
In a one-sided affair at the Aspmyra Stadion, goals from Ulrik Saltnes, Oscar Kapskarmo and a brace from 23-year-old August Mikkelsen inspired the hosts to a comfortable first-leg victory.
This was in keeping with their impressive run of results in the Eliteserien, where the Glimt have won four of their five matches since the start of June — with a 2-1 defeat against Sandefjord on July 13 being the exception
Kjetil Knutsen's men have picked up 11 wins in their 16 league matches while losing twice and claiming three draws to collect 36 points and sit top of the table, six points above second-placed Brann.
Bodo/Glimt head into the weekend on a run of nine wins in their 11 matches on the road across all competitions and currently boasts the best point tally away from home in the league (18).
Team News
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KFUM will take to the pitch without the services of 20-year-old defender Mathias Tonnessen, who has been out of action since coming off with a knee problem in April's game against Sarpsborg.
He is joined on the club's injury table by 22-year-old goalkeeper William Da Rocha, who continues his lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering a severe injury in March.
Nunez has been a standout performer for the Kaffa this season and we expect the 27-year-old striker, who has seven goals and four assists in 14 league games, to lead the attack once again.
Bodo/Glimt remain without several players down the spine of the team as Omar Elabdellaoui, Gaute Vetti and Danish forward Kasper Hogh are all recuperating from injuries.
Runar Espejord has been ruled out since coming off with a thigh injury against Malmo in February while fellow forward Sondre Sorli is currently nursing an ankle injury.
KFUM Oslo possible starting lineup:
Odegaard; A Aleesami, L Njie, H Aleesami; Hoseth, Hestnes, Rasch, Gyedu; Dahl, Nunez, M Njie
Bodo/Glimt possible starting lineup:
Haikin; Wembangomo, Moe, Gundersen, Bjorkan; Saltnes, Evjen, Berg; Sjovold, Kapskarmo, Mikkelsen
We say: KFUM Oslo 0-2 Bodo/Glimt
KFUM head into the weekend off the back of two impressive results but now face the challenge of a superior and more experienced side in Bodo/Glimt. Given the gulf in class and quality between the two sides, we are backing the visitors to come away with all three points unscathed.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
