Odd – Mjøndalen

Technology from Telemark meets brown bulldozer football

Imagine mixing a cappuccino with a good, old-fashioned brown cup of filter coffee. That's exactly what you get when Odd from Skien takes on Mjøndalen from the south side of the Drammenselva, at Skagerak Arena. It's finesse versus physics. Waffle with brown cheese versus protein shake and barley dust. There's more spark here than at a gas station with static electricity.

Skagerak Arena: Norway's answer to Camp Nou?

Not quite. But Odd fans love their stadium, and with a view of the mountains and industrial romance, you get both football and the feeling of being in a slightly sad Norwegian short film. It's homely, and Odd has been solid here this year – at least every third game.

Odd – The technical wizards from Skien

Odd plays like Barcelona – they think – only without Raphinha, money and a little more rain. They always try to play from behind, even when things go completely wrong. It's like insisting on using fondue sets on volunteer work: stylish, but impractical.

• Filip Jørgensen – Captain and passing machine. Has a football brain like a MacBook Pro.

• Etzaz Hussain – Fast and snappy, like a well-groomed ferret on Red Bull.

• Børven – Skien's favorite. Scores consistently.

Mjøndalen – The brown bulldozers

Mjøndalen play football the way your father builds a pitch: straight forward, rock solid and a bit dangerous, if you're not paying attention. They're a team that lives for corners, second balls and the good old "war in the box" game. Not fancy, but effective - and incredibly annoying to face.

• Karim Bata – Centerback with poise and his own parking for tackles.

• Alie Conteh – The striker from Sierra Leone always plays with a look that says, "Now I'm tricking you."

Conclusion: A lot of ball dribbling from Odd

Odd wants to have the ball, dribble passes and try his hand at what looks like football art – but which often ends in frustrated screams from the stands. Mjøndalen? They want to have as little ball as possible, but be effective once they get it – preferably on set pieces.

The weather

Rain? Benefit Mjøndalen.

Dry? Advantage Odd.

This is like watching a Swiss Army knife duel against a rusty but brutal ox leg. One is precise and pretty – the other does the job anyway.

No matter how Mjøndalen's center backs fight, Odd will be too strong at home and win the match comfortably – but Mjøndalen scores a goal.

And we report a close, intensive match between finesse and raw football and referee Herman Holthe can quickly point to the penalty mark with a demolition in the box on a set piece. Therefore, we try the following play;

Bet suggestions

Norway at 19.00: Odd – Mjøndalen: Odd wins + BTS (2.75)

Alternative game

Norway at 19:00: Odd – Mjøndalen: Penalty kick in the match: yes (2.85)