Valerenga – Sandefjord

The Eliteserien is back – and Intility opens the ball for Vålerenga and Sandefjord

The wait is over, and after a long winter, the Eliteserien is finally back. In the capital, the season kicks off when Vålerenga takes on Sandefjord at Intility Arena.

Series openings have their own nerve. Optimism still lives in all camps, the table is blank, and the hope of a good season is intact. For Vålerenga, it's about building on the progress they've shown over the past year, while Sandefjord travel to Oslo with ambitions to show that they can still be an unpleasant team to face, and hopefully perform better away from home than they did last season.

Historically, the matches between these teams have often been even and entertaining. At the same time, there are many indications that the home team will enter this year's season with a slight favorite stamp.

Check out 90Minutesfamily's table tips here!

Vålerenga – Stability and structure give Vålerenga optimism before the start of the season

Vålerenga enters the season with a greater dose of stability than the club has had in a long time. Under the leadership of Geir Bakke and Petter Myhre, the team has gained a clearer structure, and it is a collective that appears to be more organized both offensively and defensively. The club is pulling more in the same direction in terms of club, board and management than they have done in previous years, so

The style of play is often characterized by controlled build-up play from the back and a desire to dominate the match through ball possession. Vålerenga often tries to move the opponent low in the field before attacking via the wings or through combinations in the center. At home at Intility, this is a style of play that often gives the team a clear initiative in matches.

The squad also appears relatively stable compared to previous seasons. Several of the key players from last year are still in place, and the continuity means that the team already seems well-coordinated before the start of the season. At the same time, Vålerenga must manage without Mohamed Ofkir and Omar Bully, who are out with long-term injuries, and Brice Ambina and Henrik Bjordal are out with suspensions due to red cards.

The club's ambitions are to establish themselves in the upper part of the table again. With the stability the team is now showing, many are pointing to Vålerenga as a potential challenger for the places behind the very biggest teams.

This year's pre-season has yielded five wins in six games and a goal difference of 16-7, against relatively good opposition.

Sandefjord – must rebuild after player loss

Sandefjord delivered an impressive season last year, especially at home, but were "absent" away from home. Many people complained about the deck at Jotun Arena, so it will be exciting to see how the games end there this year when they have changed the deck since last year. They enter the new season with slightly different conditions this year, they have lost several important players, and the team must therefore rebuild part of their offensive game.

Traditionally, Sandefjord are a team that thrives best when they can be compact defensively and attack quickly in transition. They are often disciplined without the ball, and when they win it, they try to get up the pitch quickly. This approach can make them a difficult opponent, especially against teams that want to dominate the game.

At the same time, there is some uncertainty about how the team will perform after the loss of these players. New players will have to find their place in the team, and at the start of the season it may take some time before relationships are as good as before. Nikolaj Möller has come in for last year's top scorer Sigurdarson, so the question is whether Möller has what it takes to reach the level of the Eliteserien, although he has scored 5 goals in the last 4 training matches.  

Nevertheless, Sandefjord have shown many times that they can surprise, and they are unlikely to travel to Oslo without believing that they can get a result. This year's pre-season has yielded seven wins in nine games and a goal difference of 19-10, against somewhat weaker opposition on paper. Sandefjord does not have a good history in the first round of the series, and in the last ten series openings they have four wins, two of which are in the OBOS league, and six losses, a goal difference of 12-20.

Conclusion – The match picture points towards Vålerenga

Everything is set for an interesting series opener in Oslo. Vålerenga will likely try to take control of the game with a lot of ball and high pressure, while Sandefjord will likely go for a more compact approach and hope to exploit the spaces that arise in the transitions.

On paper, Vålerenga appears to be the stronger team, especially at home, but series starts can often be more even than expected. For Sandefjord, it is primarily about keeping the game close for a long time, while the home team will try to set the tone for the season from the start.

In other words, it looks like a match where Vålerenga will control much of the game, but where Sandefjord can be dangerous if they get the opportunity to attack quickly.

Eliteserien at 17:00: Vålerenga – Sandefjord: Vålerenga wins (2.14)

Alternative games;

Eliteserien at 17:00: Vålerenga – Sandefjord: Vålerenga over 1.5 goals (1.73)

Eliteserien at 17:00: Vålerenga – Sandefjord: Btts + 2.5 goals (1.75)