Preview: Stabaek Football vs. Viking FK - prediction, team news, lineups

In contrast to their hosts, Viking are currently enjoying a rich vein of form after recording four consecutive victories.

Match preview

Since edging out Valerenga via a 2-1 scoreline on May 29, Stabaek have gone on to draw two and lose four of their next six competitive games.

After suffering back-to-back defeats to Tromso and Stromsgodset, Lars Bohinen's may have been content with a goalless draw against Sandefjord last weekend.

Although they have experienced a poor run of results, newly-promoted Stabaek are sitting in ninth place with a six-point buffer to the bottom three.

Sunday's hosts have relied heavily on their home form this term, having picked up 12 of their 16 points from games at the Nadderud Stadion.

However, they did suffer their first home defeat of the Eliteserien season in their most recent home fixture against Stromsgodset.

Viking, meanwhile, have responded impeccably to being knocked out of the Norwegian Cup by second-tier Raufoss on penalties.

Since losing their third-round cup tie, Viking have squeezed past Valerenga and recorded a 2-0 win over Haugesund.

Impressively, they have now claimed four successive top-flight victories, scoring at least two goals in each of those wins.

As a result, they head into the weekend in third place with nine points separating them from league leaders Bodo/Glimt, who have played a game more.

Having racked up 30 goals in 13 league games, Viking are currently the second-highest scorers in the Eliteserien, and they will be hoping to showcase that firepower on Sunday.

Stabaek Football Norwegian Eliteserien form:

W

L

D

L

L

D

Stabaek Football form (all competitions):

Viking FK Norwegian Eliteserien form:

L

L

W

W

W

W

Viking FK form (all competitions):

Team News

After serving a two-match suspension, Kasper Hogh is expected to feature in the Stabaek forward line alongside Mushaga Bakenga.

Aleksander Andersen has been away at the Under-19 European Championship with Norway, but there is a possibility he could feature on the bench after his country were eliminated in the semi-finals by Portugal.

Kasper Pedersen is set to make his third consecutive start, and the defender could be joined in a back three by Nicolai Naess and Andreas Skovgaard.

As for the visitors, they are unable to call upon Gianni Stensness, who is not expected to feature again this season due to a knee injury.

Jost Urbancic has been out of action since March, and the Slovenian defender remains sidelined for Sunday's away meeting.

After dropping out of the side last weekend, midfielder Patrick Yazbek could be brought back into the starting lineup.

Stabaek Football possible starting lineup:

Pettersson; Pedersen, Naess, Skovgaard; Ottesen, Kostadinov, Lucca, Krogstad, Pachonik; Bakenga, Hogh

Viking FK possible starting lineup:

Gunnarson; Haugen, Diop, Brekalo, Pattynama; de Lanlay, Solbakken, Yazbek; Svendsen, Tripic, Salvesen

We say: Stabaek Football 1-2 Viking FK

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