Indonesia
Nigeria
South Africa

Sandefjordvs.Bodo/Glimt

sportsmole.co.uk, 11 July 2024, 11:41
Sandefjord, who are languishing at the bottom of the league, are set to clash with league-leading Bodo/Glimt at the Komplett Arena in the Norwegian Eliteserien on Saturday.

The hosts have just 10 points after 14 fixtures and trail safety by four points, while the visitors have a healthy five-point lead at the top of the table.

Match preview

Sandefjord have consistently flirted with the drop zone in their past two seasons in the Eliteserien, surviving via victory in the relegation/promotion playoffs in 2022 before narrowly avoiding the bottom three by two points in the last campaign.

This season, Andreas Tegstrom's team seem destined for relegation, as they currently anchor the league table with only 10 points from 14 games, from two wins and four draws, making their bid to extend their five-year stay in the top flight looking increasingly unlikely.

At their current rate of 0.71 points per game, Sandefjord are on course to finish with 21 points, less than the 23 points that saw them relegated in last position in 2018 and a points tally that would see them drop to the second division in all of the last 13 Eliteserien seasons.

If they are to defy the odds and escape relegation again, Tegstrom's men must improve on their current form that has seen them go eight league matches without victory, losing five in that time.

Sandefjord may find solace from the fact that they were much improved in the second half of last season, where they gathered 18 of their 31 points in the final 15 matches, while they have also already taken a vital point against Bodo/Glimt earlier in this campaign.

As for the visitors, they have established themselves as a dominant force in Norwegian football in recent years, achieving their inaugural top-flight league title in 2020 before adding to their success by lifting the trophy again in 2021 and 2023.

Kjetil Knutsen has played a pivotal role in Bodo/Glimt's remarkable rise to the peak of the Eliteserien, having taken charge of the club prior to their return to the top flight in 2018 following their relegation in 2016.

Knutsen's side now look on course to secure their fourth title in five years, holding a five-point lead over second-placed SK Brann, who they humiliated 5-1 last time out, despite also playing a game less.

The Yellow Horde have only lost once all season, a shock 1-0 defeat to relegation-threatened HamKam, and boast both the best offensive and defensive records across the entire division.

A worrying stretch of three league games without a victory in late May, their joint-longest winless run since September 2022, briefly disrupted Bodo/Glimt's title pursuit as they slipped to second place, however, consecutive wins in the following three matches has seen their momentum restored.

Sandefjord Norwegian Eliteserien form:

L

D

D

L

L

D

Bodo/Glimt Norwegian Eliteserien form:

L

D

D

W

W

W

Team News

The hosts will be unable to call upon the services of both Aleksander Nilsson and Darrell Tibell due to knocks, but both the midfielder and striker could return to the squad later this month.

Tegstrom will be unable to coach his side from the touchline after being sent off for two yellow cards in the 1-1 draw with Stromsgodset, leaving joint-manager Hans Erik Odegaard in charge of the team.

Bodo/Glimt are expected to remain without Kasper Hogh, Sondre Sorli and Syver Skeide due to injuries, while Runar Espejord is a doubt having failed to feature since September 2023.

Brede Moe was also forced off with an injury in the 5-1 win against second-placed SK Brann last weekend and is expected to be replaced by Odin Bjortuft.

Goals from midfield have been a major part of Bodo/Glimt's success this season with Alex Gronbaek leading the way for goals with eight, while both Patrick Berg and Ulrik Saltnes hit the net in the last outing.

Sandefjord possible starting lineup:

Keto; Egeli, Berglie, Kristiansen, Cheng; Mettler, Ottosson, Mork; Dunsby, Tveter, Markovic

Bodo/Glimt possible starting lineup:

Haikin; Wembangomo, Bjortuft, Gundersen, Sorensen; Saltnes, Berg, Gronbaek; Sjovold, Evjen, Mikkelsen

We say: Sandefjord 1-3 Bodo/Glimt

Bodo/Glimt have seemed virtually unstoppable this season, losing just one out of 14 matches while scoring a huge 32 times and conceding only 10, while the hosts have failed to win in any of their last eight.

Previews by email

Top News

10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk A place in the quarter-finals of the Taca de Portugal will be up for grabs when Gil Vicente and Moreirense go head to head at the Estadio Cidade de Barcelos on Sunday evening. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko is reportedly wanted by Inter Milan in a deal that could help the Gunners pull off a blockbuster move for AC Milan's Theo Hernandez. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk NAC Breda and Heerenveen will draw the curtain on round 18 of the 2024-25 Eredivisie season with a meeting at the Rat Verlegh Stadion on Sunday afternoon. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Two teams that could really do with a victory in round 18 of the 2024-25 Eredivisie campaign will do battle at Euroborg on Sunday as Groningen entertain the challenge of Almere City. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United winger Antony has reportedly turned down the chance to join Olympiacos, as the Brazilian attacker is favouring a switch to a La Liga club instead. 10 January 2025 talksport.com Manchester City have agreed a deal to sign Abdukodir Khusanov from Lens, talkSPORT understands. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk AC Milan head coach Sergio Conceicao has refused to rule out a January move for unsettled Manchester United attacker Marcus Rashford. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Casa Pia and Rio Ave will be looking to book their spot in the quarter-finals of the Taca de Portugal when they go head to head at the Estadio Pina Manique on Sunday. 10 January 2025 talksport.com Ian Wright was left fuming by a hugely controversial decision in Aston Villa's FA Cup third round win over West Ham. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Relegation-threatened Montpellier HSC will be searching for their first victory in six Ligue 1 matches when they host Angers at the Stade de la Mosson in Sunday's gameweek 17 clash. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk RB Leipzig boss Marco Rose will hope to leave the rumours of his potential dismissal behind in 2024, and start 2025 with a win in the Bundesliga against Werder Bremen at home on Sunday at Red Bull Arena. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City have reportedly reached an agreement with Lens to sign defender Abdukodir Khusanov. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Sivasspor will look to arrest their alarming slide when they host Alanyaspor in round 19 of the Turkish Super Lig on Sunday. 10 January 2025 talksport.com Graham Potter made history in Friday night's FA Cup clash at Aston Villa. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Two teams aiming to recover from disappointing league defeats in their opening games of 2025 face off on Sunday, as Trabzonspor host Antalyaspor in a Turkish Super Lig encounter. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea youngster Sam Rak-Sakyi has reportedly attracted the interest of Championship outfit Coventry City. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Undefeated Galatasaray travel to the Basaksehir Fatih Terim Stadium on Sunday to take on Istanbul Basaksehir, aiming to maintain their unbeaten run and extend their lead at the top of the Turkish Super Lig. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Brazilian giants Palmeiras have supposedly been offered the opportunity to sign Arsenal midfielder Jorginho, who is weighing up an early exit from North London. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk After clinching the Trophee des Champions last Sunday, Paris Saint-Germain return to Ligue 1 action this weekend as they welcome Saint-Etienne to the Parc des Princes. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea have apparently turned down a proposal from Wolverhampton Wanderers to sign Renato Veiga during the January transfer window. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arguably the pick of the matches in the Eredivisie this weekend will come from Stadion Feijenoord, where Feyenoord will be playing host to FC Utrecht on Sunday afternoon. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk An out-of-form Reims side will once again go in search of their first win of 2025 when they welcome European hopefuls Nice to the Stade Auguste-Delaune in Ligue 1 on Saturday. 10 January 2025 talksport.com West Brom are close to appointing Raphael Wicky as their new boss, talkSPORT understands. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Reigning Premier League champions Manchester City welcome League Two side Salford City to the Etihad Stadium for a third-round tie in the FA Cup on Saturday afternoon. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Palmeiras have supposedly turned down Manchester City's opening approach for highly-rated centre-back Vitor Reis, but the Premier League champions remain confident of striking an agreement. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Premier League strugglers Southampton host Swansea City this weekend, as the two sides square off in the third round of the FA Cup. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk League One outfit Stockport County travel to Selhurst Park this weekend, hoping to upset the odds against Crystal Palace in the third round of the FA Cup. 10 January 2025 talksport.com A phone call from Cesc Fabregas was enough for Maxence Caqueret to turn down Premier League interest in favour of a move to Como. 10 January 2025 talksport.com Mikel Arteta wants to put an end to ball-gate right now. 10 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey is yet to hold talks with the Gunners over a new contract, but a January exit is off the cards, Charles Watts has told Sports Mole.