Double gameweek season is underway. Torgeir Børven’s 24 points in GW14 was the highest gameweek score of the season as he took the lead in the golden boot race, while Marcus Sandberg was another hero as he scored 20 points.
This week Stabæk and Sarpsborg feature twice, facing off at Nadderud before away games at Brann and Molde respectively.
Vålerenga and Kristiansund are both without a game after big wins in which the two sides scored a combined 11 goals. Aron Dønnum, Bård Finne, Christophe Psyche and Flamur Kastrati all hauled and will no doubt feature in fantasy managers’ DGW17 plans. These blanks, along with Molde and Brann’s in GW17, look to offer opportunities for managers to use their Rich Uncle chip to overhaul their squads for one week.
In midweek Rosenborg, Molde and Haugesund all secured first leg leads in their European qualifiers, while Brann had to settle for a draw, giving us more clues and conundrums for GW15.
Rosenborg vs. Viking FK
Rosenborg feature in another early kick off this week after their Trondheim derby win. Samuel Adegbenro continued his good form, opening the scoring from close range and crossing for David Akintola to restore the lead after Vegar Eggen Hedenstad’s own goal. Alexander Søderlund set up the first goal and headed in the winner himself after a profligate few games, assisted by the reliable Mike Jensen. Adegbenro hopes to be ready after sitting out the Champions League qualifying victory over Linfield in which Jensen and Søderlund scored.
A sixth clean sheet for Viking against Haugesund; no team has more this season. Ylldren Ibrahimaj and Kristian Thorstvedt were each handed just 45 minutes as Johnny Furdal made his first start of the season. Tommy Høiland won’t feature in this match, after getting a fourth yellow card last time.
Bodø/Glimt vs. Ranheim
Bodø/Glimt’s 6-0 loss at Vålerenga was even more surprising considering they had dispatched fellow title challengers Odd with relative ease in the previous game. Goalkeeper Ricardo Friedrich in particular had a day to forget, spilling a cross for the first goal and giving away a penalty. Erlend Dahl Reitan’s substitution meant he was the only starting defender not to finish on negative points.
Magnus Blakstad was denied a goal but earned an assist for forcing an own goal in the derby loss. Mads Reginiussen was involved in the buildup to Ranheim’s first goal and earned an assist for the second as well as a bonus point, feeding substitute Ivar Sollie Rønning for a classy finish.
FK Haugesund vs. Tromsø
Haugesund are still struggling for goals without key players, but put in more solid performance in a goalless draw with Viking. Martin Samuelsen felt he should’ve been awarded a penalty, but there weren’t as many complaints when Bruno Leite was booked for diving. Defenders Fredrik Pallesen Knudsen and Thore Baardsen Pedersen featured in the bonus points. In the Europa League, Christian Grindheim scored the only goal at Cliftonville, with Torbjørn Kallevåg getting sent off.
Despite his good recent form, Tromsø’s embarrassing loss at Lillestrøm saw Gudmund Kongshavn replaced by Jakob Karlstrøm in goal as TIL won a third game in a row at Alfheim. Morten Gamst Pedersen hit the woodwork with an early free kick. Veteran Magnus Andersen scored his second of the season from a Daniel Berntsen assist. Onni Valakari has played every minute of the campaign for Gutan and the coach’s son doubled their lead after being played in by Lasse Nilsen who added 3 bonus points to a clean sheet and his fourth assist of season.
Mjøndalen vs. Odd
Julian Faye Lund earned his first and Mjøndalen’s second clean sheet of the season in Bergen. Sondre Liseth earned another bonus point and completed 90 minutes but has been flagged with a groin injury putting his status in doubt.
Torgeir Borven was the star of the last DGW. He teed up Fredrik Nordkvelle and bagged the equaliser against Molde, then scored both goals against Stabæk as well as picking up 3 bonus points in each game. There was moderate success for Odd’s midfielders, with a goal for Nordkvelle in the first game and assists for Vebjørn Hoff and Elba Rashani in the second. The defensive options didn’t deliver as promised; Sondre Rossbach was beaten at his near post for Molde’s first goal and Espen Ruud picked up an injury which ruled him out of the second game. Sander Svendsen will play his last match for Odd here before moving to Odense in Denmark. Fredrik Oldrup Jensen.
Lillestrøm vs. Strømsgodset
Tobias Salquist missed the loss at Kristiansund with a minor thigh injury – Lillestrøm have conceded 10 goals in the 3 games he’s missed. Aleksander Melgalvis has now scored in back-to-back games, and he set up Moses Ebiye’s first Eliteserien goal.
Marcus Pedersen’s second spell at Strømsgodset is over. With the striker not expected to play again this season, the decision was made to terminate his contract early. Godset haven’t taken their chances in recent weeks, scoring in just two of their last eight fixtures. Nor have they kept opponents out, having not earned a clean sheet since GW7. Muhamed Keita did well to win a penalty in a bottom-half clash against Stabæk, but Amahl Pellegrino was denied by an excellent save. Kristoffer Tokstad hit the bar when he should’ve scored, but did enough to warrant 2 bonus points to follow up his goal against Sarpsborg.
Stabæk vs. Sarpsborg 08
Marcus Sandberg was Stabæk’s biggest scorer of their first DGW, making a penalty save in the opening minutes against Strømsgodset en route to a clean sheet and 3 bonus points. Defenders Vadim Demidov and Andreas-Hanche Olsen complemented the clean sheet with a bonus point and an assist respectively. Tobias Børkeeiet signed for Brøndby on the day of the first DGW fixture, but the remaining midfield options contributed with goals for Ola Brynhildsen and Luc Kassi and an assist for Emil Bohinen. Daniel Braaten scored in the loss at Odd, where Franck Boli returned from suspension and had a big chance saved from what would’ve been a Sandberg assist. The goalkeeper proved he can be a fantasy asset even when his side concede, picking up 2 save points and a further 2 bonus points.
Ahead of a pair of away games, Sarpsborg are without a win on the road this season. Jørgen Strand Larsen is at the U-19 Euros until at least 21 July and will miss both league fixtures in that time. Should Sarpsborg stick with their usual 4-4-2, Lars-Jørgen Salvesen and Steffen Skålevik look likeliest to start up front. Kristoffer Zachariassen misses the first game of the DGW after collecting 4 cautions. Nicolai Næss went off before the hour and his status should be monitored. Sheldon Bateau had a looping header ruled out for offside against Tromsø.
Brann vs. Stabæk
The following two fixtures take place a whole eight days after this gameweek begins. After a hard fought draw at Molde, there was frustration for Brann who couldn’t break down Mjøndalen. Vito Wormgoor was forced off with an injury just seconds before the hour mark. His defensive partner Bismar Acosta fared better, with a clean sheet and 3 bonus points. Daouda Bamba was absent for a second league game running, but returned for the Europa League draw with Shamrock Rovers in which Taijo Teniste opened the scoring with a spectacular volley and Veton Berisha won and converted a penalty. That game came too soon for Wormgoor, with Brann’s official site saying he and Kristoffer Barmen hope to be fit for next week’s second leg, which arrives before this game.
Molde vs. Sarpsborg 08
It looks like there’s room for both Ohi and Leke James in Molde’s attack as they started together again in both Eliteserien and the Europa League. Ohi’s pass sent James clear to score the first against Odd with a powerful effort. Ohi got on the scoresheet himself, with Kristoffer Haraldseid playing the final pass in an intricate move. Some suggested Erling Moe’s changes invited pressure as Odd battled to a draw, but there were no such problems in a 7-1 win against Iceland’s KR. James scored a hat-trick, with further goals from Fredrik Aursnes, Vegard Forren, Etzaz Hussain and Ohi.
Your moves
What are you looking to do this GW?
What are your transfers? Who is your captain? Are you playing a chip?
