Rosenborg will be looking to bring themselves closer to the top three in the Eliteserien when they welcome Sarpsborg 08 to Lerkendal Stadion in Trondheim on Saturday afternoon.

The hosts are languishing in mid-table following a difficult opening third of their campaign, while Sarpsborg are hoping to iron out their inconsistencies to become a serious player at the top of the division.

Match preview

Since a domestic double of the Eliteserien and the Norwegian Cup of Football in 2018, Rosenborg have lost their habit of winning which has given them the title of Norway's most successful club in terms of major honours.

A third-placed finish last year secured Europa Conference League football in late July, but so far this term the Troll Children have been well off the pace, currently sitting in ninth having collected 13 points from their opening 11 matches.

Svein Maalen continues as boss despite heavy scrutiny from supporters and pundits, with the former Randheim player's darkest moment in charge possibly coming earlier this month, when third-tier Stjordals Blink progressed in the cup at Rosenborg's expense.

HamKam were the victims of an angered Rosenborg outfit three days later as a brace from Olaus Skarsem helped the Trondheim-based club to a 4-0 victory at Lerkendal Stadion on June 4, with Maalen's men having the chance to record three straight home Eliteserien wins on Sunday.

An inability to score freely has hindered Rosenborg this term as shown by their top scorers list, which is headlined by the two strikes each from Carlo Holse, Jayden Nelson, Morten Bjorlo and the aforementioned Skarsem.

Sarpsborg head into Sunday's clash after suffering back-to-back Eliteserien defeats for the first time this season, losing 2-1 to Tromso IL and most recently 3-1 at home to a Viking side pushing for a European berth.

Winger Mikkel Maigaard managed to bag his second goal of the campaign last time out, although strikes from Harald Tangen, David Brekalo and Sander Svendsen ensured Bjarte Lunde Aarsheim's men took a maximum away from Sarpsborg Stadion.

The visitors on Sunday have tasted success twice in the month of June so far, albeit both of those wins came in the Norwegian Cup of Football against Frigg and fellow Eliteserien outfit Odd respectively.

Enjoying their 11th-straight year amongst Norway's finest footballing sides, Sarpsborg are chasing European football for only the second time in the club's history, with Aarsheim's charges currently five points behind third-placed Tromso after 10 matches.

Team News

Rosenborg have a host of injury concerns ahead of Sunday's clash in the Eliteserien, one of which being striker Isak Snaer Thorvaldsson, with the 22-year-old expected to be out until next month because of a head injury.

One-time Sweden international Jonathan Augustinsson is a long-term absentee for the Troll Children after he suffered a cruciate ligament injury in September of last year.

The 2018 league winners have missed the goalscoring antics of Ole Saeter this term - the Norwegian netted 14 times last year but has failed to make an appearance so far in 2023 owing to a thigh injury.

As for Sarpsborg, centre-back Magnar Odegaard continues to recover from a knee injury which has seen him play no part to date this season, meaning Anton Skipper and Sigurd Kvile will be the visitors' central-defensive pairing at Lerkendal Stadion.

Swede Simon Tibbling was replaced after 58 minutes in the loss against Viking by Patrick Yazbek, and the Australian youngster could be given an opportunity from the start on Sunday evening.

Rosenborg possible starting lineup:
Hansen; Rogers, Henriksen, Jenssen; Reitan, Skarsem, Bjorlo, Tagseth; Holse, Nelson, Aga

Sarpsborg 08 possible starting lineup:
Kristiansen; Wichne, Kvile, Skipper, Soltvedt; Ngouali, Andersen; Bash, Maigaard, Yazbek; Torp

We say: Rosenborg 2-1 Sarpsborg 08

Rosenborg have endured a difficult start to their campaign, and supporters will be demanding a victory on Sunday which could see them climb as high as sixth in the standings.

Sarpsborg are continuing to battle in the top half of the Eliteserien, but we are expecting their league struggles this month to continue in Trondheim this weekend.


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