Molde dey set to welcome Sandefjord for Aker Stadion on Saturday, as dem dey look to bounce back from their last defeat. The team currently dey sit for fifth position for Eliteserien table, eight points behind the top spot. Meanwhile, Sandefjord dey two points below dem for seventh place.
Molde suffer 2-1 loss against Sarpsborg last Monday, wey be their fourth defeat of the season. Daniel Karlsbakk and Anders Hiim score for Even Sel side, while Eirik Hestad score consolation goal for Molde. Martin Falk take interim charge for that match, but Sindre Tjelmeland go take over for the Sandefjord clash after finishing his work with Polish club Lech Poznan last weekend.
Tjelmeland arrival go mark the start of new era for Molde, wey don endure their worst campaign since returning to top flight of Norwegian football for 2007 last season. Molde finish 10th last year, just eight points above relegation zone, and dem don embark on rebuild by bringing eight new faces, including highly-rated young forward Trent Kone-Doherty from Liverpool.
However, e be club captain Emil Breivik wey don be Molde key player so far this season. The midfielder don net six league goals for 10 games to become Eliteserien joint-top scorer alongside Viking Peter Christiansen.
Sandefjord, on the other hand, no get win for their last two games. Dem lose 3-1 to Lillestrom and draw 1-1 with Fredrikstad. Andreas Tegstrom side dey close to important win over Fredrikstad last Friday, thanks to Nikolaj Moller goal, but Benjamin Faraas net stoppage-time equaliser to rescue point.
Despite the disappointment of conceding late goal, Sandefjord go take heart from the fact that Moller don score for his last three games. E appear as though the Swede don find his feet after signing from Dundee United for February. E also dey important to note say Sandefjord don beat Molde for their last four meetings and don score three goals for three of those games.
Molde go miss Fredrik Kristensen Dahl, Mads Kikkenborg and Jalal Abdullai due to injury. E no likely make many changes, with Fredrik Gulbrandsen set to continue leading line ahead of Breivik, Eirik Hestad and Oskar Spiten Nysaeter.
Sandefjord no likely make many changes, with Moller looking to continue his good form up front. However, Zinedin Smajlovic fit come back into side for Stian Kristiansen after serving one-match suspension.
Molde possible starting lineup: Posiadala; Stenevik, Hansen, Risa, Linnes; Hoff, Daehli; Hestad, Breivik, Granaas; Gulbrandsen. Sandefjord possible starting lineup: Hadaya; Pedersen, Lambrix, Smaljovic, Egeli; Melchior, Mork, Vester; Patoulidis, Moller, Alte.
Although Sandefjord get excellent recent record against Molde, the hosts dey for better form than their rivals and go dey keen to start the Sindre Tjelmeland era with win.
