3. Honefoss (14) v Tromso (2)

Tight match in Honefoss

 

TEAM NEWS

 

Honefoss winger Aleksander Dimitrijev returns from suspension.

 

Experienced defender Erik Hagen was back from his hip injury last match, but also received a yellow card which makes him suspended for the Tromso match.

 

Tromso defender Fredrik Bjorck and veteran striker Sigurd Rushfeldt are both back in training, but not fully recovered and doubtful for this game.

 

Honefoss
Suspended: Hagen (1 match)
Doubtful:  None
Injured/unavailable: Hanssen (ankle), L. Lafton (achilles

 

Tromso
Suspended: None
Doubtful: Bjorck (recovering), Rushfeldt (knee)
Injured/unavailable: None 

 

MATCH PREVIEW

 

Honefoss have finally started collecting points in front of their own fans. The last four home matches are 2W-2D and the team has climbed from 16th to 14th place in the league.

 

The hosts look adequate to this level on paper, and all the new players finally work together as a team. However, scoring goals is still a problem. Cote d’Ivoirian striker Jean Claude Agnan has a big potential, but will probably need another year or two before he is used to the Scandinavian style of football. So far, they’ve only 8 goals in 15 games.

 

They were just trashed by Odd Grenland midweek in the Norwegian Cup in a 1-5.

 

Tromso stunned everyone by staying top of the table for parts of the first season half. Maybe the side from the “high north” has over achieved? At least it looked like that when Aalesund got too strong last match in a 0-1.   Two losses in a row.

 

Tromso’s highly rated goalkeeper Sead Ramovic was very close to sign for Turkish side Sivasspor recently. Since then he has complained over his teammates in public, and his fantastic goalkeeping is probably the only reason why he is not kicked out of the team for a match or two.  

 

The team is 3W-2D-2L on the seven road games so far.

 

They were upset by Ranheim in a 0-2 in the Norwegian Cup midweek.

 

There will not be too many goals in this match and Tromso could settle for a draw against a spirited home team.

 

HEAD TO HEAD

 

These clubs have only played each other two times for the last seven years. Tromso won 2-0 at home this spring and 4-0 in the cup last season.