Preview: HamKam vs. Odd - prediction, team news, lineups

Odd travel to the Briskeby Arena on Sunday to face a struggling HamKam side currently occupying a relegation place in the Eliteserien.

The visitors have also made a ropey start to the season, but a win against Molde in their last outing should raise confidence greatly.

Match preview

After surviving in their first season back at this level in over a decade, HamKam look set to face another battle to avoid the drop after an underwhelming start to the campaign.

A 7-3 defeat to Viking at the end of April has kickstarted a run of form which has seen them take just one point from a possible 21.

Two difficult league games before the international break saw Jakob Michelsen's side thrashed 4-0 and 3-0 at Rosenborg and Bodo/Glimt respectively.

Those results keep them in the relegation zone ahead of this weekend's action, with just seven points on the board after 10 matches this season.

Since then, their only wins have all come in the cup against lower-league opposition, in which they have now reached the last 16, but extra time was required to see off third-tier Baerum SK in the last round.

One bit of optimism is that all of HamKam's league points have come at the Briskeby Arena this season, as their two wins and a draw at home have also seen them keep clean sheets.

On HamKam's return to the top flight last season, upcoming opponents Odd completed a league double over them, and a win over champions Molde will give them confidence of pulling out another victory here.

Ole Midtskogen's first league goal for the club saw them run out 1-0 winners over the current Eliteserien holders, just days after he netted his maiden Odd goal in the cup against Sarpsborg.

A low-scoring victory was much welcome for manager Pal Johansen, after five successive goal fests on the road yielded no wins in the league for Odd.

There has been 29 goals witnessed across their last five away matches, but all three league fixtures ended in defeat, conceding 10 goals in the process.

The sudden flurry of goals has come as something of a surprise considering their first seven league games of the season saw them score and concede just three goals, with five clean sheets kept.

Despite that though, Aalesund remain the sole side who have scored fewer, while only table-toppers Bodo/Glimt and third-placed Tromso have a better defensive record.

The league is already Odd's solitary focus now for the rest of the season though, after defeat to Sarpsborg in the last 32 of the cup before the international break.

Team News

Canadian central defender Julian Dunn remains HamKam's only injury absentee ahead of this one, with the 22-year-old still yet to feature this season.

Halvor Opsahl made his first start for the club at Bodo/Glimt before the break and then went on to feature twice for the Norway Under-21s, being the club's only international representative.

Midtskogen, Odd's hero from the win over Molde, should retain his place against his former club after netting the winner in the club's last outing.

Diogo Tomas will return after serving a one-match suspension in their win over Molde, meaning Odd have no injuries or suspensions to contend with.

Tomas was away on international duty so has maintained some game time, playing 90 minutes in Finland's 6-0 win over San Marino.

HamKam possible starting lineup:

Sandberg; Opsahl, Nouri, Norheim; Melgalvis, Kurtovic, Hernandez-Foster, Onsrud, Kongsro; Kirkevold, Udahl

Odd possible starting lineup:

Wahlstedt; Ruud, Tomas, Hagan, S Owusu, Baccay; Wallem, L Owusu; Jorgensen, Ingebrigtsen, Midtskogen

We say: HamKam 0-0 Odd

HamKam have shown much greater form at home, and with all their results this season being accompanied by clean sheets, facing the league's second-lowest scorers could provide another point at least.

Odd's recent away record has been chaotic to say the least, but after their win over Molde, another composed display may follow.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.