Rosenborg Look to Roll On Against Östersunds at Lerkendal Stadium
Autumn in Trondheim has a way of sharpening the mind, and Rosenborg will fancy their chances of sending the Lerkendal Stadium faithful home happy on Saturday when Östersunds FK make the journey south from Jämtland for a 15:00 kickoff.
Goals, Goals, Goals
If you want entertainment, Rosenborg are currently the team to watch. Their last three Eliteserien and cup outings have yielded 12 goals: a 5-3 thriller against Tromsø, a 4-0 demolition of Ham-Kam, and a 4-1 cup win at Fløya in midweek. They followed that with a 3-1 victory at Kristiansund, a result that suggests the attacking confidence is travelling as well as it is at home. The only blemish in recent weeks was a 4-2 defeat at Bodø/Glimt, hardly a disgrace given the opposition.
Their opening quarter-hour has been particularly productive, with nearly 30 per cent of their goals arriving before the 15th minute. Östersunds would be wise to arrive switched on.
A Defence Still Under Scrutiny
Rosenborg are not without their problems. Ten goals conceded in eight matches, including a 5-0 hammering on home soil earlier in the campaign, tells you that this side can be opened up. Most of those goals have come after the break, with 30 per cent arriving between 46 and 60 minutes. A slow restart could invite trouble from a visiting side that will sit deep and hope to hit on the counter.
Östersunds in Search of Spark
The visitors arrive in decent shape domestically, unbeaten in their last five Superettan fixtures (two wins, three draws), including a 1-0 home win over Helsingborg and a 1-0 success at Örebro. But the broader picture in this competition is far less rosy. Their friendly form reads just two wins from eight, and they have failed to score in both of their away outings, drawing one and losing 3-0 in the other.
The numbers underline a team that struggles to find the net on the road. Not a single one of their matches in this competition has gone over 2.5 goals, and they have blanked three times. Östersunds are tight and organised, but short of firepower.
The Verdict
This is only the second meeting of the sides in recent memory, with their previous friendly scheduled for March 2020 postponed, so there is no meaningful history to lean on. What we do have is a home side brimming with goals and a visiting team that has not found the net away from home all year.
Expect Rosenborg to dominate possession and carry the greater threat, though the visitors’ resilience could keep things closer than the hosts would like. A comfortable home win looks the most likely outcome, with the Lerkendal Stadium crowd hoping for an early goal to settle the nerves.
Prediction: Rosenborg 2-0 Östersunds FK
