Monday 12/05/2014, 21:00, Norway Tippeligaen, Round 8, Sandnes vs Rosenborg

Sandnes vs Rosenborg Betting Preview

Rosenborg is looking more and more like the team that used to win with ease the domestic championship and then played against the best European squads. As winnings pile up, Rosenborg is closing the gap separating them from leading Malmo and have high expectations for this game. Sandnes is struggling at the bottom area and for good reasons, as the team lacks experienced players and is a strong candidate for relegation.

Sandnes vs Rosenborg Betting Odds

At Bet365

Sandnes 4.75, Draw 3.80, Rosenborg 1.70

Sandnes vs Rosenborg Betting Tips

Five days ago, Rosenborg played on the road in the Norwegian Cup and faced a team from a lower division. The guys at Kolstad committed the mistake of playing aggressive football and what happened is that they allowed a total of 10 goals. It made little difference that they managed to score twice, as they suffered a humiliating defeat, while Sandnes learned a valuable lesson.

The hosts will shift into a defensive gear when they start the match tonight, and won't let the home pitch advantage deceive them. They start as clear underdogs and will act accordingly, by defending with five players in the back line, four midfielders and a single striker.

Arguably the best candidate for the job is Chilean Rubio, who scored three goals in just six games and is the only quality striker in their rotation. Veteran Helle could join him in the offensive in the second half if things take a turn for the worse, but it is just as likely for him to act as a replacement.

Rosenborg will treat this match as a home game and field the standard 4-3-3 formation with three strikers, in an attempt of overwhelming the hosts. They employed the same strategy two weeks ago with great success, as they prevailed on the road against Sogndal.

Key Facts

• Rosenborg lost a single match in the last nine rounds against the leading Molde while winning six times and scoring an average of four goals per match.
• The two teams met four times and Rosenborg won twice, with the last victory on the road seeing them score 3 goals while allowing two

Sandnes vs Rosenborg Betting Prediction

One way to tackle this fixture is by betting on more than 2.5 goals to be scored, but the odds are not that good and Sandnes will defend frantically. While it is most unlikely for Rosenborg to win by a wide margin, they are probably going to triumph relatively easy tonight and odds of 1.70 are worth the risk.

Bet: Rosenborg @ 1.70 with Bet365