Sunday 06/07/2014, 19:00, Norway Tippeligaen, Round 14, Start vs Lillestrom

Start vs Lillestrom Betting Preview

Slowly but surely, Lillestrom is clawing its way to the top of the Norwegian first division and they have the rare opportunity of tying Stromgodset for the second-place tonight. By winning on the road at Start, they would collect three points and leapfrog five teams in the process, which would amount for the biggest game all season long. The hosts are not going down without a fight but it's been almost a month since they won a match and their defenses look more permeable than ever before.

Start vs Lillestrom Betting Odds

At Ladbrokes

Start 2.30, Draw 3.40, Lillestrom 3.00

Start vs Lillestrom Betting Tips

Two months ago, Lillestrom enjoyed a four-game winning streak that brought them back at the top of the Tippeligaen but they managed to squander all those games in the second half of the month. They were on the verge of winning another five consecutive games in June but it was Rosenborg that stopped them in their tracks with an emphatic 3-1 home win.

Except for that setback, Lillestrom got what they needed and as a result of the going an overly aggressive strategy, they managed to overwhelm opponents. On three occasions they limited them to a single goal and even more impressive is the fact that they managed to shut down Stromgodset.

The biggest problem for the visiting team is that they don't have a quality striker and will have to rely once again on Fofana and Hoiland. They scored just a combined seven goals this season, but luckily for them, midfielders stepped up and so did the defenders, with players from these areas having scored in each game.

By contrast, the hosts are not that ambitious and they would gladly settle for a place in the first half of the division at the end of the regular season. They try to avoid relegation and so far they only have a narrow advantage over the pack struggling in the dangerous zone. Winning against Lillestrom would be nice, but the top priority is to patch up their struggling defense and secure at least one point.

Key Facts

• The visitors are the motivated team and they also have a better head to head record, with 17 victories in 27 games.
• Lillestrom scored a total of 16 goals in the last five games and allowed just six while Start conceded seven goals in just two matches.

Start vs Lillestrom Betting Prediction

Despite playing on the road, Lillestrom is expected to be the more aggressive team as they have higher expectations. Punters should tap into their high motivation and take odds of 2.20 offered by Ladbroke for the visitors to win, knowing that the bet is refunded if the match ends in a draw.

Bet: Lillestrom Draw no Bet @ 2.20 with Ladbrokes