Sunday 03/08/2014, 18:00, Norway Tippeligaen, Round 18, Start vs Molde

Start vs Molde Preview

Molde has been the dominant team so far in the Norwegian first division and their invincible run is expected to continue tonight when they take on Start. Winning points on the road has never been a problem for the leaders and even though they had to play plenty of games lately, the team looks in good shape and there are no players missing due to injuries. Start won three games in a row, before being humiliated on the road by Haugesund and needs to do something quickly to bolster its defense.

Start vs Molde Odds

At Bet365

Start 3.30, Draw 3.50, Molde 2.10

Start vs Molde Tips

The hosts allowed one goal in each of the previous three victories, but found their way to the net at least two times. It looked like they were about to win another match by a narrow margin, after scoring the first goal at Haugesund, but the hosts scored the equalizer just a minute later. In the second half they suffered a complete defensive meltdown, with Start allowing four goals without scoring one.

It goes without saying that even though they have home pitch advantage it would be a mistake to feature an overly aggressive starting formation against Molde. Hoff and Asante have scored a combined nine goals this season and they were paired up in each of the games played in July. There is no reason for manager Mjelde to keep them on the bench tonight, but they depend on the support of midfielders.

Molde has a nine point lead over the runner-up and with a single defeat this season against third placed Odd, it is very likely that they will emerge victorious once again. One point on the road would be enough to consolidate their position, but against a team that recently allowed 5 goals, the visitors can expect more

The leaders had a fairly busy schedule over the last two weeks, but they advanced to the next stage of Europa League and are just one match away from the groups. On Thursday they play a decisive home match, but there is plenty of time for players to get the rest they need, so now veterans are expected to be kept on the bench tonight.

Key Facts

• Molde is invincible in the last 22 games and lost just twice in the last 40 matches.
• Molde has a slight advantage in head to head games, but only won three times on the road at Start.

Start vs Molde Prediction

Right now, it is difficult to go against the leader and as long as the odds exceed even value it is worth trusting them to prevail on the road. Bet365 offers the best value right now at 2.10, but it is very likely that the odds will drop by the time the match starts.

Bet: Molde @ 2.10 with Bet365