Match Preview: Haugesund vs. Sandefjord in the Eliteserien
When Haugesund hosts Sandefjord at Haugesund Sparebank Arena, they face a challenging match in the Eliteserien. Both teams are experiencing different paths this season, with Haugesund hoping to turn around a disappointing year, while Sandefjord seems to be improving their away form.
Haugesund has had a tough season with a poor form curve showing one win, two draws, and 17 losses after 21 matches. “The Seagulls” have particularly struggled at home with only one victory in 11 attempts. With an average of just 0.5 goals at home and a defense that has conceded 2.5 goals per game, Haugesund needs to sharpen both their defense and attack to earn points here. Their best moments come early in the matches or at the end, with 28.57% of their goals scored in both the first 15 minutes and the last 15 minutes.
Sandefjord, on the other hand, is in a more variable but generally positive form. With nine wins in 20 matches, Sandefjord boasts an impressive home record but has struggled on the road. Nevertheless, they have scored a total of 37 goals, with an average of 1.9 goals per game. Striker Josue Sander has highlighted their ability to exploit weak periods in other teams, especially between the 31st and 60th minute of play, where they have scored most of their goals.
Regarding head-to-head matchups, Haugesund has won three of the last five encounters, while Sandefjord claimed victory in the last two games, including a 3-1 win in 2022. Both teams have shown that they can score when they meet; the goal difference has traditionally been high.
Just before this match, Haugesund has lost three games in a row, including a 0-3 defeat to Rosenborg. Sandefjord, on their part, comes from a defeat in the national cup against Tromsdalen Uil, with a 1-6 loss, but their previous match against Brann resulted in a 0-1 home defeat.
With both teams having something to prove, especially Haugesund with the necessity to maintain their Eliteserien status, this promises to be a match where both will heavily push for victory. With the game taking place at Haugesund Sparebank Arena, we can expect a certain home pressure, but also that Sandefjord will be looking to even out their away form.
