Viking Backed to Cruise Past Aalesund Away

Norwegian top-flight action continues on Monday early morning, with Viking away to Aalesund. Viking have been one of the standout sides in the league this season and clearly hold a much stronger competitive edge than Aalesund, so this looks like a match with little doubt over the outcome.

Aalesund were relegated from the Eliteserien in 2023 and only returned to the top flight this season. Their current record of 2 wins, 6 draws and 5 defeats shows they have struggled badly. Looking at recent form, after back-to-back wins in mid-May, Aalesund have gone 3 draws and 1 loss in their last four league matches, including a crushing 1-6 defeat to mid-table Valerenga last time out, which is bound to have hurt morale. They have also failed to keep a single clean sheet in 13 league games and are conceding 2.15 goals per match on average, underlining just how poor their defending has been.

Viking, meanwhile, have shown the quality expected of defending champions this season, racking up 11 wins and 2 defeats from 13 league matches, with 21 more points than Aalesund. Their 84.6% win rate highlights just how efficient they have been. Defensively, they are among the best in the league with only 1 goal conceded per game on average, while their 2.54 goals scored per match is even slightly better than title rivals Bodo/Glimt, making them a balanced force at both ends of the pitch.

One player worth watching is leading scorer P. Bitcha Kristiansen, who found the net in the previous match. Viking have won all five league games in which he has scored this season. Including last season, Viking have taken all three points in each of their last nine league matches when he has scored, making his impact especially noteworthy in this game.