Stjarnan Gardabaer vs Valur Reykjavik
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Today’s secondary featured game is the Urvalsdeild game between Stjarnan Gardabaer and Valur Reykjavik
Stjarnan are yet to win a home game this season but to be fair to them, they have encountered in-form IA Akranes and the potent Fylkir Reykjavik. Don’t let that fool you into thinking that Stjarnan are weak at home, though – they’re usually a feared side at home. Their artificial turf and pressing game reminds me of Stromsgodset in Norway when playing at home. They’re not an easy side to keep out, to be honest. This side scores goals at will although strike duo Bjornsson and Johansson are yet to discover the form of last season. This is a goalscoring side, however, and an easy 4-1 win against Grotta in the cup lately has given Stjarnan momentum and I think that they’ll use it here.
You have to fancy sides that come here with the ability to score goals because Stjarnan don’t defend very well. That’s what Fylkir did, hence their 2-2 draw. However, Valur are not a goalscoring side. Unusually for an Icelandic side, they’re actually very defence-orientated and that’ll be interesting here because you tend to need goals to beat Stjarnan due to their own firepower and Valur don’t really have that option. They’ve lost each time that they’ve fallen behind this season due to not being able to score enough goals to get back into the game. Only old Gudmundsson has done any damage up front despite the support of playmaker Stefansson and emerging youngsters Sigurdsson and Sigurjonsson. Valur’s midfield is strong enough and their defence has looked solid enough but their attack is not convincing so I fear for them here.
With Mads Laudrup pulling the strings for Stjarnan, I expect the potent hosts to do enough to score here and if they manage that then Valur have to abandon their defensive shape. That makes an open game and then Stjarnan can do what they do best. Therefore, I do fancy the hosts to edge this one at evens.
Verdict: Stjarnan Gardabaer to win at evens.
Friday’s Picks
As ever, if there are any explanations required then please feel free to post a comment! For the remainder of my thoughts on today’s games, see below, although I feel compelled to write that the below are not necessarily my tips but merely my thoughts to prevent endless questions about my thoughts on certain games!
European Championships:
Ukraine vs France (7) 1-2
Sweden vs England (6) 0-1
International Friendly:
South Africa vs Gabon (5) 0-0
Argentinian Primera Division:
Atletico Lanus vs Union de Santa Fe (7) 1-0
San Martin de San Juan vs Newell’s Old Boys (5) 1-2
Belarusian Vysshaya Liga:
Torpedo Zhodino vs Gomel (6) 0-1
Dinamo Minsk vs FC Minsk (5) 1-1, at least one red card in this game
Neman Grodno vs Belshina Bobriusk (7) 1-0
BATE Borisov vs Dinamo Brest (8) 2-0
Icelandic Urvalsdeild:
Stjarnan Gardabaer vs Valur Reykjavik (7) 2-1
IA Akranes vs IBV Vestmannaeyjar (5) 1-0
Lithuanian A Lyga:
Siauliai vs Dainava (7) 2-0
Singaporean S-League:
Woodlands Wellington vs Young Lions (6) 0-1
Tampines Rovers vs DPMM FC (5) 1-1
Enjoy your free betting tips!