Vålerenga host fifth-placed Tromsø without suspended Lange

Vålerenga welcome Tromsø to Intility Arena on Sunday night, with the hosts tenth and the visitors fifth in the Eliteserien. Carl Lange is listed as suspended, and Elbasan Rashani and Omar Bully Drammeh are also reported out.

Mid-table side meets the top five

Vålerenga go into the game tenth in the Eliteserien with 29 points from 24 matches. That is level with Brann in ninth and Fredrikstad in eleventh, so a single result could move the club several places in either direction.

Tromsø arrive fifth with 40 points from the same number of games. They are 11 points clear of the hosts and are chasing a place in the upper reaches of the table. Anyone who wants to see how the middle and top of the league are shaping up will get a useful test on Sunday night.

A home win would lift Vålerenga to 32 points. That would be enough to move them above Brann and Fredrikstad if those two do not win their own games.

Confidence from the Brann win

The home side come into the match on the back of a 3-1 win over Brann on October 18. Brann led 1-1 at half-time before Vålerenga pulled clear after the break. It was a result that kept the club level with that rival on points.

Vålerenga's other recent action came away from the top flight. The reserve side, Vålerenga II, lost 3-2 to KFUM II on October 26 after trailing 2-1 at the break. That result has no bearing on the first-team selection.

Team news: Lange suspended

The biggest absence for the hosts looks to be Carl Lange, who is listed as suspended for the match. Elbasan Rashani is shown with a knock that is expected to keep him out for about one to two weeks. Omar Bully Drammeh is listed with an Achilles tendon injury, with a return pencilled in for early November.

Tromsø have their own problems. Striker Troy Nyhammer is out for the season with a leg injury. Mathias Tønnessen is listed with a thigh problem and an expected return in early November. Final line-ups will not be known until about an hour before kick-off.

Getting to Valle Hovin

Kick-off at Intility Arena is at 7:15 PM local time on Sunday, November 1. The stadium holds 16,555 spectators across four stands. It is also one of relatively few Scandinavian grounds with safe-standing rail-seating sections.

The nearest stop for fans travelling by public transport is Helsfyr station, and the east Oslo ground can also be reached by bus or tram. Supporters should allow extra time for an evening kick-off on a Sunday.

With only a handful of league games left at the arena this season, every home point matters. Vålerenga's next home fixtures after Tromsø are against Start on November 21 and Rosenborg on December 5, according to ticket listings.

Sources: fotmob.com, en.wikipedia.org, tyintegnestue.no, ticombo.com, aroundus.com