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Start vs Viking FK: Can the Hosts Survive Another High-Intensity Eliteserien Test?. Read on for all our free predictions and betting tips.
Viking are strong favourites with 11 wins from 14 matches and an attacking trio scoring 13 goals in six games. Start's porous defence, conceding 34 goals this season, combined with their recent attacking efforts, suggests both teams will score alongside a Viking win.
A 3-1 Viking win aligns with their frequent three-goal matches and Start's defensive struggles, conceding 12 goals in six games. Start's attacking ambition means they can score once, but Viking's dominance and past head-to-head results support this exact scoreline.
Start welcome Viking FK to Sparebanken Sør Arena on Saturday for an Eliteserien contest carrying very different pressures for the two teams.
IK Start vs Viking FK — bet365 Market Snapshot
Swipe through key markets with illustrative probabilities and sample bet365 odds based on our match analysis.
Viking's recent wins contrast with Start's struggles, indicating a likely away victory.
Start's frequent conceding and Viking's attacking output suggest over 2.5 goals.
Start's defensive frailty and Viking's scoring consistency support a 1-3 result.
Viking have conceded in every recent match, indicating an open game for both sides.
Three Punchy Stats
- Viking have scored 13 goals in their last six matches, underlining the attacking threat Start must contain throughout the game.
- Start have conceded 34 league goals this season, an average of 2.27 per match, and have kept their opponents out in only one of their previous six fixtures.
- The last six meetings between the clubs produced 22 goals, while their most recent encounter ended in a remarkable 6-3 Viking victory.
Attacking Form Comparison
Start and Viking show contrasting recent scoring patterns.
IK Start’s attacking output gives Viking FK a clear tactical problem to solve.
Viking FK can trouble IK Start by turning promising attacks into cleaner final actions.
Defensive Stability Comparison
IK Start look steadier without the ball, while Viking FK remain exposed under pressure.
IK Start’s defensive discipline could force Viking FK into lower-quality chances.
Viking FK’s lack of defensive control gives IK Start a clear route to chances.
The hosts arrive with a rare burst of encouragement after defeating Kristiansund 2-1, but one positive result does not erase a difficult campaign. Start sit at the bottom of the division, while second-placed Viking are 14 positions and 24 points above them. That is not merely a gap in the table; it reflects two sides operating with sharply contrasting levels of consistency.
Start have won only twice in 15 league matches, losing five of their last seven. Viking, meanwhile, have collected 11 victories from 14 games and have repeatedly demonstrated the attacking power required to overwhelm vulnerable opponents.
Yet this fixture should not automatically become a procession. Start created 22 attempts in their latest victory, controlled 57% of possession and found a dramatic winning goal through Tom Strannegård in the 91st minute. That performance showed resilience, ambition and a refusal to accept another defeat quietly.
The problem is that Viking are unlikely to be as forgiving as Kristiansund.
Start Searching for Momentum
Start’s victory over Kristiansund was emotionally important because of the manner in which it arrived.
Sander Kilen gave Kristiansund the lead after 15 minutes, but Erlend Segberg equalised ten minutes later. Start then pushed persistently for a winner, eventually being rewarded when Strannegård scored in stoppage time.
The attacking numbers were promising. Twenty-two attempts suggest that Start were willing to commit bodies forward and sustain pressure rather than settle for a point. However, only five efforts were on target, highlighting the need for greater precision in the final third.
Their expected 3-4-1-2 shape should provide attacking width through the wing-back areas while allowing Eirik Schulze to operate behind Jesper Cornelius and James Ampofo. Segberg and Steve Mvoué are likely to carry significant responsibility in midfield, particularly when Start attempt to progress through Viking’s first pressing line.
Strannegård may be especially influential. He scored against Kristiansund and also found the net in Start’s extraordinary 6-3 defeat to Viking earlier in the season. His ability to arrive in dangerous areas could offer the hosts a route into the match.
Defensively, though, the warning signs are impossible to ignore. Start have conceded in five of their previous six games, allowing 12 goals during that period. Across the league season, they have shipped 34 goals at an average of 2.27 per match.
In other words, their defence has often resembled an unlocked front door during a neighbourhood party: welcoming, busy and far too easy to enter.
Viking’s Attack Carries Serious Weight
Viking arrive after a 1-1 draw with Aalesunds FK, with Kristoffer Askildsen scoring shortly before half-time. Although they could not hold the lead, their recent attacking output remains impressive.
They have scored 13 goals across their last six matches and have reached at least three goals in five of their 14 league games. Their likely 4-3-3 formation should place Start’s back three under constant pressure through width, movement and midfield support.
Askildsen, Joe Bell and Simen Kvia-Egeskog are expected to form the midfield unit, with Zlatko Tripic and Edvin Austbø supporting Peter Christiansen in attack. That structure gives Viking multiple methods of progression. They can build through the middle, release the wide forwards quickly or attack second balls around the penalty area.
The earlier meeting between these sides offered a brutal demonstration of Viking’s attacking variety. They won 6-3 after recording six different scoring contributions, with Christiansen striking twice and Gianni Stensness, Kvia-Egeskog, Askildsen and Tripić also finding the net.
Start actually led twice in that contest through Ousmane Diallo Toure and Mvoué, while Strannegård also scored before half-time. However, Viking’s second-half acceleration transformed a competitive match into chaos.
Calling that game “open” would be polite. It was football with the defensive settings accidentally switched off.
The Tactical Battle
Start’s biggest challenge will be balancing ambition with protection.
Their 3-4-1-2 can create numerical presence in central areas, particularly if Schulze drops towards Segberg and Mvoué. However, the same system can leave space outside the three centre-backs when the wing-backs advance.
That is precisely where Viking’s 4-3-3 could hurt them.
Tripic and Austbø may seek to isolate Start’s wider defenders, while Bjorshol and Auklend can offer support from full-back. If Start’s midfield is forced to move laterally, spaces may appear for Askildsen or Kvia-Egeskog to attack from deeper positions.
Start cannot afford to retreat too early. Their strongest recent attacking display came when they controlled possession and generated a high volume of attempts. Playing passively would invite sustained Viking pressure, something their defensive record suggests they are not well equipped to absorb.
Equally, committing too many players forward would be dangerous. Viking possess enough attacking quality to punish poor rest defence, the structure a team leaves behind the ball while attacking.
That makes Start’s decision-making crucial. Their wing-backs must recognise when to advance and when to hold their positions. Segberg and Mvoué will also need to protect the centre without disconnecting the front three.
A Difficult Psychological Barrier
The head-to-head record adds another layer of pressure.
Start have failed to beat Viking in their last seven league meetings and have not defeated them in any of the six encounters examined since July 2015. Viking won 83% of those matches, while scoring patterns have been consistently explosive.
Those six games produced 22 goals, an average of 3.67 per meeting. Viking have also avoided defeat in their previous five league visits to Start and have won nine of the last 11 head-to-head contests.
Statistics do not step onto the pitch wearing boots, but repeated failure can influence confidence. Start must believe the Kristiansund victory represents the beginning of something rather than a temporary escape from trouble.
Viking carry the opposite expectation. Their position in the table and superior record mean they will be expected to control the contest. The controversial truth is that anything less than an assertive Viking performance would feel like an opportunity wasted.
Can Start Make Their Resistance Count?
Start’s recent victory provides genuine hope. They showed patience, created chances and continued attacking until Strannegård delivered the decisive goal in the 91st minute.
However, Viking represent a much more demanding test. The visitors possess stronger league form, a dominant recent record in this fixture and an attack that has consistently produced goals.
Start should still have opportunities, particularly because Viking have conceded in each of their last six matches and have failed to keep a clean sheet in eight of their previous ten league games. Both defences have shown vulnerabilities, so the contest may become stretched if an early goal arrives.
The decisive question is whether Start can remain organised once Viking increase the tempo. Their attacking intent deserves respect, but their defensive structure must improve substantially if they are to prevent another painful afternoon against one of the division’s strongest sides.
Emotionally, Start need courage. Tactically, they need discipline. Against Viking, having only one of those qualities may not be enough.
Other Opportunities in This Market
Navigating match outcomes and goal totals allows supporters to adjust risk exposure based on structural dynamics and team tendencies:
- Cautious Approach (Match Odds / Straight Win): Backing Viking in the straight Match Result market offers lower odds but removes the requirement for Start to score. This provides lower volatility and protects against defensive shutouts.
- Balanced Approach (Over 2.5 Goals / BTTS): Selecting general goal markets avoids tying the outcome to a specific winner. It relies strictly on combined offensive output, protecting the position if the underdogs pull off an unexpected result while maintaining high scoring volume.
- Higher-Risk Approach (Correct Score / Margin Wins): Specifying exact scorelines like 1-3 yields higher price returns but carries narrow profit margins. Late goals, early discipline issues, or unexpected game-state shifts significantly alter the outcome, introducing substantial volatility.
📊 Market Explainer
Both Teams to Score (BTTS)
Selection: Viking to win and Both Teams To Score. Both teams must score at least once during normal time. The match winner does not matter; the selection is settled only by whether each side finds the net.
Correct Score Market
Selection: Start vs Viking FK 1-3. Predict the exact score at the end of 90 minutes plus stoppage time. Extra time and penalties do not count unless the bookmaker states otherwise.
🎯 Pick 1: Viking to win and Both Teams To Score @ 7/4
Viking enter this fixture as heavy favourites, occupying second place in the division with 11 victories from 14 matches—sitting 14 positions and 24 points above bottom-placed Start. Start have struggled defensively all campaign, yielding 34 league goals in 15 fixtures at an average of 2.27 per match, while suffering five defeats in their last seven outings. Viking’s explosive front trio of Zlatko Tripic, Edvin Austbø, and Peter Christiansen has registered 13 goals across their previous six matches, demonstrating the exact attacking potency required to dismantle a porous home backline.
However, Start possess enough forward momentum to breach Viking’s backline. The hosts generated 22 attempts in their recent 2-1 victory against Kristiansund, with Tom Strannegård scoring a 91st-minute winner. Strannegård also found the net in the extraordinary 6-3 meeting between these teams earlier this season, where Start led twice. Furthermore, Viking have displayed defensive vulnerability, failing to keep a clean sheet in eight of their last ten league games and conceding in six consecutive fixtures. With Start committing bodies forward in their 3-4-1-2 shape through Eirik Schulze, Jesper Cornelius, and James Ampofo, both teams finding the net appears highly likely alongside an away victory.
🎯 Tactical Indicators
- Viking hold 11 wins in 14 matches and scored 13 goals across their last six fixtures.
- Start concede 2.27 goals per match on average, losing five of their previous seven league games.
- Viking failed to keep a clean sheet in eight of their last ten league fixtures, conceding in six straight games.
Risk Factor: If Viking control the defence early and shut out Start's attack, or if Start defend deeply to force a low-scoring draw, the both teams to score prediction will fail.
Key Tactical Mismatch
Bottom-of-the-table Start have shipped 34 goals in 15 matches and conceded 12 times across their last six outings.
Viking's 4-3-3 system uses wide threats Zlatko Tripic and Edvin Austbø to exploit spaces left by wing-backs in 3-4-1-2 setups.
🎯 Pick 2: Start vs Viking FK 1-3 @ 9/1
A 3-1 scoreline in favour of Viking reflects the statistical alignment between Viking’s potent attack and Start’s defensive limitations. Viking have scored three or more goals in five of their 14 league matches this season, demonstrating the firepower needed to hit three against a struggling defence. Start have conceded 12 goals in their last six matches alone, maintaining an overall concession rate of 2.27 per game. In head-to-head encounters, Viking have dominated, winning nine of the last 11 meetings and staying undefeated in their past five visits to Start, with the last six H2H clashes averaging 3.67 goals per game.
Start’s recent performance against Kristiansund showed genuine attacking ambition, recording 57% possession and 22 attempts. With midfielders Erlend Segberg and Steve Mvoué helping transition play to Schulze and Strannegård, Start have the tools to score, particularly given Viking’s six-game streak without a clean sheet. However, as demonstrated in their earlier 6-3 loss to Viking, Start’s open structure leaves significant space for Kristoffer Askildsen and Joe Bell to exploit in transition. A controlled 3-1 outcome allows Viking to assert their superiority while accommodating Start’s ability to score a single consolation goal.
Risk Factor: Exact score predictions carry high risk; any additional goals by either side will invalidate the forecast.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the "Viking to win and Both Teams To Score" market mean?
This market requires Viking to win the match and Start to score at least one goal during regular time. Both conditions must occur for the wager to win, such as scorelines of 2-1, 3-1, or 4-1 to Viking.
How does the Correct Score market function in football betting?
The Correct Score market involves predicting the exact final score at the end of 90 minutes plus stoppage time. If you select 1-3, the match must finish with Start scoring once and Viking scoring three times.
Why is Viking favoured to win against Start?
Viking sit second in the division with 11 wins from 14 matches, placing them 24 points ahead of bottom-placed Start. Additionally, Viking have won nine of the last 11 head-to-head meetings between the two clubs.
What evidence shows Start can score against Viking?
Start created 22 attempts in their recent 2-1 victory over Kristiansund and scored three goals against Viking in their previous meeting. Furthermore, Viking have failed to keep a clean sheet in six consecutive matches.
Are Pick 1 and Pick 2 mathematically compatible?
Yes, both selections are fully compatible because a 1-3 victory for Viking satisfies both Viking winning with both teams scoring (Pick 1) and the exact 1-3 scoreline (Pick 2). Both selections win if the score is 1-3.
How does Start's defensive record impact goal expectations?
Start have conceded 34 goals in 15 league matches, averaging 2.27 goals conceded per game. Conceding 12 goals in their last six matches shows vulnerability against strong attacking units like Viking.
What is the main risk when backing exact scorelines like 1-3?
The main risk is that exact scorelines offer zero margin for error. A late goal, clean sheet, or unexpected red card changes the final score, causing the wager to fail even if Viking win comfortably.
How do head-to-head trends favor a high-scoring Viking win?
The last six head-to-head meetings produced 22 goals, averaging 3.67 per game, including a 6-3 Viking victory earlier this season. Viking have also gone undefeated in their last five league visits to Start.
