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Both in search of a first win of the league phase, Lillestrom and Viktoria Plzen will meet in the fourth round of Europa League fixtures in Norway on Thursday.
The visitors are one of four teams who are yet to put a point on the board in the competition while their hosts have only managed one draw alongside two losses.
Read our prediction, preview and betting tips for the game below, and make sure to check out our today's betting tips page for more of our expert predictions.
Lillestrom vs. Viktoria Plzen key stats
- Only one team have conceded more goals than Lillestrom (9) in three Europa League league-phase games this season.
- Lillestrom are unbeaten in six domestic matches (5W 1D).
- Viktoria Plzen have lost four of their five continental matches so far this season.
- Viktoria Plzen have scored 10 goals in their last two outings.
Lillestrom vs. Viktoria Plzen preview: Who can get first victory at the fourth time of asking?
Lillestrom vs Viktoria Plzen — Tale of the Tape
| Lillestrom | vs | Viktoria Plzen |
|---|---|---|
| 5th (Eliteserien) | Position | 9th (Chance Liga) |
| 42 | Points | 19 |
| 36 | Goals For | 28 |
| 33 | Goals Against | 21 |
| 8 | Clean Sheets | 4 |
| 9th (H) | Home / Away Rank | 4th (A) |
Lillestrom return to Europa League action on Thursday in search of a first league-phase win at the fourth time of asking after a slow start.
A first-placed Norwegian First Division finish and a qualifying victory over Egnatia earned them a place in a main European competition for the first time since 2000-01, having last fallen short in qualifying in 2022.
They are yet to get going, though, drawing one and losing two of their first three games while conceding nine goals and only scoring two, having started with a 2-1 home loss to Torreense and a 1-1 draw at Sparta Prague, before suffering a 6-0 beating at home to Real Sociedad in the last round of games in October.
The Kanarifugla have rebuilt confidence since that tough day, though, winning three straight domestic games including two in the Eliteserien to climb to fifth place, most recently beating Start 1-0 away from home on Sunday with Gustav Nyheim on the scoresheet.
Now hoping to channel that league form into their continental campaign, while still without Camil Jebara and Espen Garnas through injury, Lillestrom will go in search of a victory on home soil in midweek.
Their visitors, meanwhile, are still in search of their first Europa League points having lost each of their opening three games.
A third-placed finish in the Czech top flight earned Viktoria Plzen a Europa League playoff-round place, one round away from the league phase, and they advanced in dramatic fashion, losing their first leg at Red Star Belgrade 3-0 and winning the return leg 4-1 before prevailing in extra time.
Radoslav Kovac's team are yet to get up and running in the main competition, though, losing all three of their games while scoring two goals and conceding seven, having firstly fallen at home to Union SG and away at Ferencvaros, before Levski Sofia arrived and won 2-1 last time out.
Like the hosts, the six-time Czech champions have since bounced back domestically, dishing out a 6-1 beating in the MOL Cup and winning 4-0 against Ostrava at the weekend to go ninth in the top flight after a disappointing start to their league term in which they conceded 21 goals in their first 12 matches.
Now hoping for a fresh start after those comfortable victories, and with a relatively clean bill of health, Viktoria Plzen head to Norway looking to get off the mark with time running out in the league phase.
Lillestrom vs. Viktoria Plzen form guide & betting tips
| Lillestrom | vs | Viktoria Plzen |
|---|---|---|
WLWWW |
Form | WLLWW |
| 8 | Goals For | 15 |
| 9 | Goals Against | 7 |
LDL |
Europa League | LLL |
Whispers predicts: Lillestrom 3-1 Viktoria Plzen
Each of Viktoria Plzen's last 10 matches have seen three or more goals, while seven of Lillestrom's last 10 have had three or more. Given those records we anticipate a high-scoring encounter and fancy over 2.5 goals at 4/7 (1.57), and you can explore similar with out BoyleSports bonus code.
Both teams have struggled to keep things tight thus far, conceding nine and seven goals respectively in three matches each and losing five of those, while both come in with confidence having since found their shooting boots in domestic games. Both Teams to Score is priced at 1/2 (1.50).
Veteran Thomas Olsen remains a key man going forward for Lillestrom, but it is winger Felix Va who has shone this term, notching up 10 goals and six assists in 33 appearances in all competitions in his best season to date. He will hope to punish a struggling Viktoria Plzen team in Norway, particularly in what could be an end-to-end affair, and is priced at 6/5 (2.20) to score or assist.
> Over 2.5 goals at 4/7 (1.57) | Likelihood: Probable
> Both Teams to Score at 1/2 (1.50) | Likelihood: Likely
> Felix Va to score or assist at 6/5 (2.20) | Likelihood: Possible