Molde vs Cercle Brugge AI Prediction 8 August 2024

Match Prediction: Molde vs Cercle Brugge

Match Information

Date and time: 8 August 2024 at 17:00 UTC
Stadium: Aker Stadion
Location: Reknes, Norway
Referee: Luis Miguel Branco Godinho (Portugal)

Team Form and Recent Performances

Molde

Molde has experienced a mix of outcomes in their recent fixtures, with some important wins but also critical losses:

– Europa League:
– 1 August 2024: Silkeborg 3 – 2 Molde
– 25 July 2024: Molde 3 – 1 Silkeborg

– Norwegian League:
– 28 July 2024: Viking 1 – 0 Molde
– 20 July 2024: Molde 2 – 3 KFUM Oslo
– 13 July 2024: Fredrikstad 0 – 0 Molde
– 7 July 2024: Molde 3 – 0 Lillestrom
– 28 June 2024: Tromsoe 0 – 2 Molde

Cercle Brugge

Cercle Brugge has shown varied performances in their recent matches:

– Belgium League:
– 4 August 2024: Cercle Brugge 1 – 2 Kortrijk
– 28 July 2024: Westerlo 3 – 0 Cercle Brugge

– Europa League:
– 1 August 2024: Cercle Brugge 1 – 0 Kilmarnock
– 25 July 2024: Kilmarnock 1 – 1 Cercle Brugge

– Club Friendlies:
– 20 July 2024: Feyenoord 1 – 0 Cercle Brugge
– 13 July 2024: Monaco 1 – 1 Cercle Brugge

Team Lineups and Formations

Molde (4-4-2 Formation)

Goalkeeper: A. Posiadala (22)
Defenders: C. Oyvann (3), A. Hagelskjaer (25), V. Lund (4), H. Stenevik (18)
Midfielders: E. Breivik (16), M. Daehli (17), M. Kaasa (15), M. Lovik (31)
Forwards: K. Eriksen (20), M. Eikrem (7)

Cercle Brugge (4-5-1 Formation)

Goalkeeper: Warleson (1)
Defenders: C. Ravych (66), B. Popovic (5), E. Utkus (3), S. Miangue (18)
Midfielders: L. Agyekum (6), H. Van Der Bruggen (28), T. Somers (34), K. Olaigbe (19), F. Augusto (10)
Forward: K. Denkey (9)

Head-to-Head and Qualitative Analysis

There are no previous head-to-head encounters provided in the JSON dataset, so predictions rely on current form and recent performances.

Strengths and Considerations

Molde:

– Strong home record: Molde traditionally performs well at home, evident from comfortable wins like against Lillestrom.
– Goal-scoring potential: Consistent scorers with significant attacking prowess.

Cercle Brugge:

– Resilient in Europe: Managed a crucial win against Kilmarnock in the Europa League.
– Defensive frailties: Struggled in recent domestic fixtures with poor defensive showings against Kortrijk and Westerlo.

Predicted Outcome

Considering the recent performances, home advantage, and potential vulnerabilities in Cercle Brugge’s defense, Molde is likely to have the upper hand in this encounter.

Predicted Result: Molde 2 – 1 Cercle Brugge

Potential Goalscorers

– Molde: M. Eikrem (7), K. Eriksen (20)
– Cercle Brugge: K. Denkey (9)

This analysis underscores Molde’s home advantage and attacking depth, which might give them the edge against Cercle Brugge’s defensive uncertainties.