FH Hafnarfjördur vs Valur Reykjavík Prediction: Arnar Grétarsson's men will bounce back to winning ways

Valur will travel to Kaplakrikavöllur to face FH Hafnarfjördur, after a disappointing outing in the Reykjavík derby last weekend. Previews, H2H, expert tips, and odds are provided below.

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Hafnarfjördur's recent performance has seen them extend their unbeaten streak to two matches, as they secured a hard-fought 2-2 draw against Kopavogur. In this closely contested match, Johannsson opened the scoring for Hafnarfjördur, showcasing their attacking intent. However, Horup Sojberg equalized for Kopavogur, and Kopavogur then managed to take the lead when Horup Sojberg netted his second goal of the game in the 86th minute. However, Hafnarfjördur refused to be defeated and managed to salvage a point when Gudbrandsson found the back of the net in the 90+3 minutes. His celebration of this crucial goal, however, led to a yellow card as he removed his shirt in the midst of his joy.

Prior to this draw, Hafnarfjördur had registered a 2-1 victory over IBV, and the current standings place them in the 5th position on the league table, having accumulated 28 points from 19 games. Despite conceding 39 goals, their attacking prowess is evident in their impressive goal tally of 36. Hafnarfjördur's recent performances have been marked by determination and the ability to secure results as they strive to maintain their position in the league standings.

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Valur suffered a setback when they were convincingly defeated 4-0 by league leaders Vikingur in the Reykjavik derby. Despite this loss, it's important to acknowledge the overall strong performance of Valur in recent times. They currently occupy the second position in the league standings, having accumulated 42 points from 20 games played. Their attacking prowess is evident from their impressive goal tally of 47, while they have conceded 21 goals in the process.

While the defeat to Vikingur was a disappointment, Valur's strong form throughout the season cannot be overlooked. They find themselves 11 points behind league leaders Vikingur. Moreover, Valur maintain a 4-point lead over Breidablik, who are placed third on the table.

For Valur to continue their successful campaign, it will be crucial for Tryggvi Haraldsson, a 26-year-old striker, to rediscover his scoring form. Haraldsson has experienced a brief dry spell, failing to find the back of the net in his last two appearances. As a key player in Valur's attacking line, his contributions will be instrumental in their pursuit of further success in the league.

Examining their most recent head-to-head encounters dating back to September 2020 reveals that FH have not secured a victory in any of these matches, while Valur emerged victorious in three occasions. Additionally, the two teams played out three draws. Throughout these clashes, a total of 17 goals were scored, with FH contributing 5 goals and Valur netting 12. On average, this results in a goal-per-game average of 2.83.

The most recent league fixture between these two clubs occurred on June 2, 2023, during the Úrvalsdeild match day 11. The final score of that match was Valur 1-1 FH, highlighting their competitive and evenly matched encounters.

There is a good chance that FH will be able to score against this Valur lineup, but there is also a good chance that FH will not score as many goals as Valur will score. And I think we'll see some scoring early on in the match, even in the first half.

• W2 for 2.00 odds
• Over 3.5 for 2.15 odds
• HT: Over 1.5 for 2.25 odds