Molde FK lost a high-scoring and dramatic match to Vålerenga Fotball 7-6 in the Eliteserien on Saturday, 30 August 2026. The match, covered live by TNT Sports, was a goal-fest featuring thirteen goals in total.
Vålerenga took a surprising early lead with goals from L. Haren and M. Grundetjern in the 20th and 22nd minutes. Molde responded quickly through E. Hestad after just twelve minutes, but Vålerenga increased the pressure. C. Lange, S. Granaas, J. Abdullai and C. Zady Sery added four more goals for the home side before halftime, which ended with a commanding 6-1 lead.
How did Molde fight back?
Molde showed a completely different face in the second half. The team pulled one back to 6-2 through E. Breivik in the 71st minute. Then followed an explosive sequence where A. Olsen and S. Granaas scored for Molde in the 77th and 79th minutes respectively. I. Näsberg netted another for Molde just two minutes later, and suddenly the score was 6-5.
Vålerenga's M. Grundetjern dampened the joy with a goal for the hosts in the 81st minute, making it 7-5. But Molde did not give up. R. Bolseth reduced the deficit to a final 7-6 in the seventh minute of added time. The comeback fell just short, and Vålerenga took all three points.
What does this mean for Molde's season?
The defeat comes during an inconsistent season for Molde. Before this match, the club was fourth in the Eliteserien with 27 points from 17 games, following eight wins, three draws and six losses. The team has scored 32 goals and conceded 26, giving a goal difference of +6.
Recent form has been patchy with a pattern of win, loss, draw, win, loss (WLDWL) over the last five matches. However, the two results prior to this loss were actually victories, so the team was on a two-game winning run. The last win came against Tromsø (3-2) on 16 August. You can track the team's position on our standings page.
Who leads the title race?
The loss widens the gap to the league leaders. Molde now sits a full 14 points behind Bodø/Glimt, who top the Eliteserien. This highlights the challenge of catching the top this year, although a fourth-place finish still offers a chance for European qualification.
The team's updated statistics following this defeat will soon be available on our stats page. The match displayed both defensive vulnerability and an impressive attacking spirit. Molde created enough chances to turn around a game that looked lost at halftime.
What is Molde's next fixture?
Attention must now turn to the next challenge. Molde faces KFUM Oslo at home at Aker Stadion on Sunday, 6 September. KFUM currently sits in 12th place in the table, making this an important opportunity for Molde to get back to winning ways.
A victory there is important to keep pace with the competitors for the top spots. You can view the full schedule for the autumn on our fixtures page. After such a goal-rich but disappointing match, the coaching staff will have plenty to work on before next weekend.
