Silkeborg vs Molde

Jysk Park forms the backdrop for the return leg of an enthralling Europa League qualifying tie between Silkeborg and Molde.

Silkeborg lifted their maiden Danish Cup title last season to secure a berth in Europa League qualifying, but they’ll likely continue their continental journey in the Conference League. The Danes slumped to a 3-1 first-leg defeat in Norway last week, inflicting further damage on their embarrassing record in Europe’s second-tier competition (D1, L8). On top of that, Kent Nielsen’s side followed a dismal trip to Norway with a 2-1 away league loss to Aalborg at the weekend, casting more doubt on their chances of turning this tie on its head. As if that’s not worrying enough, Silkeborg’s last six competitive home outings have alternated between victories (3) and defeats (3), suggesting the local fans can’t know which version of their side they’ll get on a given day.

In the meantime, Molde went above and beyond to claim an all-important first-leg lead and set one foot in the Europa League qualifying round three for the first time since the 2019/20 season. An exhausting clash against Silkeborg took its toll on Erling Moe’s troops, as they frustratingly lost 1-0 at fellow Eliteserien rivals Viking over the weekend, making it just one win across their last four competitive matches (D1, L2). After three consecutive away victories between mid-May and late June, the Norwegians have gone winless on back-to-back road trips (D1, L1), failing to get on the scoresheet on both occasions. Luckily, they don’t need to score in Denmark to progress, yet a clean sheet would be welcome. They’ve kept three in a row on hostile turf, suggesting they’re in pole position to protect their advantage.