VISA-Bikar - 03-08-2005 -

Fram Reykjiavik - FH Hafnarfjordur

The bottom placed Fram host the table leaders FH in the first semi-final match of the Icelandic national Cup.

In Landsbankadeild Fram are fighting to avoid the relegation, so I think they'd be better to think about the league since their chances to win the Cup are very thin. On the other hand reaching the final could even mean a ticket to the next UEFA Cup, so I expect Fram to be motivated to do well.

FH Hafnarfjordur will be motivated as well and they surely won't understimate their opponents. They're pretty far from thinking it will be an easy victory just because Fram are struggling in the league. A team that reached this stage of the competition deserves respect and FH will show it tonight.

But FH will have extra-motivations IMHO. Last week they've been awarded for being the team with the best local players and they've got a money prize of 100.000 korons, to be spent on their youth teams, offered by the league sponsor Landsbanka.
Also the striker Allan Borgvardt has been awarded as the best player of the current season. Furthermore it was the birthday for two players: Saevarsson (27) and the top scorer Gudmundsson (31). I guess they'll want to celebrate all those achievements with a nice win .

For the upcoming game FH will field a squad very similar to the one that (despite being 1 man down) defeated IBV in the last round of Landsbankadeild. So they'll play a very offensive module with 3 forwards. Gudjohnssonwill be back in the team, while Vidarsson is banned and will miss the game.

In last days Fram signed the fast midfielder Johan Karlefjard (21) from the Swedish team Orgyte, but he's not expected to start today (still unsure, though). Fram's manager is going to field a well covered squad and it's not unlikely he'll play the same 5-3-2 module used in the derby vs Throttur. Ottoson and Andrason will be the forwards.

H2H:

2004 Fram - FH 1-2
2003 Fram - FH 1-0
2002 Fram - FH 5-4
2001 Fram - FH 1-1


Once again I'll be on FH. Just think it's all up to motivations and from what I've understood Hafnarfjordur have lots of them.

Fram - FH:
Pick: FH
Odds: 1,70
Bookmaker: Stanleybet
Stake: 3/10
Confidence: 6,5/10

Fram - FH -1 (european)
Pick: FH
Odds: 2,86
Bookmaker: Stanleybet
Stake: 3/10
Confidence: 4/10

KK_