2018 Molde FK season explained

Club:	Molde
Season:	2018
Manager:	Ole Gunnar Solskjær
Mgrtitle:	Manager
Chairman:	Odd Ivar Moen
Chrtitle:	Chairman
Stadium:	Aker Stadion
League:	Eliteserien
League Result:	2nd
Cup1:	Norwegian Cup
Cup1 Result:	Second Round vs Brattvåg
Cup2:	Europa League
Cup2 Result:	Play-off Round vs Zenit St. Petersburg
League Topscorer:	Erling Haaland (12)
Season Topscorer:	Erling Haaland (16)
Highest Attendance:	9,444 vs Rosenborg (30 September 2018)
Lowest Attendance:	4,179 vs Laçi (26 July 2018)
Average Attendance:	7,111
Pattern La1:	_waterford17h
Pattern B1:	_molde18h
Pattern Ra1:	_waterford17h
Leftarm1:	0000FF
Body1:	0045FF
Rightarm1:	0000FF
Shorts1:	FFFFFF
Socks1:	FFFFFF
Pattern B2:	_kashima13a
Shorts2:	0000FF
Socks2:	0000FF
Pattern B3:	_academica1213h
Body3:	000000
Leftarm3:	000000
Rightarm3:	000000
Shorts3:	000000
Socks3:	000000
Prevseason:	2017
Nextseason:	2019

The 2018 season was Molde's 11th consecutive year in the top flight, Eliteserien, and their 42nd season in the top flight of Norwegian football. They competed in Eliteserien, the Cup and the 2018–19 UEFA Europa League, which they entered at the First qualifying round stage.

In the Norwegian Cup, Molde advanced from the first round on 18 April 2018 after Træff was defeated with the score 1–6. Daniel Chima Chukwu scored a hat-trick in the game. Molde were drawn against Brattvåg in the second round. Molde lost the game 0–1 in extra time after 90 goalless minutes.

Season events

Ahead of the 2018 season, first team coach Mark Dempsey left Molde on 1 December 2017 to become the new head coach of IK Start.^[1]

Squad

No.	Name	Nationality	Position	Date of birth (Age)	Signed from	Signed in	Contract ends	Apps.	Goals
Goalkeepers
1	Andreas Linde		GK	2018 11, df=yes	Helsingborg	2015	2019^[2]	88	0
12	Álex Craninx		GK	2018 11, df=yes	Cartagena	2018	2021	0	0
26	Mathias Ranmark		GK	2018 11, df=yes	Oppsal	2017	2018^[3]	3	0
46	Hermann Ræstad		GK	2018 11, df=yes	Academy			0	0
Defenders
2	Isak Ssewankambo		DF	2018 11, df=yes	Derby County	2016	2018^[4]	37	0
3	Christopher Telo		DF	2018 11, df=yes	IFK Norrköping	2017	2020^[5]	6	0
4	Ruben Gabrielsen		DF	2018 11, df=yes	Lillestrøm	2014	2019^[6]	137	5
5	Vegard Forren		DF	2018 11, df=yes	Brighton & Hove Albion	2017	2019^[7]	355	17
6	Stian Rode Gregersen		DF	2018 11, df=yes	Academy	2013	2020^[8]	56	1
22	Christoffer Remmer		DF	2018 11, df=yes	Copenhagen	2016	2019^[9]	74	0
28	Kristoffer Haugen		DF	2018 11, df=yes	Viking	2018	2020	34	2
38	Simen Bakkemyr Hagbø		DF	2018 11, df=yes	Academy	2018		1	0
39	Elias Mordal		DF	2018 11, df=yes	Academy	2015		0	0
50	Thor-Olav Moe		DF	2018 11, df=yes	Academy			0	0
55	Andreas Uranium		DF	2018 11, df=yes	Academy			0	0
58	Emil Breivik		DF	2018 11, df=yes	Academy			0	0
Midfielders
7	Magnus Wolff Eikrem		MF	2018 11, df=yes	Seattle Sounders	2018	2022	103	15
8	Babacar Sarr		MF	2018 11, df=yes	Sogndal	2016	2019^[10]	78	6
9	Mattias Moström		MF	2018 11, df=yes	AIK	2007	2018^[11]	330	35
11	Martin Ellingsen		MF	2018 11, df=yes	Kongsvinger	2017	2020^[12]	13	3
14	Petter Strand		MF	2018 11, df=yes	Sogndal	2016	2018^[13]	88	10
16	Etzaz Hussain		MF	2018 11, df=yes	Rudeš	2017	2019	164	17
17	Fredrik Aursnes		MF	2018 11, df=yes	Hødd	2016	2019^[14]	94	14
19	Eirik Hestad		MF	2018 11, df=yes	Academy	2012	2019^[15]	131	20
46	Hermann Svendsen		MF	2018 11, df=yes	Academy			0	0
59	Tobias Hestad		MF	2018 11, df=yes	Academy			0	0
Forwards
10	Leke James		FW	2018 11, df=yes	Free agent	2018	2020^[16]	14	4
20	Thomas Amang		FW	2018 11, df=yes	Rainbow Bamenda	2016	2020^[17]	50	11
24	Paweł Cibicki		FW	2018 11, df=yes	loan from Leeds United	2018	2018	17	3
27	Daniel Chima Chukwu		FW	2018 11, df=yes	Legia Warszawa	2018	2020	163	56
30	Erling Haaland		FW	2018 11, df=yes	Bryne	2017		48	19
47	Christian Dahl		FW	2018 11, df=yes	Academy			0	0
49	Sivert Gussiås		FW	2018 11, df=yes	Academy	2018	2019^[18]	1	0
54	Henrik Jenset		FW	2018 11, df=yes	Academy			0	0
56	William Røsok		FW	2018 11, df=yes	Academy			0	0
	Magnus Langset		FW	2018 11, df=yes	Academy			0	0
Out on loan
13	Ibrahima Wadji		FW	2018 11, df=yes	Gazişehir Gaziantep	2017	2020^[19]	17	4
15	Sonni Nattestad		DF	2018 11, df=yes	FH	2016	2019^[20]	0	0
21	Tobias Svendsen		MF	2018 11, df=yes	Academy	2015	2020^[21] ^[22]	23	1
25	Óttar Magnús Karlsson		FW	2018 11, df=yes	Vikingur Reykjavik	2017	2019^[23]	11	1
27	Martin Ove Roseth		DF	2018 11, df=yes	Academy	2016	2021^[24]	2	0
33	Fredrik Brustad		FW	2018 11, df=yes	AIK	2016	2019^[25]	62	15
	Agnaldo		MF	2018 11, df=yes	Desportivo Brasil	2014	2018^[26]	70	9
Players who left club during season
7	Mathias Normann		MF	2018 11, df=yes	loan from Brighton & Hove Albion	2017	2018	18	1
18	Leo Skiri Østigård		DF	2018 11, df=yes	Academy	2017	2020^[27]	1	0
48	Thomas Nerland		MF	2018 11, df=yes	Academy			0	0
52	Erik Iversen		GK	2018 11, df=yes	Academy			0	0

Transfers

See main article: List of Norwegian football transfers winter 2017–18 and List of Norwegian football transfers summer 2018.

In

Date	Position	Nationality	Name	From	Fee	Ref.
1 January 2018	GK		Neydson	Elverum	Loan Return	^[28]
1 January 2018	DF		Ole Martin Rindarøy	Sogndal	Loan Return	^[29]
1 January 2018	MF		Etzaz Hussain	Odd	Loan Return	^[30]
1 January 2018	MF		Kristian Strande	Brattvåg	Loan Return	^[31]
1 January 2018	MF		Agnaldo	Vila Nova	Loan Return
10 January 2018	DF		Kristoffer Haugen	Viking	Undisclosed	^[32]
14 February 2018	FW		Daniel Chima Chukwu	Legia Warsaw	Undisclosed	^[33]
30 April 2018	FW		Leke James	Free Agent	Free
17 July 2018	MF		Erling Knudtzon	Lillestrøm	Undisclosed	^[34]
25 July 2018	MF		Magnus Wolff Eikrem	Seattle Sounders	Undisclosed	^[35]
27 July 2018	GK		Álex Craninx	Cartagena	Free	^[36]

Knudtzon's moves was announced on the above date, but was finalised on 1 January 2019.

Out

Date	Position	Nationality	Name	To	Fee	Ref.
24 November 2017	MF		Ola Ormset Husby	Brattvåg	Undisclosed	^[37]
4 December 2017	DF		Roni Peiponen	HJK Helsinki	Undisclosed	^[38]
1 January 2018	GK		Neydson	Brattvåg	Undisclosed
5 January 2018	FW		Björn Bergmann Sigurðarson	Rostov	Undisclosed	^[39]
31 January 2018	DF		Ole Martin Rindarøy	Sogndal	Undisclosed	^[40]
1 February 2018	DF		Joona Toivio	Bruk-Bet Termalica Nieciecza	Undisclosed	^[41]
2 February 2018	FW		Adnan Dudić	Brattvåg	Undisclosed	^[42]
10 February 2018	DF		Kristian Strande	Egersund	Undisclosed	^[43]
10 February 2018	GK		Jonatan Strand Byttingsvik	Levanger	Undisclosed	^[44]
1 June 2018	MF		Eman Markovic	Zrinjski Mostar	Undisclosed	^[45]
26 June 2018	DF		Thomas Nerland	Kristiansund	Undisclosed
1 August 2018	MF		Mikael Wenaas	Kristiansund	Undisclosed
15 August 2018	DF		Leo Skiri Østigård	Brighton & Hove Albion	Undisclosed	^[46]
23 August 2018	GK		Erik Iversen	Sunndal	Undisclosed

Loans in

Date from	Position	Nationality	Name	From	Date to	Ref.
26 January 2018	MF		Mathias Normann	Brighton & Hove Albion	Summer 2018	^[47]
3 July 2018	FW		Paweł Cibicki	Leeds United	End of Season	^[48]

Loans out

Date from	Position	Nationality	Name	to	Date to	Ref.
30 January 2018	MF		Agnaldo	RoPS	31 December 2018	^[49]
15 February 2018	DF		Martin Ove Roseth	Levanger	31 December 2018	^[50]
28 February 2018	FW		Óttar Magnús Karlsson	Trelleborg	31 December 2018	^[51]
1 March 2018	DF		Sonni Nattestad	Aalesund	Summer 2018	^[52]
13 March 2018	DF		Leo Skiri Østigård	Viking	15 August 2018	^[53]
19 March 2018	DF		Isak Ssewankambo	Malmö	20 July 2018	^[54]
26 July 2018	MF		Ibrahima Wadji	Haugesund	31 December 2018	^[55]
15 August 2018	MF		Tobias Svendsen	Haugesund	31 December 2018	^[56]
31 August 2018	FW		Fredrik Brustad	Hamilton Academical	31 May 2019	^[57]
31 August 2018	DF		Sonni Nattestad	AC Horsens	31 December 2018	^[58]

Released

Competitions

Eliteserien

See main article: 2018 Eliteserien.

Table

Norwegian Cup

See main article: 2018 Norwegian Football Cup.

Europa League

See main article: 2018–19 UEFA Europa League.

Qualifying phase

See main article: 2018–19 UEFA Europa League qualifying phase and play-off round (Main Path).

Squad statistics

Appearances and goals

|-|colspan="14"|Players away from Molde on loan:|-|colspan="14"|Players who appeared for Molde no longer at the club:|}

Goalscorers

width=40	Rank	width=40		width=40		width=40		width=200	Player	width=80	Eliteserien	width=100	Norwegian Cup	width=100	Europa League	width=80	Total
1	FW	30		Erling Haaland	12	0	4	16
2	MF	19		Eirik Hestad	8	0	7	15
3	MF	17		Fredrik Aursnes	8	0	2	10
4	MF	16		Etzaz Hussain	5	0	1	6
	FW	27		Daniel Chima Chukwu	3	3	0	6
6	MF	8		Babacar Sarr	4	0	1	5
7	MF	7		Magnus Wolff Eikrem	4	0	0	4
	FW	10		Leke James	3	0	1	4
9	FW	24		Paweł Cibicki	3	0	0	3
	FW	33		Fredrik Brustad	2	1	0	3
	MF	13		Ibrahima Wadji	1	2	0	3
12	MF	9		Mattias Moström	2	0	0	2
	DF	28		Kristoffer Haugen	2	0	0	2
	MF	14		Petter Strand	1	0	1	2
15	DF	4		Ruben Gabrielsen	1	0	0	1
	DF	5		Vegard Forren	1	0	0	1
	MF	7		Mathias Normann	1	0	0	1
	FW	20		Thomas Amang	1	0	0	1
				Own goal	1	0	0	1
TOTALS					63	6	17	86

Clean sheets

width=40	Rank	width=40		width=40		width=40		width=200	Player	width=80	Eliteserien	width=100	Norwegian Cup	width=100	Europa League	width=80	Total
1	GK	1		Andreas Linde	8	0	4	12
2	GK	26		Mathias Eriksen Ranmark	1	0	0	1
TOTALS					9	0	4	13

Disciplinary record

			Name	Eliteserien		Norwegian Cup		Europa League		Total
				width=60 style="background: #FFEE99"		width=60 style="background: #FF8888"		width=60 style="background: #FFEE99"		width=60 style="background: #FF8888"		width=60 style="background: #FFEE99"		width=60 style="background: #FF8888"		width=60 style="background: #FFEE99"		width=60 style="background: #FF8888"
2	DF		Isak Ssewankambo	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
4	DF		Ruben Gabrielsen	3	0	0	0	1	0	4	0
5	DF		Vegard Forren	5	0	0	0	3	0	8	0
6	DF		Stian Rode Gregersen	2	0	0	0	2	0	4	0
7	MF		Magnus Wolff Eikrem	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
8	MF		Babacar Sarr	5	0	0	0	1	0	6	0
9	MF		Mattias Moström	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
14	MF		Petter Strand	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	0
16	MF		Etzaz Hussain	5	0	0	0	1	0	6	0
17	MF		Fredrik Aursnes	5	0	1	0	0	0	6	0
19	MF		Eirik Hestad	3	0	0	0	1	0	4	0
22	DF		Christoffer Remmer	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
24	FW		Paweł Cibicki	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
27	FW		Daniel Chima Chukwu	1	0	0	0	1	0	2	0
28	DF		Kristoffer Haugen	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
30	FW		Erling Haaland	1	0	0	0	1	0	2	0
Players away from Molde on loan:
21	MF		Tobias Svendsen	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	0
Players who appeared for Molde no longer at the club:
7	MF		Mathias Normann	2	1	0	0	0	0	2	1
TOTALS				42	1	3	0	11	0	56	1

See also

• Molde FK seasons

Notes and References

1. Web site: Mark Dempsey blir ny Start-trener . www.nettavisen.no . 30 November 2017 . Nettavisen . 4 December 2018 . no.
2. Web site: Linde blir Molde-keeper i tre år til. www.aftenposten.no. Aftenposten. 7 February 2018. no. 29 December 2016. dmy-all.
3. Web site: Dette er Moldes nye målvakt. www.aftenposten.no. Aftenposten. 7 February 2018. no. 3 June 2017. dmy-all.
4. Web site: Solskjær henter forsvarsspiller fra Derby . www.dagbladet.no. Dagbladet. 7 February 2018. no. 3 March 2016. dmy-all.
5. Web site: CHRISTOPHER TELO KLAR FOR MOLDE FK. moldefk.no. Molde FK. 28 July 2017. no. 28 July 2017.
6. Web site: GABRIELSEN FORLENGER. www.moldefk.no. Molde FK. 7 February 2018. no. 27 February 2017. dmy-all.
7. Web site: NY KONTRAKT TIL ROSETH. moldefk.no. Molde FK. 7 February 2018. no. 5 February 2018.
8. Web site: Gregersen belønnes med ny kontrakt. aftenposten.no. Aftenposten. 7 February 2018. no. 16 February 2017.
9. Web site: Christoffer Remmer klar for Molde FK. www.moldefk.no. Molde FK. 10 August 2016. no. 10 August 2016. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160813045728/http://www.moldefk.no/news/article/19fsgbx49a6et1kak29wbb6yao/title/christoffer-remmer-klar-for-molde-fk. 13 August 2016. dmy-all.
10. Web site: Solskjær kjøper Sogndals beste spiller. vg.no. Verdens Gang. 7 February 2018. no. 20 July 2016.
11. Web site: Moström tar to nye år i Molde . aftenposten.no. Aftenposten . 7 February 2018. no. 24 August 2016.
12. Web site: Ellingsen klar for Molde. rbnett.no. Romsdals Budstikke. 7 February 2018. no. 17 July 2017.
13. Web site: Strand og Sogndal samde med Molde om overgang. nrk.no. NRK Sogn og Fjordane. 7 February 2018. no. 28 January 2016.
14. Web site: Solskjær om Aursnes: - Han er en ledertype. aftenposten.no. Aftenposten . 7 February 2018. no. 26 February 2016.
15. Web site: Eirik Hestad forlenger med Molde . nrk.no. NRK Møre og Romsdal . 7 February 2018. no. 1 December 2015.
16. Web site: LEKE JAMES ER MOLDE-SPILLER. moldefk.no. Molde FK. 30 April 2018. no. 30 April 2018.
17. Web site: Amang etter drømmeinnhoppet: - Dette gir meg selvtillit . aftenposten.no. Aftenposten . 7 February 2018. no. 17 April 2016.
18. Web site: SIVERT GUSSIÅS FORTSETTER I MOLDE FK. moldefk.no. Molde FK. 27 August 2018. no. 21 August 2018.
19. Web site: 3 NYE ÅR FOR WADJI. moldefk.no. Molde FK. 2 February 2018. no. 12 January 2018.
20. Web site: NATTESTAD TIL AAFK. www.moldefk.no. Molde FK. 3 March 2018. no. 1 March 2018. dmy-all.
21. Web site: Brødrene Svendsen med nye Molde-avtaler . dagbladet.no. Dagbladet . 7 February 2018. no. 8 December 2015.
22. Web site: SVENDSEN FORLENGER MED MOLDE – LÅNES UT RESTEN AV SESONGEN. www.moldefk.no. Molde FK. 27 August 2018. no. 15 August 2018. dmy-all.
23. Web site: Óttar Magnús Karlsson klar for Molde FK. 25 November 2016 . Nettavisen. no. 2017-01-21.
24. Web site: Christoffer Remmer klar for Molde FK. www.moldefk.no. Molde FK. 10 August 2016. no. 10 August 2016. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160813045728/http://www.moldefk.no/news/article/19fsgbx49a6et1kak29wbb6yao/title/christoffer-remmer-klar-for-molde-fk. 13 August 2016. dmy-all.
25. Web site: Fredrik Brustad er bekreftet klar for Molde. dagbladet.no. Dagbladet. 2 February 2018. no. 16 June 2016.
26. Web site: Agnaldo fortsatt ute i kulden - vurderer å bytte klubb. www.aftenposten.no. Aftenposten. 27 August 2018. no. 28 September 2016. dmy-all.
27. Web site: NY KONTRAKT TIL ØSTIGÅRD. www.moldefk.no. Molde FK. 7 February 2018. no. 11 January 2018. dmy-all.
28. Web site: DA SILVA TIL BRATTVÅG. www.moldefk.no. Molde FK. 16 January 2018. no. 29 December 2017.
29. Web site: - Rindarøy til Sogndal. www.rbnett.no. Romsdals Budstikke. 16 January 2018. no. 2 August 2017.
30. Web site: Hussain leies ut fra Molde til Odd. www.abcnyheter.no. ABC Nyheter. 16 January 2018. no. 16 August 2017.
31. Web site: Lånes ut til Brattvåg. www.rbnett.no. Romsdals Budstikke. 16 January 2018. no. 13 July 2017.
32. Web site: HAUGEN KLAR FOR MOLDE FK. moldefk.no. Molde FK. 2 February 2018. no. 10 January 2018.
33. Web site: CHIMA ER TILBAKE. moldefk.no. Molde FK. 14 February 2018. no. 14 February 2018.
34. Web site: ERLING KNUDTZON TIL MOLDE FK . moldefk.no/ . Molde FK . 17 July 2018 . no . 17 July 2018.
35. Web site: MAGNUS ER TILBAKE! . moldefk.no/ . Molde FK . 25 July 2018 . no . 25 July 2018.
36. Web site: NY KEEPER SIGNERT! . moldefk.no/ . Molde FK . 27 July 2018 . no . 27 July 2018.
37. Web site: Olav Husby i to nye år. www.brattvag-il.no. Brattvåg IL. 3 December 2017. no. 24 November 2017.
38. Web site: PEIPONEN TIL HJK HELSINKI. www.moldefk.no. Molde FK. 4 December 2017. no. 4 December 2017.
39. Web site: ru:Бьорн Сигурдарсон – игрок Ростова!. http://www.fc-rostov.ru/press/news/11452. fc-rostov.ru. FC Rostov. 5 January 2018. ru. 5 January 2018. 5 June 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180605002349/http://www.fc-rostov.ru/press/news/11452. dead.
40. Web site: RINDARØY TIL SOGNDAL. moldefk.no. Molde FK. 2 February 2018. no. 31 January 2018.
41. Web site: TOIVIO TIL TERMALICA NIECIECZA. moldefk.no. Molde FK. 2 February 2018. no. 1 February 2018.
42. Web site: Kantspelar klar for Brattvåg. www.brattvag-il.no. Brattvåg IL. 17 February 2018. no. 2 February 2018.
43. Web site: Kristian Strande klar for EIK. eikfotball.no. Egersunds IK. 12 February 2018. no. 10 February 2018.
44. Web site: NY KEEPER PÅ PLASS. levangerfk.no. Levanger FK. 16 February 2018. no. 10 February 2018. 12 February 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180212083318/http://www.levangerfk.no/nyheter/ny-keeper-pa-plass. dead.
45. Web site: Nå er han klar for de bosniske seriemesterne. Martin. Brøste. aftenposten.no. Aftenposten. 2 June 2018. no. 2 June 2018.
46. Web site: LEO SKIRI ØSTIGÅRD KLAR FOR BRIGHTON FC . moldefk.no . Molde FK . 15 August 2018 . no . 15 August 2018.
47. Web site: NORMANN FORLENGER!. moldefk.no. Molde FK. 2 February 2018. no. 26 January 2017.
48. Web site: PAWEL CIBICKI PÅ LÅN TIL MOLDE FK. moldefk.no. Molde FK. 3 July 2018. no. 2 July 2018.
49. Web site: RoPS:lle keskikenttämies Moldesta - Moraes loppukauden lainalla Napapiirille. rops.fi. RoPS. 2 February 2018. fi. 20 January 2018.
50. Web site: Molde-stopper slår følge med tidligere lagkamerat - klar for utlån. rbnett.no. Romsdals Budstikke. 16 February 2018. no. 16 January 2018.
51. Web site: KARLSSON LÅNES UT. moldefk.no. Molde FK. 3 March 2018. no. 28 February 2018.
52. Web site: NATTESTAD TIL AAFK. moldefk.no. Molde FK. 3 March 2018. no. 1 March 2018.
53. Web site: ØSTIGÅRD LÅNES UT. moldefk.no. Molde FK. 13 March 2018. no. 13 March 2018.
54. Web site: Välkommen till Malmö FF, Isak Ssewankambo!. mff.se. Malmö FF. 19 March 2018. sv. 19 March 2018.
55. Web site: WADJI PÅ UTLÅN TIL HAUGESUND. moldefk.no. Molde FK. 26 July 2018. no. 26 July 2018.
56. Web site: TOBIAS SVENDSEN KLAR FOR FKH. fkh.no. FK Haugesund. 1 September 2018. no. 15 August 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180815201045/http://www.fkh.no/nyheter/tobias-svendsen-klar-for-fkh. 15 August 2018. dead.
57. Web site: Molde-angriper klar for skotsk klubb. rbnett.no. Romsdals Budstikke. 1 September 2018. no. 31 August 2018.
58. Web site: AC Horsens henter Sonni Nattestad. achorsens.dk. AC Horsens. 1 September 2018. da. 31 August 2018.
59. Web site: Rindarøy legger opp. moldefk.no. Molde FK. 3 December 2017. no. 29 November 2017.