Both aiming to become the early pacesetters at the front of the league standings, Vejle and Randers will lock horns for a match on the opening weekend of the Danish Superliga season.
The Reds will be keen to put on an exceptional show for their passionate home support, whilst the Horses will strive to correct their troubles on the road from last term.
Match preview
After 22 matches of the 2023-24 Superliga campaign, Vejle were sitting second bottom of the league standings, four points behind 10th-placed Randers and looking set for a return to the second tier of Danish football.
However, a major revival in the post-season split allowed the Reds to preserve their top-table spot for another 12 months at least, with Sunday's hosts eventually finishing ninth in the 12-team division, avoiding relegation by four points.
A major factor in Vejle's success during the latter stages of the term was 28-year-old striker German Onugkha, who made the net ripple on 15 occasions in the league last term to fire his men to safety.
Taking charge of his third full campaign at the Reds, Ivan Prelec will be hoping to lead his troops towards the upper echelons of the Superliga and potentially within striking distance of the European spots.
Due to their placement of seventh in the final standings of last term's Superliga, Randers were rewarded with the chance to qualify for the preliminary stages of the revamped Conference League, but the Horses were unable to book their spot on the continental stage.
A daunting trip to the Danish capital to face Copenhagen stood between Sunday's visitors and UEFA competition, with a 2-1 defeat because of strikes from Orri Oskarsson and Mohamed Elyounoussi allowing Jacob Neestrup's side passage into the Conference League.
Focusing on Superliga matches, Randers will be striving for Danish glory without the services of last season's Golden Boot winner at the club, with Mohammed Fuseini securing a summer switch to Belgian outfit Union SG.
To say that the Horses have the upper hand of the recent meetings between the two sides is an understatement, with Randers looking to extend their unbeaten run against Vejle to 11 matches this weekend.
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Team News
After picking up a red card in the match versus Randers at the end of last season, Marius Elvius is unavailable for the campaign opener on Sunday.
The Reds' options on the right flank are limited by the absence of Thomas Gundelund, who is recovering from an injury sustained in late May.
Just four days after his move from French club Reims, Mohamed Toure could make his debut for Randers in the Superliga at Vejle on Sunday afternoon.
The Horses have a new goalkeeper in their ranks ahead of the fresh term, with Australian Paul Izzo looking to challenge Oskar Snorre for the spot in between the sticks.
Vejle possible starting lineup:
Vekic; Kolinger, Albentosa, Provstgaard; Velkov, Barry, Lauritsen, Albornoz; Jacobsen, Onugkha, Juwara
Randers possible starting lineup:
Izzo; Olsen, Hoegh, Dammers, Kopplin; Agyiri, Enggard, Bjorkegren, Nordli; Odey, Lauenborg
We say: Vejle 1-2 Randers
Following the disappointment of missing out on a Conference League spot, Randers should be raring to record a positive start to the Superliga campaign this time around.
Vejle have a poor record against Sunday's visitors, and we expect that trend to continue as the 2024-25 commences this weekend.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Carter White
