Os vs Brann - NM Cupen

Os prepare to host Brann at the home ground on September 16, 2026, with both sides eager to assert their credentials and claim a result that could define their NM Cupen season. Maresca needs the qualitative depth to meet the demands of a season across 60-plus games.

There is plenty riding on this NM Cupen encounter for Os and Brann alike, and neither will want to leave the home ground empty-handed. The hosts will be looking to find their rhythm and put a run of results together. Brann will travel with intent, knowing that a positive result here could kick-start their campaign. Paulo Fonseca's men are still smarting from their Champions League play-off exit but now sit third in the table.

Stylistically, this is a compelling matchup. Os favour a patient, possession-based approach, whereas Brann are at their most dangerous when allowed to hit quickly on the counter. And there are still question marks even in attack, where they have an abundance of supporting forwards including Mbeumo, Cunha and Amad Diallo, but only one out-and-out striker in Sesko.

Star players on both sides will be eager to make their mark, and the individual duels across the pitch could go a long way to deciding the outcome. The wide areas will be a key battleground, with full-backs and wingers on either side capable of swinging the contest one way or the other. The Dutch midfielder only signed last summer but had a frustrating year under Pep Guardiola and is looking likely to leave amid interest from Nottingham Forest, Newcastle and Galatasaray.

Without the market to lean on, the contest feels genuinely open — and the outcome may come down to which side handles the occasion better. A share of the spoils looks the most probable outcome, with neither side holding a decisive edge — a 1-1 draw feels like a fitting result. With positions in the NM Cupen table to defend and momentum to chase, neither side can afford to leave anything in the tank. A more central role appears likely given the sale of Youri Tielemans to Manchester United and the anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered by Amadou Onana at the World Cup.