The 2015 Tippeligaen was the 71st completed season of top-tier football in Norway. The competition began on 6 April 2015, one week later than in the previous season. A short summer-break in June was scheduled between the rounds played on 12 July and 26 July, and the decisive match was played on 8 November 2015. Molde were the defending champions. Sandefjord, Tromsø and Mjøndalen joined as the promoted clubs from the 2014 1. divisjon. They replaced Brann, Sogndal and Sandnes Ulf who were relegated to the 2015 1. divisjon.
Teams The league was contested by 16 teams: the 13 best teams of the 2014 season; the two teams who won direct promotion from the 2014 1. divisjon, Sandefjord and Tromsø; and Mjøndalen, who won the promotion/relegation play-off finals against Brann.
Stadia and locations
Note: Table lists in alphabetical order. Team Location Arena Turf Capacity Aalesund 14 Ålesund Color Line Stadion Artificial10,778 Bodø/Glimt 21 Bodø Aspmyra Stadion Artificial7,354 Haugesund 9 Haugesund Haugesund Stadion Natural8,754 Lillestrøm 52 Lillestrøm Åråsen Stadion Natural12,250 Molde 39 Molde Aker Stadion Artificial11,800 Mjøndalen 19 Mjøndalen Isachsen Stadion Artificial4,350 Odd 34 Skien Skagerak Arena Artificial12,500 Rosenborg 52 Trondheim Lerkendal Stadion Natural 21,166 Sandefjord 5 Sandefjord Komplett.no Arena Natural6,000 Sarpsborg 08 4 Sarpsborg Sarpsborg Stadion Artificial4,700 Stabæk 19 Bærum Nadderud Stadion Natural7,000 Start 39 Kristiansand Sør Arena Artificial14,563 Strømsgodset 28 Drammen Marienlyst Stadion Artificial8,935 Tromsø 28 Tromsø Alfheim Stadion Artificial6,859 Vålerenga 55 Oslo Ullevaal Stadion Natural28,000 Viking 66 Stavanger Viking Stadion Natural16,600
Personnel and kits Team Manager Kit manufacturer Sponsor Aalesund Trond Fredriksen (interim) Umbro Sparebanken Møre Bodø/Glimt Jan Halvor Halvorsen Diadora Sparebank 1 Nord-Norge Haugesund Jostein Grindhaug Macron Sparebanken Vest Lillestrøm Rúnar Kristinsson Legea DNB Molde Ole Gunnar Solskjær Nike Sparebanken Møre Mjøndalen Vegard Hansen Umbro Sparebanken Øst Odd Dag-Eilev Fagermo New Balance Skagerak Energi Rosenborg Kåre Ingebrigtsen Adidas SpareBank 1 SMN Sandefjord Lars Bohinen Macron Jotun Sarpsborg 08 Geir Bakke Select Borregaard Stabæk Bob Bradley Adidas Sparebank 1 Oslo Akershus Start Bård Borgersen (interim) Umbro Sparebanken Sør Strømsgodset Bjørn Petter Ingebretsen Diadora DNB Tromsø Bård Flovik (interim) Select Sparebank 1 Nord-Norge Vålerenga Kjetil Rekdal Adidas DNB Viking Kjell Jonevret Diadora Lyse
Managerial changes Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Table Incoming manager Date of appointment Table Aalesund Jan Jönsson Mutual agreement 30 November 2014 Pre-season Harald Aabrekk 1 January 2015 Pre-season Lillestrøm Magnus Haglund Mutual agreement 30 November 2014 Pre-season Rúnar Kristinsson 1 January 2015 Pre-season Sarpsborg 08 Brian Deane Mutual agreement 30 November 2014 Pre-season Geir Bakke 1 January 2015 Pre-seasonAalesund Harald AabrekkSacked28 April 201516th Trond Fredriksen (interim)28 April 201516thStrømsgodset David NielsenMutual agreement26 May 20159th Bjørn Petter Ingebretsen26 May 20159thMolde Tor Ole SkullerudSacked6 August 20157th Erling Moe (interim)7 August 20157thMolde Erling MoeCaretaker period ended21 October 20157th Ole Gunnar Solskjær21 October 20157thTromsø Steinar NilsenSacked18 August 201515th Bård Flovik (interim)18 August 201515thStart Mons Ivar MjeldeMutual agreement7 September 201513th Bård Borgersen (interim)7 September 201513th
League table
Positions by round
Relegation play-offs
Final
The 14th-placed team, Start, took part in a two-legged play-off against Jerv, the winners of the 2015 1. divisjon promotion play-offs, to decide who would play in the 2016 Tippeligaen.
Start won 4–2 on aggregate and retained their place in the 2016 Tippeligaen; Jerv remained in the 1. divisjon.
Results
Season statistics
Top scorers
RankPlayerClubGoalsGamesAverage1 Alexander Søderlund Rosenborg22270,812 Adama Diomande Stabæk17210,813 Olivier Occéan Odd15270,564 Ola Kamara Molde14290,485 Pål André Helland Rosenborg13210,62 Alexander Sørloth Bodø/Glimt13260,50 Trond Olsen Bodø/Glimt13290,45 Leke James Aalesund13290,459 Mohamed Elyounoussi Molde12280,4310 Marcus Pedersen Strømsgodset11101,10 Veton Berisha Viking11140,79 Fred Friday Lillestrøm11260,42 Iver Fossum Strømsgodset11300,37
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Fred Friday Lillestrøm Mjøndalen 4–1 (A) Tommy Høiland Molde Start 4–0 (H) Adama Diomande Stabæk Sandefjord 4–0 (H) Mohamed Elyounoussi Molde Sandefjord 6–1 (H) Ola Kamara Molde Sarpsborg 08 4–1 (A) Christian Gytkjær Haugesund Lillestrøm 3–3 (H) Christian Gytkjær Haugesund Aalesund 3–1 (H) Alexander Sørloth4 Bodø/Glimt Start 5–1 (H) Marcus Pedersen Strømsgodset Mjøndalen 4–2 (A) Alexander Sørloth Bodø/Glimt Stabæk 6–1 (H) Fredrik Nordkvelle Odd Lillestrøm 5–0 (H)
Notes 4 Player scored 4 goals(H) – Home team(A) – Away team
Discipline Player Most yellow cards: 8 Michael Christensen (Start) Most red cards: 1 25 players
Club Most yellow cards: 52 Sandefjord
Most red cards: 3 Lillestrøm Molde
Attendances
Awards Annual awards Award Winner Club Player of the Year Ole Selnæs RosenborgGoalkeeper of the Year Ørjan Nyland MoldeDefender of the Year Jonas Svensson RosenborgMidfielder of the Year Ole Selnæs RosenborgStriker of the Year Alexander Søderlund RosenborgManager of the Year Bob Bradley StabækYoung Player of the Year Iver Fossum Strømsgodset
References