Stabæk - Rosenborg 1-1
By Håvard Lindheim, 28 June 2004, 12:33
Stabæk really deserved a point against Rosenborg, but the way the goal came, and not least the time, was sour for everyone that didn't cheer for the home team.
POINT SAVER: Espen Johnsen gets much of the credit for the fact that RBK didn't lose at Nadderud. Here he takes a corner kick in a firm grip at 1-0 right before the end. But it ended 1-1 nevertheless.
Photo: Thomas Myren
Stabæk has had an incredible grip on Rosenborg this milennium. Preceding the match at Nadderud, the west side club had three victories and two draws in the last six league matches against RBK.
And it was the home team that took charge. Rosenborg was pushed back onto their half, and was troubled with few movements and many errors in the passes - especially Christer Basma and Fredrik Winsnes struggled with personal errors. Stabæk, on the other hand, played good football and put Espen Johnsen in the RBK goal on many a test.
Still, it was Rosenborg that could go to the half time break with a lead. The 1-0 goal came when Jan Gunnar Solli masterly played Harald Brattbakk free, who scored safe alone with Stabæk goallie Jon Knudsen. Brattbakk has now a total of 157 top league goals. Next goal he will be on par with Odd Iversen, and with two more he'll pass Petter Belsvik and become the all time top scorer in Norway.
Anyway: It was a totally unfair lead for RBK.
"This can well be seen as a robbery," Ola By Rise ascertained.
Second half saw a Stabæk that continued where they left off - with a firm grip on the match. Tough, National team keeper Johnsen held the goal clean for a good while, and it was not until one minute before full time that the home team got the goal that they after all deserved. After much to and fro in front of the RBK goal, the "RBK-killer" Thomas Finstad finally put the ball in the net.
"We were incredibly perplexed and I think we were simply dull. This just won't do," Vidar Riseth said to Norwegian Internet daily Nettavisen after the game.
Rosenborg has not won on away ground in the league since the 2-0 victory against Fredrikstad, April 18th.
