Steaua Bucuresti - Rosenborg 1-1
By Håvard Lindheim, 11 August 2005, 11:41
One single chance was enough. Rosenborg got a great starting point before the home leg at Lerkendal. Champions League is more than a distant dream!
STEAUA IN FRONT: Constantin Iacob wriggled through the RBK defence, and hammered the ball above Espen Johnsen and into the far cross, before the break.
Photo: SteauaFC.ro
"Our play was nowhere near 'good', but we didn't come here to entertain. We came to bring a good result home, and we managed that," a happy Thorstein Helstad told broadcaster TV3 after the game.
Rosenborg in its new 4-2-3-1 formation was partially overrun in the first half, but got away with a single goal against, delivered from big, strong striker Constantin Iacob: Vidar Riseth was rounded; Mikael Dorsin didn't take out any depth, and Iacob could hammer away his goal-getting shot.
Steaua also created a number of other chances, and could well have had a lead of both two and three goals. After the break, the home team couldn't put up the same type of pressure, and lead by a glittering Alejandro Lago in the central defence, RBK fought their way back into the game.
Still no chances came - but after 84 minutes came the chance that Rosenborg had awaited: Steaua's left back annulled the offside trap, and Helstad was played completely free by Frode Johnsen. Helstad's shot was truely horrible, but it rolled over keeper Vasili Khamutouski's fingers before bumping into the goal post and over the goal line.
"Some degree of luck, but still, an important away goal," the goal scorer smiled.
In all, Rosenborg now has a great starting point before the home leg, which is being played in Trondheim Tuesday in two weeks.
"Now, they must attack, and at Lerkendal our play will be much different," Helstad promises.
Match Details
Steaua Bucuresti
1-1
ROSENBORG
Constantin Iacob 30
Thorstein Helstad 84
Wednesday 10 August 2005 20:00 Champions League, 3rd qualifying round, Stadionul Ghencea, Bucharest
Attendance: app. 15,000
Rosenborg [4-2-3-1] Espen Johnsen - Christer Basma, Vidar Riseth, Alejandro Lago, Mikael Dorsin - Jan Gunnar Solli, Ørjan Berg - Roar Strand (Fredrik Winsnes 79), Frode Johnsen, Daniel Braaten (Øyvind Storflor 63) - Thorstein Helstad (Alexander Ødegaard 87)
