Str�msgodset - Rosenborg 1-1
By Endre Bakken, 1 September 2007, 23:35
The away-matches this season have been a nightmare, with three consecutive losses before this game, and only eight of a possible 27 won. Tonight RBK should have gotten three points easily, but due to a spectacular lack of efficiency they only got one.
Str�msgodset started off well, led by no less than five earlier Rosenborg players: Espen Johnsen, Andr� Bergd�lmo, Fredrik Winsnes, �yvind Leonhardsen and Christer George - in addition Kristian S�rli and Trond Fredrik Ludvigsen were on the substitutes bench.
George should have given the home team the lead, but Lars Hirschfeld saved his attempt with some excellent footwork. Instead RBK were able to counterattack. The ball ended up near Didier Konan, who sent a crossball to Abdou Traore. He headed the ball back to Yssouf Kone, who used his left foot to score his ninth goal in eight matches. A superb effort from Rosenborg's African attacking trio!
"We had some problems to begin with and lost plenty of duels. Luckily we were able to move our team further up eventually," T�rum told TV2.
The rest of the half was all Rosenborg's. Especially the left side with Mikael Dorsin, Per Ciljan Skjelbred and Traore played well. Traore impressed everyone by using his heel to kick the ball past Winsnes, running past him and sending off a crossball towards Kone. Johnsen saved the following shot skillfully.
Right after half time Johnsen was put to the test once again, with a clever Kone-shot from the midfield immediately following kick-off. The pressure against Godset continued, and Skjelbred should have scored from six meters.
After that Steffen Iversen sent the ball to Traore, who missed in front of an open goal: The ball hit the leg he was standing on and went backwards! Marek Sapara followed up with a free-kick in the crossbar.
Despite all that Str�msgodset were the next to score: Bj�rn Tore Kvarme fouled Steffen Nystr�m (who was on tryout at RBK last year). And Andr� Bergd�lmo gave the ball a beautiful twist and sent it into the upper corner of the goal.
RBK tried to score at the end, to no avail.
"We were better away than we have been in ages. Our play was good, but we weren't rewarded like we should have been. The ball would not cross the line and we felt like victims of theft when the ref blew his whistle. But that we did not take good care of our chances to score is nobody's fault but ours," Per Ciljan Skjelbred admitted.
PS! Miika Koppinen and Roar Strand were out with thigh-injuries.
