The first part of the season did not end as we would have liked, largely because we were forced to do several changes due to injuries.

Erik Hamr�n made some surprising changes on the midfield before this match: Marek Sapara was moved out on the left flank while Vadim Demidov was left out to Roar Strand. However, Kris Stadsgaard�s knee problems reappeared while preparing for the match and therefore Vadim Demidov got a place in the starting-line up after all.

He and his teammates started the match really well, and outplayed Brann in the first fifteen minutes. Rosenborg were really impressive in this part of the match, and the effort was rewarded with a penalty when Erik Bakke pulled Steffen Iversen�s shirt. Iversen sent Opdal the wrong way and scored in the fourth consecutive match.

Rosenborg continued to dominate the match, and, as against Viking, John Pelu was continually in motion. Unfortunately, the domination was not rewarded with additional goals.

"The movement was good, but the quality in front of goal was not good enough. We became too passive and not aggressive enough when we had the opportunity to score. We chances we created should have settled the match. We had the opportunity to create more changes as well, but we became too possession oriented and not good enough on the final third of the pitch", Hamr�n analyzed after the match.

Three early substitutes early in the second half ruined the match for Rosenborg. Steffen Iversen received a knock to the head already in the first half and was substituted at the same time as John Pelu had to go off due to a pulled muscle. Unfortunately, substitutes Jo Sondre Aas and �yvind Storflor did not manage to create as much trouble for the Brann defenders as Pelu and Iversen. Ten minutes later, Roar Strand had to leave the pitch due to a convulsion, and Bj�rn Tore Kvarme had to play in, for him, an awkward position.

"I wanted an experienced player in front of our defenders to defend against Brann's long-passes. He was supposed to help the central defenders, and I think he did a good job," Hamr�n explained.

The high temperature � 27 degrees Celsius at the time of kick-off � made sure that players on both teams became tired during the second half, and in the end, effective football defeated entertaining football as Brann�s air-war eventually paid off when Thorstein Helstad equalized.

"I tried to clear it, but because I didn't fall back enough when Lago lost in the air against Karadas, Hassan (El Fakiri) got free and passed it to Thorstein. I was only inches away from the ball. That sucks, but we should have settled it earlier in the match," Demidov said.

PS! The ZXY system was employed for the first time in this match and revealed that the Rosenborg players ran much more than the Brann players in the first half.
PPS! As against Viking, Stoor, Traor�, Konan and Kon� was unavailable due to international call-ups.

Match facts

ROSENBORG	1-1	Brann
Steffen Iversen str. 11		Thorstein Helstad 80

Wednesday 4 June 2008 19:00
Tippeliga, Lerkendal stadion
Attendance: 20,011

Rosenborg [4-4-2]
Rune Jarstein - Christer Basma, Vadim Demidov, Alejandro Lago, Roy Miller - Roar Strand (Bj�rn Tore Kvarme 65), Per Ciljan Skjelbred, Alexander Tettey, Marek Sapara - John Pelu (Jo Sondre Aas 55), Steffen Iversen (�yvind Storflor 55)

Yellow cards RBK: none