The second round of the Norwegian cup was so staggeringly uneventful and dull that we here at NFN elected to ignore it altogether. However, with an epic shootout in the South, a local derby in the Southwest and rampant minnows up North, the third round was an entirely different kettle of fish…
We start up North with the upset that wasn’t really an upset. Of course, any team from the Tippeliga should fancy their chances against the plucky underdogs of Alta, but then again Bodø/Glimt‘s recent form has been nothing short of diabolical. Alta have shown in the Adeccoliga this season that in spite of the club’s limited size and stature they’re quite a handy outfit on their day, and by all accounts their 3-0 win over Glimt was thoroughly deserved.
Down in the Southwest Bryne faced Viking in one of those intriguing little brother versus big brother battles. On a wet and windy evening it was little brother who wanted it more as Bryne took Viking to penalties and won the shootout 3-2. Their triumph was made even sweeter by the fact that it was former Bryne-captain Ragnvald Soma who missed Viking’s last penalty, allowing Ezekiel Bala to net the winner and send the locals into raptures.
Rather surprisingly Start‘s encounter with Løv-Ham turned out to be the most memorable game of the round. Start where 2-0 up and cruising, but then it all went a bit pear-shaped for the Southerners as Jesper Mathisen’s own goal let Løv-Ham back into the game and Kim Rune Hellesund tied it at 2-2. Chrisitan Bolanos had the chance to win it for Start with a penalty in the 90th minute, but missed and the game went to extra time and then to a penalty shootout. Now, this is where it all went slightly bonkers: It took fifteen penalties from both teams to settle the matter. Again it was Start’s Jesper Mathisen who handed Løv-Ham a favor, missing his team’s 15th penalty. 17 year old midfielder Fredrik Haugen then stepped up and won the game for Løv-Ham with his second effort of the shootout.
Fredrikstad came very close indeed to a superlatively embarrassing exit at the hands of Ranheim. They were 3-1 down with less then a minute left on the clock, but two quick goals from Fredrikstad, one in injury time, tied the game. In extra time the superior fitness of the Tippeliga-outfit showed and they ran out 5-3 victors.
The other results from the third round of the Norwegian cup:
Aalesund 2 – 1 Stavanger
Asker 0 – 3 Lillestrøm
Eidsvold TF 1 – 2 Stabæk
HamKam 0 – 2 Lyn
Haugesund 1 – 2 Sogndal
Mjøndalen 3 – 1 Bærum
Nest-Sotra 2 – 4 Brann
Notodden 0 – 2 Odd Grenland
Strindheim 1 – 7 Rosenborg
Tromsø 4 – 0 Hønefoss
Vålerenga 5 – 3 Ullensaker/Kisa
Molde 1 – 0 Kongsvinger
20. June 2009 at 3:58 am
Start has a idiot manager. He lost the game by himself with his management of his match. He didn’t use the team leading scorer Hulsker who can’t play the next two Tipp matches serving a red card although Start has 4 games in 10 days. He takes Start’s best midfield player Solo off at halftime with a 2-0 lead knowing Goodson is the only starter in the back (the other three injuried) and cover is needed in front of the inexperience defense. He takes the second leading scorer & team captain off at 75 minutes with the score 2-2. Either really try to win or let Start2 have the match. Stupid, stupid management. I look for a beat-down in Oslo Sunday by 3 goals because Start is tired now and beat up. Did I mention the stupid idiot manager??
20. June 2009 at 11:02 am
Arne Scheie (legendary Norwegian football commentator) must have described the Start – Løv-ham match as “historisk”.
Let’s not forget that Jesper Mathisen also, by his own account, was responsible for the equalising goal, as he was completely outplayed by Kim Rune Hellesund who then only had to get the ball behind the keeper. Talk about having a bad day on the job.
Well, to be fair, it was more like having those bad moments everyone has every now and then. Most everyone scores an own goal sooner or later in their career. And in a penalty-shootout, someone’s bound to miss (he did put it securely in the goal the first time, at least), and a defender aren’t usually a penalty expert in any case. Both of these things just happen, he was just unlucky enough to do both in one match.
Not entirely sure I’d use “diabolical” to describe Bodø’s current form, by the way. Yes, I know it can be used in that manner (like saying the weather is diabolical), but… Well, just a personal preference, I guess. In any case, I think we can agree that right now, they play as if they belong in the Adecco league, and that’s probably where they’ll end up if they don’t shape up soon.
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20. June 2009 at 4:01 pm
Haha, get it off your chest Euroman. I didn’t follow the game all the closely so I can’t really comment, but it does sound silly if what you say is correct.
Håkon: Have you ever watched Jesper Mathisen play and been in any way impressed? I mean, I just don’t get it..
Also, I think it’s right to invoke the guy downstairs when describing Bodø/Glimt’s form. They’ve clearly done something to piss him off.
21. June 2009 at 10:16 pm
[sensored]
22. June 2009 at 7:02 am
Dates ( + draw ) for the next round appreciated.