Norwegian 5. divisjon avdeling 2, Tuesday 29th September - Saturday 3rd October
My latest round of games in Norway saw me take in three of the five contests taking place in one of the local (Rogaland) 5th Division leagues, that's the sixth tier in Norway, throughout this week (29th September to 3rd October), the sixth tier is split, like most of the other leagues in the country, into regions (there are several of them) and two of them are in the Rogaland region, with this being one of them.
And with the five games taking place across the week, it was possible for me to go and take in three of them, starting at the very local one to my mum, the Tananger Stadion, which is a short walk up the road, before moving onto Jarlabanen just outside Stavanger city centre on Thursday evening and then finally on Saturday heading to Iglemyr Gras just outside the city centre in Sandnes.
It meant taking in six sides as well, there is only eleven in the division so that's over half the league covered in a matter of days, and the only money paid to watch these was two bus fares which came to about fifteen quid in total as entrance to all the games is free of charge (in fact the only levels that charge an entrance fee in Norway are the top three divisions, and even some of the third tier don't charge, so marvellous stuff!!!).
Let's head to the action then, starting on Tuesday evening at The Tananger Stadion.....
Tuesday 29th September
Havorn Vs Sola 2s (Tananger Stadion)
Tananger side Havorn have, let's just say, had a rather difficult campaign, sixteen games played, sixteen losses, and zero points, already relegated with four games to go, with the only thing to play for now was pride and also trying to at least grab a point before the season was out.
On this evening they were welcoming Sola's 2nd team from the other side of the airport, a journey which takes around 10-15 minutes, to their Tananger Stadion home, the visitors sat in sixth spot ahead of this contest and realistically didn't have much to play for, they were well clear of the relegation play off spot, and also equally nine point off the promotion play off spot as well, so it was hard to see them going either way.
An away win was of course expected, but the two did play out a close contest back in may at the Sola Stadion which Sola 2s won 2-1 thanks to an 87th minute winner from Benjamin Munkvoid, could the hosts possibly go one better and grab their first point(s) of the campaign?
Well, sadly football was to take a back seat on this rather harrowing evening as it turned out, Havorn had actually played well and did not look like a side who had lost every game this season, but with the game locked at 0-0 in the 27th minute, football became irrelevant after the visiting keeper collapsed whilst about to take a goal kick, suffering a cardiac arrest.
And only the quick reactions of players, physios and the clubs saved him from losing his life, CPR was administered and the players formed a barrier around the stricken goal keeper, it was too much for me to watch I can tell you, but thankfully they brought him round but it had been a very harrowing experience for all.
The emergency services were their very quickly as well and he was soon put into an ambulance and taken away, all of this in around half an hour or him collapsing, so everyone involved must be applauded for acting so quickly and effectively, this is why you train for things like this and have the equipment on site for such moments, and thankfully their actions saved a man's life this evening.
It certainly puts everything into perspective for sure, football doesn't matter at a time like this, all that does matter is the guys health and that he makes a full recovery and is returned to his friends and family to continue life and hopefully sport as well, it certainly left me in shock and feeling numb, it's one of the worst things I have ever witnessed, and my thoughts and prayers go out to the keeper and also the club and everyone associated with him and them.
Havorn 0 Sola 2s 0 (match abandoned after 27 minutes due to medical emergency)
Later that evening I received news that the keeper was stable, awake and talking, and that my best wishes would passed onto him, it was just the news I was hoping for, so this ended the day on a positive note for sure!!! I hope and pray that he continues to recover and is soon returned to his loved ones.
(I did take some photos before the game was abandoned, so here they are)
I did feel after those events at Tananger Stadion on Tuesday evening that carrying on writing this blog not knowing if the keeper was ok or not was rather insensitive of me, but after hearing news that he was stable, it gave me the boost to carry on with this blog, so, onto Thursday now, and the game from Jarlabanen.....
Thursday 1st October
Jarl Vs Pol Tasta (Jarlabanen)
Hosts Jarl were embroiled in a battle to stay out of the second bottom position, the relegation play off spot, and heading into this round of games were sandwiched in between two sides who had the same number of points as themselves, so slipping up at any point from now till the end of the season could be very costly indeed.
This would be a tough match though against a Pol Tasta side who were currently occupying second spot in the division and the one promotion play off place in the division, winning the league was probably out of the question as they trailed leaders Bogafjell by ten points, but they still needed wins to keep themselves ahead of teams below, third placed Stavanger were only below them on goal difference, and fourth placed Austratt were just three points back, so it was as tight for the promotion play off as it was for the relegation one.
Two sides then who needed the points for differing reasons, the corresponding fixture back in May at Pol Tasta's Stemmen Kunstgress ground saw the promotion chasing side win 2-0, so advantage to the visitors today?
Well, the relegation threatened hosts certainly had the better of the opening forty five minutes, with most of the attacking threat coming through Aram Azad & Hamsa Ahmed, the former had half of their openings but just could not find the net as Jarl certainly gave the promotion chasing visitors plenty to ponder.
Pol Tasta's only real chance of the half was a good one, and saw skipper Nicolai Garder send a close range effort against the near post, but the visitors would have been the happier at the break not to be behind and still level, two more chances came and went for the hosts early in the second half but then were made to pay for these missed opportunities when they have away a penalty ten minutes into the second period.
And Jorgen Johansen kept his cool to slot the penalty into the far corner, sending the keeper the wrong way, and Pol Tasta had a lead they barely deserved, but, they had the lead, and thereafter seemed to gain more confidence, the chances certainly dried up for the hosts after that but they were always in the game, it had been a frustrating evening for Azad, and his evening ended on a rather sour note when he was dismissed late on for I think dissent, and it left Jarl a man light for the last ten minutes or so, not helping their cause to get something from the contest.
And in the 85th minute, Pol Tasts sealed the deal, after substitute Marius Gautason planted a header beyond the keeper and meant the visitors, who for half the game were the ones on the back foot, managed to dig in and come away with a very useful three points, and left Jarl still right in the mire in terms of the relegation play off zone.
You can see why both sides are where they are in the table, Jarl played very well but lacked a cutting edge, whereas Pol Tasta had to defend for a lot of the time, especially first half, but managed to score at key points in the game and find a way to win, that's the difference between success and failure most of the time, and Pol Tasta continue their quest to take that second spot and a chance of promotion.
Full time Jarl 0 Pol Tasta 2
There was one other game on Thursday evening so let's see briefly how that one went.....
Vaulen 1 Staal Jorpeland 2s 2
This game was between the two sides who were battling Jarl to stay out of that relegation play off zone, Vaulen were above Jarl on goal difference whilst Staal Jorpeland 2s were below Jarl on goal difference, so this game was certainly a six pointer. well, it was the visitors who held a slender advantage heading into the break courtesy of Aleksander Galka's goal eleven minutes before the break.
And that lead was duly doubled on the hour mark thanks to Leander Jakobsen, giving the visitors some breathing space, and although Vaulen did pull a goal back late on through Tobias Nielsen, it was too little too late for the hosts as Staal Jorpeland 2s held on for a huge win down at the bottom of the table.
Right, before we look at the game I was at on Saturday, their was one game on Friday night.....
Friday 2nd October
Bogafjell 4 Stavanger 0
The home side were the league leaders and had a healthy seven point cushion heading into this Friday night encounter against a side who were trying to be the side to finish in the runners up spot behind them and grab the chance to gain promotion with them in the playoffs.
Stavanger stared the evening ten points behind tonight's opponents in third spot but more importantly only three back of second placed Pol Tasta (the side I saw win the night before) so if they could grab a win at the runaway leaders in this one, they would draw level once again with second spot, albeit below them due to their inferior goal difference, how ever that was going to be tough against a Bogafjell side who fourteen of their sixteen games this season.
And by half time the game was a good as done, the hosts roared out of the traps and were two goals up inside fifteen minutes, Elliot Larsen handing them a seventh minute lead before Pelle Hoie-Holgersen doubled their advantage after just thirteen minutes, and when Jonas Gausdal made it three nil nine minutes before half time, Stavanger were in damage limitation mode.
They did this to some extent but conceded a fourth with ten minutes remaining when William Langeland netted for the hosts, sealing a thumping 4-0 win and leaves Bogafjell needing just one more win from their final three games to win the title and automatic promotion to the next level.
And now onto the final game of the round, and the third of five that I went to see this week in the division as I headed down the road to Sandnes.....
Saturday 3rd October
Austratt Vs Mastra (Iglemyr Gras)
Sandnes side Austratt (who I did see earlier this season in April, blog here https://pedroslocalfootiefix.blogspot.com/2026/04/vaulen-1-austratt-3-second-half-goals.html) are one of the sides battling behind leaders Bogafjell for the runners up spot and a playoff promotion spot for a chance of going up to the next level, so I made my way over to the very picturesque Iglemyr Gras for a rare match on grass over here, grass that had been well watered by nature you could say, to see them host a side in the shape of Mastra who are at the other end of the table and only four points above the relegation play off spot.
The hosts came into this one in fourth spot, six points behind second placed Pol Tasta, so winning with pretty vital if they wanted to continue their chances of grabbing that second spot, especially as the sides above them would have a game in hand on them after this contest, although against a side who were three places below them and eleven points better off of, they should have fancied doing just that.
Mastra are the definition of inconsistent this campaign, six wins, a draw, and eight losses having scored and conceded the same amount (32 each) it's hard to know what Mastra will turn up, this is why they are looking down rather than up right now, but you would think one more win should see them far enough clear of the bottom two to breath slightly easier, but would that win come here today?
Well, it's worth noting that Austratt have lost three games in a row, one being at home, and that's half their losses for the whole season, so a late season wobble from the home side, but, they had won six in a row prior to that, however, another thing to note, Mastra were the last side to beat Austratt before that winning run, 2-1, at Rennesoy Footballbane back in May in the corresponding league fixture, after the then hosts came from behind to win, so today's game was certainly one that had the potential to go either way.
Well, the hosts certainly fired out of the blocks and were determined to end that losing streak and get back on track, and took the lead in the 11th minute when they carved open the Mastra back line and Jacob Aanonsen applied a neat finish beyond the keeper from an angle, and only four minutes later the hosts had doubled that lead, it was a lovely goal too, Mama Mohammed producing a wonderful flick into the path of Emil Vassbo who calmly slotted into far corner and Austratt were cruising.
You thought after this start the hosts would go on and totally dominate proceedings, but Mastra managed to settle after this slow start and were probably the better side for the rest of the first period, however they could not find a way back into the contest, that was until nine minutes after the break when they pulled a goal back, Mata Ueland played a ball across the box for Ola Nesheim to slam home, and you felt that momentum was all with the visitors and expected them to get something from this contest.
However, instead of Austratt getting edgy, conceding this goal actually galvanized them into action once again, and they had two great chances to restore their two goal cushion, with one of them an excellent move which saw the brilliant Vassbo played in down the right and his ball across was somehow struck wide by Mohammed, but twenty minutes into the second period they were handed another chance to grab a third goal, this after Andreas Svela was brought down inside the box.
And Aanonsen, who had also been very good in this contest, converted the resulting spot kick to restore the hosts two goal cushion, and pretty much snuff out any chance of the visitors mounting a comeback, and with ten minutes to go, they totally ended any hopes of a comeback when Austratt netted another beautiful goal with some more gorgeous football.
Fredrik Garnes sent a lovely pass to pick out Mohammed, and his lovely back heal into the path of Dis Undheim saw the latter finish beautifully beyond the keeper, it was another assist for Mohammed and another classy one too, and Austratt were now cruising towards a much needed win.
They were ending the game how they began it, totally dominant, Mastra were right in the contest at one stage after the hosts wobbled a bit after such a good start, but once the visitors grabbed a goal back, Austratt never looked back, and got themselves right back on the promotion charge, as for Mastra, who did net late on but saw the flag go up for offside to deny them a second goal, are still nervously looking over their shoulders after this defeat.
Full time Austratt 4 Mastra 1
Let's see how the latest round of fixtures in the division affects the table.....
Bogafjell need just one more win to take the title and automatic promotion after their latest win, with the runners up spot and the promotion play off spot likely to be battled out between Pol Tasta, Austratt & Stavanger, with just three points between them heading into the last few games.
With Havorn down and confirmed as finishing bottom the second bottom position and the relegation play off is likely to be between four different clubs who are all separated by just four points, they are Mastra, Staal Jorpeland 2s, Jarl & Vaulen, it certainly proves to be a very stressful last few games for all of them!!!
Now talking of bottom side Havorn, who had lost every single game until this week, obviously had that abandoned game at home to Sola 2s for those terrible reasons mentioned earlier in something I do not ever wish to see again, but I suspect (I don't know this for certain though) that the 0-0 score line at the point where the game was abandoned in the 27th minute, will probably stand as why would either side want to come back and play again, especially after what happened and also because neither side have anything to play for, it does mean if that is the case Havorn will at least have a point, although not in the circumstances they'd of wished for obviously.
So, after a week that began in terrible circumstances at the Tananger Stadion, two more games were witnessed and both were good contests with some good football played, it's been fun in the main to cover it and I hope you all enjoyed sharing this experience with me by reading it, and thank you for taking the time too as well, it's always appreciated.
Finally, I wanted the last word to be for Sola FK and their 2s keeper who collapsed on Tuesday, and dedicate this blog to him and them, I am so glad the keeper's life was saved by the brilliant medics, and he is now stable, I was him all the best in his recovery and I wish the club the best going forward, it must have been a harrowing experience for them for sure.
