Egersund 1 Vindbjart 2

Norwegian 2nd Division (Oddsligaen) Group 3, Saturday 26th September 2015

So my last full day in Norway for this time round I thought I’d jump on the train from Stavanger to Egersund to see Egersunds IK take on Vindbjart FK at Egersund’s Idrettsparken ground for a 2nd Division (Oddsligaen) Group 3 league match.

The train journey takes just over an hour and cost around £30 return, which does seem rather expensive for an hour’s train journey although this is Norway so probably normal fare for them.  I was greeted with some lovely views as I walked towards the town of Egersund after getting off the train.

Unfortunately the ground was almost at the top of that hill you see in the distance in the above photo so after a lengthy battle to walk up it (took me a good 20 minutes!!!) I arrived at the lovely Idrettsparken.

As you can see it has a lovely large seated stand which after a walk like I had just indured it was nice to be able to sit down.  After obtaining a match ticket for around £10 along with a free programme (which for third tier football is great value indeed) I went via the tea/food bar and took my seat just to the right of the half way line.

As the kick off time approached the stand began to fill up with some very loud but friendly home supporters, one of which had a very large drum, as they created a wonderful atmosphere inside the Idrettsparken.  There were even a few Vindbjart supporters present too who camped out at the other end of the stand waving their big blue flags.   Then it was time for the teams to take to the field to a noisy bouncy crowd.

I was surprised at how many people had turned up to watch this game as most games at this level I’d been too got barely 100 people turn up to watch but there was over 800 present for this one which was a brilliant effort from all concerned.  The hosts were league leaders though and a win today would take them one step closer to promotion to the First Division, known as the OBOS-Ligaen whilst the visitors were in mid table. The hosts certainly fed off the positive vibes from the crowd early on as they started much the better side and on 4 minutes a long throw into the visitors box saw Kenneth Grande volley at goal but it was a weak effort and easy for keeper Halvor Homme.  Then on 7 minutes a poor pass out of the visitors defence saw Cato Hansen steal the ball and drive into the area before hitting an effort across Halvor Homme and hitting the post before the ball  bounced into the keepers hands.

The visitors then broke down the other end and saw an effort blocked before the crazy period of play came to an end when the hosts won a penalty after a foul inside the box.  Kenneth Grande duly stepped up and converted the penalty kick and gave the hosts an ideal start.  Egersund 1 Vindbjart 0.

The hosts almost doubled their lead on 10 minutes with a couple more efforts at goal as the visitors were all over the place at the back and on 18 minutes another corner from the hosts was headed at goal by Kim Robert Nyborg but keeper Halvor Homme was well positioned to claim the effort.

Then came a relative period of calm as both sides competed well but just before the half hour mark the hosts threatened again when a long throw was half cleared out to Dennis Rasmussen Nielsen whose effort flew just wide of the far post and then a minute later another effort from the hosts, this time from Lars Jorgen Mork, was saved well by Halvor Homme.

Ten minutes before half time the visitors were up in arms when their full back Alexander Jones was on the receiving end of a pretty poor tackle from Kenneth Grande which left the visiting player in a heap on the floor however the host player was only booked when other referee’s may have produced another colour of card.  The visitors frustration’s were almost compounded three minutes later when a defensive slip allowed Cato Hensen in on the right hand side off the box but he tried to go for goal and saw keeper Halvor Homme save fairly easily.

So the hosts had the lead at the break but probably felt they could of been further in front whilst although competitive at parts the visitors had hardly threatened the hosts goal.

Half Time Egersund 1 Vindbjart 0

As the second half got underway the visitors had their best opening on 48 minutes as a cross found Oyvind Gausdal all alone at the back post but he slipped at the vital moment and the ball hit him on the top of the head and flew away from goal.  Chances for either side though were pretty limited for the first part of the second half as the tempo of the game slowed.  On the hour mark the hosts went close when keeper Halvor Homme blocked a through ball out to Kenneth Grande whose long range effort went miles over but the next few minutes would change the game somewhat.

On 64 minutes Kenneth Grande found himself clean through for hosts and he slotted past the onrushing Halvor Homme but the linesman had given offside although it looked a very tight call in all fairness and drew a rather angry reaction from the hosts bench.  Then two minutes later while awaiting a hosts free kick from the left Dennis Rasmussen Nielsen and Tony Hieu Vo came together in the area and the referee, who had spoke to the pair only moments befpre, sent off hosts player Nielsen although it seemed a very harsh decision to me but meant the hosts would have to play the remainder of the game with one less player.
This seemed to fill the visitors with more belief and on 69 host keeper Igor Spiridonov had to punch away a dangerous cross and heading into the final twenty you felt it would be an interesting last quarter of the contest.  On 72 minutes the visitors went close again as first Oyvind Gausdal’s effort was cleared off the line and then Tony Hieu Vo forced a save from keeper Igor Spiridonov and then five minutes later Vindbjart continued to threaten as Victor Vindfjell cut inside and drilled an effort at goal which keeper Igor Spiridonov turned away for a corner.

You felt it was a matter of time before the visitors would break through and on 79 minutes a mad scramble in the hosts six yard box saw an eventual free kick awarded to the hosts as they survived again and you wondered if it was going to be their day.  However with five minutes of the ninety left Tony Hieu Vo sneaked into the hosts box unchallenged but saw his effort blocked for a corner which was played out to Thomas Zernichow who blasted an effort through a crowd of players and into the net for the deserved leveller.  Egersund 1 Vindbjart 1.

You felt their would only be one winner now as the visitors poured forward in search of the winner and on 87 minutes a dangerous ball into the hosts box saw Oyvind Gausdal appear to be held back trying to connect with the cross although nothing was given and then a minute left of the ninety saw a terrible miss from Tony Hieu Vo, volleying wide from close range after keeper Igor Spiridonov had flapped at a cross.  But a minute into stoppage time came the winner from the visitors as a cross to the far post saw Oyvind Gausdal rise to head home from close range and send him, his bench and the visiting supporters at that end of the stadium wild.  Egersund 1 Vindbjart 2.

Despite the hosts causing some danger in the visitors box deep into stoppage time the visitors kept them at bay to inflict only the league leaders third league defeat of the season and see their lead at the top cut to one point with four games to go.  It proves to be a tense finish to the end of the season for sure.

Full Time Egersund 1 Vindbjart 2

Viking 0 Sarpsborg 08 1 (aet)

Norwegian Cup Semi Final, Thursday 24th September 2015

Patrick Mortensen's extra time header was enough to send underdogs Sarpsborg 08 through to face Rosenborg in the Norwegian Cup Final in November.  The match had started in a crackling atmosphere as I said earlier but you could feel the tension inside the stadium as the hosts, favourites to reach the November final, seemed to struggle with that tag as they seemed more nervous than there opponents.  The first half was a very tight and tense affair and the hosts probably shaded a pretty drab opening forty five minutes where chances were at a premium.  Neither side tested each other keeper as the enormity of the match wasn't lost on both sides as the majority of the near 13,000 crowd tried their best to lift the hosts towards what they hoped would be a second half win and a place in the final.  Moments into the second half the hosts thought they had the lead when broke down the right but unfortunately the ball squared to middle of the goal saw the Viking forward Abdullahi stray offside before hammering the ball home and the goal was chalked off as a result.  This was the only moment of goal mouth action in the second half for quite sometime as both sides failed to get anything going up front.  It was looking more and more likely that extra time would be needed as the game drifted towards the last five minutes but those last few minutes almost saw the hosts score twice as they suddenly stepped the pace up somewhat.  Substitute Moore was involved in both chances, firstly heading a knock back across goal inches wide of goal and then a minute later his knockdown almost found a teamate in the middle but it was too far infront and the ball drifted out.  Sarpsborg attacked near the end of normal time but saw solid defending by the hosts keep them at bay and so the match ended goal less and extra time it was, just like yesterday's semi final.   The visitors so nearly scored four minutes into the first period of extra time when an effort from inside the box crashed back off the bar and then moments later Viking should of done better when a cross from Danielsen saw skipper Sigurdsson head wide while totally unmarked.  Then in the 98th mnute came the goal that took Sarpsborg to Oslo and the final at Ullevaal Stadion in November.  A cross from the right saw Patrick Mortensen rise highest to plant a header into the corner of Viking's net and send the visitors supporters wild with delight in the opposite end of the stadium.  Viking nearly went two behind soon after as they were rocking from the first goal and it took a smart tip over from keeper Austbo to keep the effort out.  The crowd sensed the home players needed a lift and for almost the entire second period of extra time saw the hosts camped inside Sarpsborg's half.  Adegbendo struck the base of the post moments into the second period with Sarpsborg keeper Heinze totally beaten and the hosts missed several good chances as the visitors were defending for their lives.  Alas it wasn't to be for the hosts and after 122 minutes of Semi Final action the referee blew for the end and it was the underdogs who had prevailed into the Final.  
 

Madla IL 4 Haugesund II 4

Norwegian Third Division Group Six, Monday 14th September 2015

So my third match during my Norwegian break saw me at local Third Division side Madla IL as they hosted Haugesund II (basically Haugesund’s Reserves) in a Division Three Group Six encounter.

The hosts sat 9th in the 14 team league after slowly finding their feet in the last few weeks following promotion from the 4th Division last season whilst the visitors sat 2nd in the league five points behind leaders Stord.  It was the hosts who should have scored almost immediately from the kick off as Andreas Holst headed down a cross to Christoffer Talge who took a touch but hit well over the bar then moments later the visitors had a corner which was hooked wide by Thomas Horneland at the near post.

On 4 minutes the hosts went close again when a cross into the box was headed wide as they looked to try and get their noses in front against their higher placed opponents.  On 12 minutes a good run from visitors forward Torbjørn Agdestein saw his left footed effort go over the bar and then four minutes after this a ball into box the fell to Torbjørn Agdestein again who saw his effort well blocked.

A minute later the hosts won a free kick right on the edge of the visitors area and this was taken by Christoffer Talge who forced a decent save from keeper Per Morten Kristiansen and then moments later a great run from the hosts saw an effort from outside the box whistled just over.  The chances continued to come and on 20 minutes the visitors went close as a ball squared to Eirik Baugstø saw his first time effort saved by hosts keeper Lars Sveingard and then a minute later it was the hosts turn to go close as Andreas Holst was slipped in but he elected to hit the ball across goal rather than into it.

Just before the half hour mark good play from the hosts saw a cross into Andreas Holst who had strayed offside but missed from close range anyway but on the half hour mark the deadlock was finally broken when a long ball into the visitors box was knocked into the dangerzone and saw Ole Martin Kjørholt whack in off the crossbar for the opener.  Madla IL 1 Haugesund II 0.

The hosts made it two eight minutes before the half time break in spectacular fashion as Andreas Holst strode after the ball down the left and when he got to it swung round and hit the ball towards goal in what can only be assumed as him trying to cross towards the goal but it sailed perfectly into the net catching keeper Per Morten Kristiansen out who desperately dived to try and stop the ball but to no avail.  Madla IL 2 Haugesund II 0.

The hosts were rampant now and should of made it three on 40 minutes when a ball into the box was slammed against the bar by Ole Martin Kjørholt before hitting a defenders head on the goal line and bouncing clear.   The right on half time the visitors struck when full back Sadeeq Yussuf turned and struck home from outside the box to reduce the arrears and give them a lift as they went into the break. Madla IL 2 Haugesund II 1.

Half Time Madla IL 2 Haugesund II 1

The visitors looked to get on the front foot immediately after the restart and had the first effort at goal moments into the second half although it was weak and easy for keeper Lars Sveingard and then they suffered a major setback when they fell two goals behind again on 49 minutes when after a decent run towards the area the ball was eventually laid off to Andreas Holst and he smashed home via Per Morten Kristiansen’s hand for his second and the hosts third.  Madla IL 3 Haugesund II 1.

Two minutes later the visitors broke down the right into the area and saw a good save from hosts keeper Lars Sveingard with his legs to deny them a goal back as they knew they needed to try and get back into this game once again.  Just past the hour mark decent play from hosts saw a cross just invades oncoming players in the area and then on 63 minutes the visitors forward Torbjørn Agdestein turned and struck a right footed effort which saw hosts keeper Lars Sveingard tips round the post brilliantly.  However he could do nothing about Sadeeq Yussuf’s second pile driver of the game on 66 minutes to reduce the arrears once again and set up an interesting final quarter of the game.  Madla IL 3 Haugesund II 2.

The visitors were looking dangerous now and on 69 minutes Torbjørn Agdestein headed a cross just over the Madla bar and then a minute later the hosts tried to put daylight between themselves and their opponents again when they attacked down the right but after the ball was squared across the box the effort was dragged wide.  On 73 minutes a great ball into the visitors box saw the ball knocked high into air towards goal and visiting substitute keeper Herman Børreson Fossdal totally missed the ball and it almost went into the net but bounced into his grateful arms instead.

However it was the visitors who looked the more likely to score and with five minutes left only two brilliant defensive blocks denied them an effort at goal as Madla were defending for their lives.  However on 87 minutes the hosts lost Ole Martin Kjørholt, who was sent off after bringing down an opposing player who would of been clean through.  The visitors had a free kick in a very decent position though and the free kick from Robert Kling bounced off keeper Lars Sveingard’s chest and Torbjørn Agdestein moped up the rebound and the visitors were level. Madla IL 3 Haugesund II 3.

Then came a dramatic stoppage time as Madla were now clinging on for a point as the visitors smelt the possibility of a winner and in the 92nd minute they thought they had one when Erling Flotve Myklebust converted a loose ball from close range at the near post to surely win the game for the visitors and break Madla’s hearts.  Madla IL 3 Haugesund II 4.

However there was still time for more drama as in the 94th minute the hosts won a free kick midway inside the visitors half and the ball was lofted into the dangerzone and saw Skarud rise above the defence to head over keeper Herman Børreson Fossdal and into the net for an incredible leveller.  What drama indeed!!! Madla IL 4 Haugesund II 4.

The visitors almost won it in the 95th minute as a dangerous cross flashed across the goal and was almost headed in at the far post but instead was flicked well wide.  It was the final act of a breathless last few minutes in what had been a very enjoyable game of football.  In the end it was a point a piece in a game where both sides will probably look back and think they could of picked up all three points.

Full Time Madla IL 4 Haugesund II 4