Norsk Tipping-ligaen avdeling 4, Monday 13th April
So, my last week in Norway for this visit, and the week began with another visit to Hinna Stadion, home of Hinna Fotball of course, and this was their first home game of the new season and they were welcoming Stabaek's second team, known as Stabaek 2, they come from the outskirts of the capital Oslo so a fair distance to travel across the entire south of Norway from East to West.
And they were travelling here for their first away outing of the league campaign after losing their opening game of the season at home to Odd 2, a game they also saw Suleiman Mohamed sent off in, so they were hoping neither of these things would happen today against a Hinna side who had won their opening game away at Mandalskameratne 2-1 thanks to a double from Mats Valvatne.
Subsequently Mandalskameratne then thrashed Odd 2 7-1 away from home, so what that says about both todays side who knows, with Hinna winning there and Stabaek losing to Odd, the home side probably felt they were favourites to make it two wins from two to open their season, but football isn't played on paper so Stabaek no doubt just wanted to get at least a point on the board and get their season going.
This game was the final fixture in the second round of games in the Norsk Tipping-ligean avdeling 4, which is the fourth tier in Norway, and this was the fourth section of the third divisions which are split into six sections which are kind of regionalised, as you will find in many tiers below this level too, and of course the third tier is split into two sections as well, it's just how they do it here, some of the journeys would be even more ridiculous than they can be now so it makes sense. More local derbies as well, so all good.
Hinna knew a win would take them two points clear at the top of a very early table, and be the only side to remain with an 100% record if they could do this, and the game looked as good as done inside the opening half hour as the hosts built up a three goal cushion after twenty six minutes, in the 11th minute they grabbed the lead when a long ball was missed by the centre half and allowed Ola Alsaker to run though on goal and slot under keeper Henri Sorlie, and it was two in the 13th minute when Alsaker turned provider, sending in a lovely ball for the aptly named Johannes Hinna to finish first time past Sorlie.
And in the 26th minute it was three, Aldon Sallabegolli curled a lovely pass into the path of Hinna, the ball skipped on and keeper Sorlie got their first but could only hit the ball onto Hinna and the ball then fell perfectly for the striker who rolled the ball into the empty net, the visitors had played some good stuff and had quite a bit of possession but with no end product and coming up against a Hinna side who were ruthless in attack, this was why they trailed by three.
However, in the opening fifteen minutes of the second period, Stabaek found their final third magic, and pulled two goals back in no time at all, firstly when skipper Alfred Lie turned home a cross from the left five minutes into the second half, and then just before the hour mark Marcus Kjos finished off a superb move when seeing his effort from an angle deflect past Sondre Fossa, and it almost looked inevitable that Stabaek would find a leveller.
Hinna rode out that storm though, and restored their two goal cushion to halt the visitors comeback attempt when Sjur Drechsler rose highest to plant a header into the net in the 63rd minute, and then with twenty minutes remaining Mats Gramstad played a ball in and after a first attempt had been blocked and then Hinna somehow hit the post with a second attempt, Mats Valvatne fired his attempt home, and Hinna now had a 5-2 lead and had found their mojo again.
Stabaek to their credit kept to their philosophy of pass and move pass and move, and kept playing the wonderful brand of football they had done throughout the game, ultimately lapses in concentration and being poor in the final third cost them, and Hinna had punished them when chances came along, in the main, the visitors though would net the final goal in this pulsating contest, Casper Bachke getting behind the defence to loft a nice finish over Fossa, but ultimately Hinna did enough to get the job done and remain the only side to have an 100% record after two rounds of fixtures. It had been a belter and one of those games you do not want to end as a neutral, fantastic!!!
Full time Hinna 5 Stabaek 2s 3
So, after two round of action this is how the table looks:-
Hinna then top a very early table after this evening's win, and are the only side too have won their opening two matches, whereas down the bottom Stabaek 2, Brodd & Haugesund 2 are the only sides yet to register a point.
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