Rosenborg received another blow when they met Norwegian midfielder Karl Oskar Fjørtoft's Hammarby this afternoon.

When RBK lost 2-4 against Kongsvinger, it was a result of a really poor performance. Today, versus "KaOs" and company, our team did a more fair job, but lost big in front of a record crowd of 7000 spectators at Söderstadion. As many as 7000 saw the match, which was the final test for Hammarby before the Swedish series start next weekend. The majority of the crowd cheered "Welcome back!" for Fredrik Winsnes, who played for "Bajen" (as Hammarby is nicked) in 2002.

Half time saw 0-0 after a first half with two even teams. Rosenborg had possesion for the most of the time, but last year's silver medalist in the Swedish league Allsvenskan did well and prevented with great effect the norwegians from getting any goal attempts.

The most dramatic situation of the first half incured after 32 minutes, when RBk defender Vidar Riseth was shown the red card after a duel with Pablo Piñones-Arce. The Hammarby forward fell outside the 16-m area, and the referee sent Riseth right off. Though, in retrospect it seems like the ref had second thoughts: Minutes later RBK was allowed to send in Torjus Hansén without taking off anybody else, and after the match it seems that Riseth's red card will not find its way into the match report. Hence, the defender won't have to miss the opening match against Brann in the Tippeligaen.

In the second half, however, RBK faced problems. The afore-mentioned Piñones-Arce made 1-0 just after the rest, resulting from a fine counter attack. After that came a silent period, before Hammarby and Karl Oskar Fjørtoft geared up and made two very beautiful goals. First, Fjørtoft bended a free kick into the cross, just above RBK goalkeeper Alexander Lund Hansen, then Nadir Benchenaa copied this acchievement - though not on a free kick.

"We were clearly the best side in second half. It was a well deserved victory - we had seven or eight to one in chances", Hammarby and Ex-Stabæk-coach Anders Linderoth said to Swedish FotbollDirekt after the game.

Naturally, Rosenborg did not find much positive to bring back home after the game, but Vidar Riseth, who earlier has declared RBK reserve goalkeeper Lund Hansen to "coming main goalkeeper of RBK", used the opportunity to praise the goallie, who was his team's best player today.

"It is really nice to see Alex doing such a fine job back there. He makes himself "Schmeichel-big", and was the player of the match. This is an incredible performance! He has gone from being third keeper to first choice in a very short period of time, and he is that of the players that has improved most this winter", Riseth said to Trondheim paper Adressa.

...thought it surely can be debated wether Espen Johnsen, out with injury, has lost the status as preferred 'keeper or not.

Match Details

Hammarby	3-0	ROSENBORG
Pablo Piñones-Arce 46 Karl Oskar Fjørtoft 77 Nadir Benchenaa 87

Sunday march 28th 2004 16:30
Friendly match, Söderstadion, Stockholm
7057 tilskuere

Rosenborg [4-3-3]
Alexander Lund Hansen - Christer Basma, Vidar Riseth (Torjus Hansén 39), Erik Hoftun, Ståle Stensaas (Lars Blixt 86) - Jan Gunnar Solli, Ørjan Berg, Fredrik Winsnes - Øyvind Storflor (Dagfinn Enerly 59), Azar Karadas (Frode Johnsen 46), Harald Brattbakk

Yellow card RBK: Fredrik Winsnes
Red card RBK: Vidar Riseth