Lillestrøm - Rosenborg 2-2
By Håvard Lindheim, 3 May 2004, 10:30
It turned out to be an "almost-match" for Roseborg. The war against duel-strong "Canaris" at Åråsen ended in a 2-2 draw.
The match started with two penalty situations. First, LSK defender Petter Werni held Harald Martin Brattbakk back in his shirt, but referee Tom Henning Øvrebø did not notice. A minute afterwards a penalty was however granted. Werni was the culprit again, the left back caused a hands after a heading from Erik Hoftun. Brattbakk strode forward to the mark, and as usual he shot hard in the middle of the goal. But there, the LSK goalkeeper Emille Baron laid and made an easy save.
Just after this, RBK got a corner kick, and Brattbakk got his revenge. Lillestrøm captain Magnus Powell passed the corner directly into his own goal, and hence the penalty miss didn't matter: else it wouldn't have been a corner kick!
But LSK came back. Right before half time, Powell headed a crosser into the Rosenborg field, in front of Espen Johnsen. The RBK goallie went out to catch the ball, but partly withdrew in a duel with Arild Sundgot, that got a foot on the ball and made a score. Not a good day at work for Johnsen, really. Further into the second half the 'keeper was for instance saved by Erik Hoftun at the goal line, when he somewhat unmotivated threw himself into a duel between Powell and Vidar Riseth.
Shortly after this, Lillestrøm took the lead. Christoffer Andersson, that Åge Hareide ditched last year (and bought Torjus Hansén instead), took a free kick from the left which Espen Søgård headed into the net. And so, the Canaris had turned the game.
RBK coaches Ola By and Perry immediately sent in Øyvind Storflor after the LSK goal, and the winger caused problems from second one when he almost scored when Baron couldn't hold a ball.
Azar Karadas, on the other hand, gave the yellow defenders a tough match. In the 78th minute he finally succeeded. Frode Johnsen flicked a long throw from Christer Basma backwards into the area, where Karadas at the far goalpost slid in 2-2.
Rosenborg dominated after the score, but in spite of several great chances, the game saw no further goals.
"This evening is very much almost - but not there. We have some good periods, and we own the first half. After the break Lillestrøm comes tough, but luckily we strike back and manage 2-2," Ola By Rise said to Norwegian broadcaster TV2 after the game.
