2004 was the year when Vålerenga was unbeaten by Rosenborg. Still, we have the silverware!

In the league, the matches ended 2-2 at Ullevaal and 1-4 at Lerkendal. Saturday it was time for RBK to get their revenge and state who were the better team.

This time also, Rosenborg lacked several key players. In addition to Ørjan Berg and Christer Basma being out with long-term injuries, also Jan Gunnar Solli (inguinal problems) and Robbie Russell (knee problem) were out. Luckily, Roar Strand was back.

Still, that didn't help. RBK just didn't have the day, on the freezing National team stadium, and they didn't get much done - even tough they did manage to push Vålerenga back quite a bit. During the first half, a weak shot from Roar Strand and a weak heading from Frode Johnsen was the total sum of Rosenborg chances in front of Arni Gautur Arason's goal.

Instead, VIF could cheer just before the break. Steffen Iversen more or less copied the 4-1-goal from the previous battle at Lerkendal, when he squeezed between Torjus Hansén and Ståle Stensaas and lobbed the ball over a seemingly out-of-place Espen Johnsen.

In the minutes after the break, Vålerenga played well, and it was deserved when they doubled their lead. Jørgen Jalland heeled back to Daniel Fredheim Holm, who shot hard and accurate into the goal at its far post. Just then, things looked bad for RBK.

Things improved somewhat when Arason had to give a rebound, when Mikael Forsin cut in from the right and finished with his left foot. The rebound ended up at Daniel Braaten's feet, who hammered it in via the crossbar.

Immediately thereafter, Harald Brattbakk could and should have made an equalizing goal. A high corner kick slipped out of Arason's hands, and Erik Hagen couldn't clear it properly in a duel with Erik Hoftun. The ball rolled against Brattbakk, who stood more or less at point blank range in front of an empty goal, but in some mysterious way the veteran forward missed the ball completely!

After this, there came a period when the teams were equal. Rosenborg, however, woke up the last fifteen minutes, and made the equalizer, Braaten yet again involved. He finted his best friend Fredheim Holm off, and passed to Frode Johnsen who was allowed to stand free at 12 metres. Johnsen made no errors and smashed the ball into the cross.

But as said, this was not to be Rosenborg's day. Two minutes before time Vålerenga got their decisive goal. Tom Henning Hovi headed a long free kick down into defensive colleague Hagen, who found the net.

In sum, not a good test prior to RBK's match against Panathinaikos in this week's Champions League. But it could mean a good premiere?

Match Details

Vålerenga	3-2	ROSENBORG
Steffen Iversen 45 Daniel Fredheim Holm 53 Erik Hagen 88		Daniel Braaten 57 Frode Johnsen 74

Saturday, Nov 20th 2004 16:00
Royal League, 1st group stage, Ullevaal stadium, Oslo
11 500 spectators

Rosenborg [4-2-3-1]
Espen Johnsen - Mikael Dorsin, Torjus Hansén, Erik Hoftun, Ståle Stensaas - Roar Strand, Fredrik Winsnes (Christer George 86) - Daniel Braaten, Frode Johnsen, Øyvind Storflor (Thorstein Helstad 69) - Harald Brattbakk

Yellow card RBK: Daniel Braaten