Rosenborg shocked Valencia once more, and played their best match ever. The Spaniards were lucky to lose with only two goals!



Beating AC Milan at San Siro and snatching "their" place in the quarter finals in 1996 might be the greatest moment in Rosenborg history, but outplaying one of the greatest home teams in the world is definitely a greater accomplishment. If Yssouf Kone had only been a bit more lucky, it could have ended 0-5 at Mestalla!

"We toyed with them at times, pure and simple. Yssouf should have gotten a penalty before he was hindered from shooting properly and hit the goal post. In addition, he should have scored when he had the chance from one meter," Vidar Riseth said.

Aggression
Rosenborg continued where they left off at home, but with even greater skill. Valencia tried, but weren't able to create anything against a willfull Rosenborg. Most thought that RBK would change to a defensive 4-5-1 formation, but in the new 4-4-2 system Valencia was outrunned. Through the whole game RBK's players played one-two's with each other, attacking swiftly and relentlessly.

"We told everyone at the press conference, and always made it clear, that we came to attack, also at Mestalla. And so we did, our boys were far up on the pitch through the whole game. We tried attacking until the bitter end," Trond Henriksen explained.

The first half hour the game oscillated back and forth with none of the teams being able to create any proper chances. Still, Lars Hirschfeld had to throw himself after a well placed header from Ivan Helguera. At the same time Kone wasted his chances when he got past two defenders and shot wide.

0-1
After 31 minutes the first highlight of the game came - Bjørn Tore Kvarme stopped a Valencia attack, played one-two's with Kone at their own 16-meter mark, then sent the ball to Marek Sapara. Per Ciljan Skjelbred got the ball and started rushing ahead. At thirty meters he gave the ball back to Sapara, who sent a clever pass to Iversen in front of the goal.

"The pass ended up at my feet - I took it with me and turned around. My shot wasn't perfect, but it hit the post and went in," Iversen said.

Alexander Tettey followed up by starting two counterattacks, both of them finished by Kone. On the first one the striker miscalculated his jump and didn't hit the ball properly on a cross from Micke Dorsin. After that Kone ran past the defenders on the right, but sent the ball into the goalie's arms from an angle.

David Villa finished the half by creating Valencia's greatest chance in the whole game: a beautiful long shot headed for the upper corner that really put Hirschfeld to the test.

0-2
Rosenborg opened the second half by creating some half chances, at the same time resisting Valencia. 15 minutes passed without the hosts getting closer to an equalizer. The defense played exceptionally welll, and the two Swedish sidebacks were very eager to help out the attacks. It was a relief to see Fredrik Stoor being able to excel defensively and begin the offensive play. If he keeps his confidence up Roar Strand has found a worthy heir.

RBK got a corner from the right. Dorsin sent a precise shot. Goalie Timo Hildebrand missed it, and by the backmost goalpost Iversen had no trouble heading in the 2-0 goal.

"They allowed me to stand by myself. I had one man next to me, but he wasn't very eager to catch the ball, so I was able to send it in the right direction," the goalscorer explained.

Kone wasting chances
Despite half an hour being left, Valencia started giving up. Fernando Morientes had to leave the pitch with an injury before half time, and Joaquin was also taken off the pitch.

And so RBK could continue outplaying Valencia. Rosenborg should at least have gotten one more goal, when Sapara sent a free-kick from the left. Iversen headed the ball into the goalie's feet, Kone shot the rebound into the goalpost. RBK should at least have gotten a penalty when Kone was held.

Into extra time Kone got another chance, when Øyvind Storflor sent a cross towards him. Kone shot the slightly tricky ball way over the goal from a close distance.

It ended 2-0. Never before has Rosenborg played so well! The audience at Mestalla booed at their own, before giving RBK a standing ovation!

Europe is in shock, and with seven points in four games RBK are number two. Meaning that their fate in this tournament is in their own hands.

"It is incredible, I'm proud of being a Rosenborger today," Henriksen said, after his debut as coach in the Champions League.

Match Statistics

Valencia	0-2	ROSENBORG
		Steffen Iversen 31, 58

Wednesday 24. October 2007 20:45
Champions League, Estadio Mestalla, Valencia, Spania
40 000 attendants

Rosenborg [4-4-2]
Lars Hirschfeld - Fredrik Stoor, Bjørn Tore Kvarme, Vidar Riseth, Mikael Dorsin - Per Ciljan Skjelbred (Øyvind Storflor 80), Marek Sapara (Didier Konan 84), Alexander Tettey, Abdou Razack Traore - Yssouf Kone, Steffen Iversen

Yellow cards RBK: none