Strømsgodset - Rosenborg 3-2
By Endre Bakken, 8 April 2008, 13:25
RBK tried hard at the end, but were beaten by efficient Strømsgodset.
Rosenborg owned the game, but were lacking in the important situations in front of both goals.
"It was difficult. We were on top the whole game, but get goals against when they counter-attack. It was hard getting back, even though we tried," Vadim Demidov told TV2.
The fact that the midfield struggled did not make things better. Alexander Tettey was back from his knee surgery, and went directly into the starting eleven due to Juska Savolainen's injury. Unfortunately, it was easy to see that the Norwegian international hadn't played football in one and a half month. Tettey and his colleagues on the midfield made numerous mistakes.
The first goal came after Tettey lost the ball, and Strømsgodset counter-attacked. Mattias Andersson sent a cross from the left, and David Nielsen slid the ball into the goal after a duel with Demidov.
The two went at it again minutes later. Demidov got an elbow in the face from the Danish attacker, and needed cotton to stop his nosebleed. Ref Terje Hauge waved the RBK defender back on the pitch after a SIF-freekick, but Demidov was stopped by the fourth official right before Nielsen headed in a new cross from Andersson. Tettey missed his man.
"Terje gve me permission to get on the pitch, but then the fourth official stopped me. And then that situation led to a goal. I was pissed," Demidov said.
RBK still lacked precision in their attacking play. The crosses and passes were good at times, but no trouble for the home-team. It resulted in many corners, but in Sapara's absense they were wasted.
Roar Strand hit the bar from a long distance right before half time, but Rosenborg did not get closer to a goal before Strømsgodset for the third time were able to attack from their left. Joel Riddez passed the ball to Stian Ohr, who finished the attack. Bjørn Tore Kvarme tried to save the ball, but kicked it into the net.
Kris Stadsgaard got his debut after that, and was allowed to be part of a better period. Another substitute, Øyvind Storflor, hit the ball well, and sent it into the goal after Glenn Andersen headed it into his feet.
Then the third substitute did his part: Yssouf Kone sent a pass from the right, and Jo Sondre Aas sent it to Konan, who scored two minutes before the end.
Rosenborg tried getting an equalizer, but Strømsgodset were able to get time to pass by less than sportsmanlike play. RBK's bad away-game trend continues.
Rosenborg owned the game, but were lacking in the important situations in front of both goals.
