Rosenborg disintegrated in the final minutes, when Start turned 2-1 into 2-3. Bernt Hulsker was jeered when he entered the pitch for Start. Only minutes later the former Molde attacker scored 2-2 after passive defending by Kris Stadsgaard and Alejandro Lago on a Start crossball.
RBK should have managed a draw and increased the impressive series to 27 matches without a loss, but Rade Prica lost his head two minutes into extra time. Rune Jarstein had caught a Start set piece, and was about to start an attack when the teammate pulled down Clarence Goodson in front of his own goal.
"I was hit in the back. I pushed him, and he got a penalty. I was shocked. I ran forward as if nothing had happened, and when I turned around he was about to take a penalty. I thought it was a strange decision," Prica told NRK.
Cristian Bolaños scoret on the penalty, and the hope of getting through the league without losing faded.
"I'm very sorry and want to apologize to the my teammates and the fans. I didn't mean to do it, but it ended like that," the sinner concluded.
The ending was dramatic, but Rosenborg and Start did not create an exciting first half. However, both teams were very effective, and scored on their two only chances.
Trond Olsen sent RBK into the lead when he recieved the ball from Per Ciljan Skjelbred, cut into the field and rounded the goalie. Seconds before half time Mads Stokkelien equalized with a long shot.
Olsen was fresh after half time and secured another lead with a fancy long kick. Then he ended up alone with the goalie, snd should have scored a hat-trick. The ball ended up with Skjelbred who shot into the post.
No goals followed for RBK. The game died out and the RBK players slowed down before the end.
"I was disappointed with several things today. In the first half we were disgracefully bad. We were better after half time and should have decided the game, but instead we let in 2-2 right before the pause because of bad play. Then we destroyed everything with that situation I can't wrap my head around," Erik Hamrén concluded.
