Frölunda continued dark Lars Johansson’s status
KARLSTAD. Star goalkeeper Lars Johansson did not play against Färjestad.
And Roger Rönnberg covered up all questions about his status.
– I can tell you but then I have to kill you then, says the Frölunda coach to GP’s reporter.
The prestigious quarter-final between Färjestad and Frölunda started in the worst possible way for the Gothenburgers.
In the first line-up, Lars Johansson was listed, but it was a blackout from Frölunda.
Johansson was not even with Karlstad and Frölunda’s explanation to the outside world was that it was about illness.
But whether it was a stomach bug, a cold or something else, Roger Rönnberg did not want to reveal.
– No, we won’t talk much about it, but he will certainly play, says Rönnberg, who did not want to say whether it will already be on Sunday:
– I didn’t say that.
When Johan Rylander from Göteborgs Posten hinted that it was a stomach bug, he got a most unexpected answer from Rönnberg.
– I can tell you, but then I have to kill you then, Rylander.
Otherwise, there was a lot of focus on Frölundaback Andreas Borgman’s match penalty at the end of the second period after a knee tackle against Victor Ejdsell. Frölunda had acquired both a 2–1 lead and a small grip on the match.
Different views on the tackle
During the expulsion, Joakim Nygård equalized and in the third period Lucas Forsell scored the winning goal for Färjestad.
– Of course, the whole match swings with the expulsion of Borgman, who I think will be the match-decider, says Rönnberg.
Ejdsell stepped off during the closing middle period but was back in the third:
– Great that Ejdesell is not as seriously injured as he appeared to be after the tackle, because then he looked like he was in a lot of pain. Glad he was able to play on. But knee tackle? No, I think it’s shinbones that take on shinbones, says Rönnberg.
Färjestad’s coach Tomas Mitell had a different opinion.
– As they judged during the season, it’s a fifth and maybe a suspension as well considering how they have judged before and been quite consistent.
Ejdsell was also involved in a situation in the first period when he entered as third man and tackled Joel Lundqvist.
– They talked about him coming in as the third man on Joel. We don’t like to stay in Frölunda and then nothing will ever happen either. That is the system we have and we must continue to work according to it, says Rönnberg acidly.
