Viking – Rosenborg 2-0 (0-0)
It was the last quarter-final ticket to be handed out at SR-Bank Arena when Viking took on Rosenborg.
It took 64 minutes before there was an end to the goal, and indeed it also went in the goal.
Moldensen Sander Svendsen was alone in front of the goal when he received the ball from Tripic. He turned up, put the ball down to the right and sent the Vikings into the lead.
– It wasn’t the plan if it looked tame. For people watching, it must have been boring. They score a nice goal, so far as that goes, but it is a regular occurrence for us to drop a shot from 15-16 meters in front of the goal. We do a poor job defensively there, says Rosenborg coach Kjetil Rekdal to TV 2.
With the hour played, Lars-Jørgen Salvesen made his debut. And what a start.
After six minutes on the field, he picked up the ball in midfield. He headed for goal, and just before the 16-metre mark, he shot the ball down to the right and into the goal.
– It couldn’t be better. That’s how you lie and dream about – to come in and become a match winner, says Salvesen to TV 2.
The 2-0 goal meant that Rekdal’s men were never able to come back.
– Then the game is in the Vikings’ hands and we can’t make trouble for them. It is very thin, says Rekdal.
COMING WITH STICK: Lars-Jørgen Salvesen is looking forward to the quarter-final against Bodø/Glimt. Photo: Carina Johansen / NTB
Salvesen has now played for three different teams in this Norwegian championship. First for Strømsgodset and then for Bodø/Glimt. Salvesen announced a transfer to Viking this week after having previously declined.
And it is precisely the old club Glimt that awaits in the quarter-finals. It will be played at Aspmyra next weekend.
– It fits nicely. I have to go up and pack up the flat, so then I get a free trip to Bodø, grins Salvesen.
The striker says that he has had a good run-up to the season, and hopes he can continue to contribute for the siddis in the games ahead.
1-0: After 64 minutes, Sander Svendsen sends Viking into the lead at SR-Bank Arena. Photo: Carina Johansen
– The most important thing is a good performance and moving on. I hope that I will be even better and have a lot to go on.
Viking coach Morten Jensen was satisfied with what he saw, 29 days before the Elite Series kicks off. Also then, the teams meet for a duel.
– It is a solid team victory. We concede extremely few goalscoring chances, but we stand and fight. We take more initiative in the second half and win deservedly in the end, says Jensen.
The RBK coach is hoping for revenge on 10 April.
– We have to go home to work hard for the next month. We have more to offer than we do today. They win deservedly. But it’s nice to have the opportunity to make up for it in a month, he says.
OUT: Rosenborg and Kjetil Rekdal are out of the cup, but still get the opportunity to get revenge against Viking in 29 days. Photo: Carina Johansen / NTB
Going to hit goals
TV 2’s football expert Jesper Mathisen believes that Salvesen was an important player to bring to Stavanger.
– He shows that when he knocks in 2-0 with his wonderful left foot. There are not many players in the Eliteserien who are better at finishing than the former Bodø/Glimt player, he says.
He has great faith that he will score many goals for the dark blues.
– If he stays injury-free and gains confidence, he will score goals.
FLASH: The supporters stay warm in Stavanger with flares in the stands. Photo: Carina Johansen
Goalless first half
It was Viking who had a small ceiling at the start of the first half.
Seven minutes into the game, the home team called for a penalty after Nilsen Tangen went to the ground after a duel with Henriksen. Referee Rohit Saggi waved play on.
After 30 minutes played, it is Rosenborg who called for a penalty. Ingason hit Viking goalkeeper Gunnarsson when he brought down the ball inside the penalty area.
The biggest chance came just before the break, when Henriksen made a sloppy attempt to flick the ball into his own goalkeeper. D’Agostino just got it and started running. The Rosenborg goalkeeper was cleared via the Viking striker.
It was a scoreless first half, where neither team had a finish on goal.
Early in the second half, Viking gets a big chance. Nilsen Tangen headed the ball to D’Agostino who tried a shot, but the execution was poor. It was a corner kick, which was headed away.
The quarter-finals will be played next weekend, while the semi-finals take place on 26 April. The actual cup final at the Ullevaal stadium will be played on 20 May.
This is how the quarter-finals are played:
- Bodø/Glimt – Viking
- Start/Tromsø – Lillestrøm
- Molde – Stabæk
- Fire – Sandefjord
