Cannon shots and overtime goals turned a very dramatic battle between last season’s gold rivals.
The top series has got a new team at the top of the table after Rosenborg defeated defending champion Vålerenga at Intility Arena in a highly dramatic top match.
Sara Kanutte Fornes became match winner in overtime, a few minutes after Dejana Stefanovic had abused a penalty kick for VIF.
The 19-year-old Fornes quarreled in the winning goal in the final seconds when Vålerenga failed to clear in his own field.
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Stefanovic even got the penalty kick which she sent straight to RBK’s young goalkeeper Rugile Rulyte. The 18-year-old at the back of Rosenborg thus corrects the mistake she made when she dropped the VIF profile just before.
With the help of an unorthodox save with his legs, and the crossbar, RBK’s goalkeeper kept the ball out of the cage.
– What a cannon
Rosenborg despaired for a long time over misused chances in the top match.
But when the second half approached half-played, Elin Sørum found the right-hander and thundered in 1-1 with a hard shot from around 20 meters. The ball whizzed into the net behind VIF goalkeeper Jalen Tomkins who did not manage to get his hands on the projectile of a finish RBK’s midfielder.
– What a cannon of Sørum! Oi, oi, oi. Tomkins should maybe take it, but there is a lot of pressure in the shot, commented Direktesports Robin Haugen.
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Both teams stood with six victories out of as many possible, and a full points pot before Sunday’s top match at Valle.
Only the goal difference separated the two teams in the battle for the league gold last season, after two mutual meetings that ended in a draw.
VIF then secured its first title in the Toppserien, despite Rosenborg not losing a single game in its first season as part of the traditional Trønder club.
In 2020, the teams played 0-0 in Oslo, while it ended 1-1 at Koteng Arena in the capital of Trøndelag.
On Sunday, Rosenborg created a row of chances in the first round at Intility Arena, but neither spearhead Lisa-Marie Utland nor midfielder Emilie Bragstad hit well enough with the endings.
Instead, it was Vålerenga and Ingibjörg Sigurdardóttir who provided the Oslo team with a lead goal on a set piece. The stopper profile from Iceland headed in 1-0 with his head on the corner from Andrine Tomter.
– Set nine out of ten times
Especially Norway’s national team striker Abroad’s chance after a post from Julie Blakstad on the left after ten minutes should have given Rosenborg a count.
– You put it nine out of ten times, Lisa-Marie Utland, Haugen remarked when the end rolled outside the first post.
– There will be a player of her caliber score, the commentator added.
Towards the end of the first half, it was Rosenborg’s second midfielder, Ina Vårhus, who came even closer to an online acquaintance for the away team.
The 24-year-old fought his way to the back of the field on a corner. Vårhus won the duel and headed hard in the bar, before VIF with difficulty and could hardly send the return out to a new corner kick.
Also there, Vårhus came last on the ball, but did not succeed in controlling the finish on goal.
In the second round, it took a little longer between the big chances, before Elin Sørum knocked with the perfect hit from long range.
Then came the dramatic end, the one that means that Steinar Lein’s RBK girls emerged victorious from the very important showdown on the eastern edge of Oslo.
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