RECAP: WEEKEND NORWEGIAN ACTION Arch Bell - Sunday, August 2, 2009
Hunter Freeman and Start got drilled by Molde while Jay Needham and Alta got a miracle tie versus Sogndal.
Molde 8 - 1 Start
Start went on the road and got absolutely pulverized by Molde at Aker Stadion on Saturday evening in Eliteserien action.
Unfortunately for Hunter Freeman, he started in backline for head coach Knut Torum and went the full 90 minutes while also managing to pick up a yellow card in the 92nd minute for a hard tackle.
Torum elected to give Clarence Goodson the day off as the US national team defender rejoined the club just this week following last Sunday's Gold Cup final.
Brian Waltrip has been relegated to reserve team duty for Molde and did not suit up for the hosts.
Molde got the scoring started early in the seventh minute when defender Vegard Forren headed in the ball off a set piece.
Jose Mota added the second in the 21st minute and then Magne Hoseth notched a traditional hat trick with goals in the 32nd, 36th and 40th minutes.
Torum's pep talk at halftime did very little to make a mark on his team as the defciit increased to six in the 59th minute courtesy of Mame Biram Diouf.
Start finally got on the scoreboard in the 67th minute but even that was not their own doing as Molde defender Knut Dorum Lillebakk scored an own goal.
Rune Ertsas continued the fun for the hosts in the 79th minute and then Mota would add his second goal of the day in the 93rd minute providing the seven goal advantage.
The result sends Start spiraling back down to sixth place with 29 points and will lick their wounds for two weeks before hosting Fredrikstad on Sunday August 16th.
Stromsgodset - Valerenga
Troy Perkins and Valerenga suffered another disappointing result falling to Stromsgodset on the road at Marienlyst Stadion on Sunday.
Perkins started and went the full 90 minutes for the visitors in goal.
Coming off a disappointing midweek loss to GreeK club PAOK in Europa League action, Valerenga hoped to use their domestic campaign to kickstart their season but the offense once again was not up to the task and failed to register a goal.
A goal at the brink of haltime by Fredrik Nordkvell put the hosts up to stay and would get the two goal advantage when Marcus Pedersen scored in the 67th minute.
Perkins actually did well to limit the damage as the Stromsgodset offense continuously pounded the visiting defense with attacks from all angles.
The hosts would add a third goal in injury time when Komlan Amewou scored to send Valerenga home with their second straight three goal loss.
Perkins and Valerenga try to regroup when they return to Norwegian Cup action next Saturday versus Tromso.
Alta - Sogndal
A miracle last second goal for Alta salvaged a draw against Sogndal in 1. Division action on Sunday at Finnmarkshallen Arena.
Jay Needham started at midfielder today for head coach Aasmund Bjorkman and went the full 90 minutes while also picking up a yellow card in the 56th minute for a hard tackle.
In a meeting between one of 1. Division's most potent offenses versus the stingiest league defense, the visitors' backline at first looked the better before yielding the late equalizer.
The clubs engaged in a tense first half before things loosened up in the second half with Sogndal finally breaking through in the 53rd minute after Daniel Marcel Lubienieki was brough down in the penalty area.
Lubienieki converted the penalty kick giving the visitors the lead who would then need just another minute before doubling their lead to two when Mats Solheim took advantage of a lapse in the Alta defense and scored.
The hosts would pull one back in the 64th minute when Martin Norbye funneled a ball into Christian Reginiussen who fired home the shot to give the home fans something to cheer about.
Alta would get the tying goal in a last gasp effort when Thomas Andersen took a pass from Martin Overvik and found the back of the Sogndal net.
The draw leaves Alta stuck in sixth place with 26 points as Needham and company return to action next Sunday when the host Moss.
Notes
Mikkel Diskerud played the last 20 minutes of Stabaek's 3-0 victory over Aalesund and did not factor in the match while Aalesund goalkeeper Adin Brown finishes up his recovery from heel surgery.
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