Valerenga beat Lyn for the first time in 28 years giving Troy Perkins and company three points while Jay Needham and Alta's promotion hopes took a big blow in 1. Division action.
Valerenga 4 - 1 Lyn
Valerenga scored early and often against crosstown rivals Lyn as Troy Perkins won the battle of American goalkeepers over Tyrel Lacey on Sunday evening at Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo.
Perkins started in net for the hosts and went the full 90 minutes as did Lacey for the visitors who are all but assured of playing next season in the 1. Division should the club raise enough money by the end of the month to avoid bankruptcy.
The game's first goal came in the fifth minute when Harmeet Singh's cross barely found the right boot of Bengt Saeternes who poked the ball into the net. Lacey had raced out to try to cut off Singh's cross but the ball only grazed the top of the netminder's fingertips giving Saeternes an open shot at goal.
Just three minutes later Saeternes added his second goal of the game when he took advantage of a flub by the Lyn defense which left the Valerenga man all alone and his shot easily beat Lacey.
The hosts scored their third goal in the 16th minute when Mohammed Fellah scored on an absolute laser from just outside the area. Amin Nouri fed Fellah the ball who then turned and sent a shot towards the upper left corner that tailed away from Lacey and slammed into the back of the net.
Fredrik Dahm gave the Lyn fans something to cheer about when he scored in the 34th minute after a shot that had been defelected by Perkins landed right at Dahm who beat Perkins on the rebound.
The visitors could not sustain the momentum in the second half as Luton Shelton pushed the lead back to three with a goal in the 51st minute when Singh chipped a ball past three Lyn defenders whom had left Shelton all alone on the right side of the penalty area. Shelton then fired a shot past an oncoming Lacey for Valerenga's fourth goal.
The victory lifts Valerenga player/coach Martin Andresen's squad up to 10th place with 31 points while Gunnar Halle's Lyn remain in last place with 16 points, a distant 10 points from safety.
Both clubs return to action next Sunday as Lyn host Tromso while Valerenga travel to Bodo/Glimt.
Start 1 - 1 Viking
Start's chances for a spot in next year's Europa League grew dimmer on Monday evening at Sor Arena in Kristiansand after drawing with Viking.
The American defensive duo of Hunter Freeman and Clarence Goodson both started and went the distance for head coach Knut Torum.
Espen Børufsen gave the hosts an early lead with a spectacular goal in the second minute.
Costa Rican international Cristian Bolanos played a long cross into the area that first appeared to be an easy clear for the Viking defense.
But then Børufsen hurled himself towards the ball and smacked the header past a stunned Thomas Myhre who was in goal for the visitors.
Start had a golden opportunity to double their lead in the 45th minute but Geir Ludvig Fevang's penalty kick was saved by Myhre.
Viking found the equalizer in the 66th minute when Vidar Nisja and Peter Ljeh teamed up on another stunning goal.
Nisja received a pass in the area and with his back towards goal, the midfielder skillfully flicked a pass with the outside of his foot over to Ljeh who slammed the ball home from close range.
The draw leaves Start stuck in sixth place with 34 points as Freeman and Goodson travel to Sandefjord next weekend.
Alta 1 - 1 Skeid
A very frustrating day at the office may have jeopardized Alta's promotion hopes as Jay Needham and company drew with last place Skeid on Sunday afternoon at Finnmarkshallen Arena in Alta.
Needham started at central midfielder for head coach Aasmund Bjorkman but was forced to leave the match in stoppage time after picking up his second yellow card.
The automatic suspension means that the native Texan will miss next weekend's crucial encounter at Bryne.
The match started with Alta pressing for an early goal and it almost came from team leading scorer Vegard Braaten who missed an open chance from close range.
Moments later in the 11th minute, Skeid got the game's first goal when Oluwasegun Abiodun fed a long ball into the area whcih found Kim Nysted who fired from long range and managed to beat Alta goalkeeper Mikko Vilmunen who reacted late on the shot due to being blocked by his own defense.
Early in the second half, Alta looked as if they would equalize after earning a penalty kick in the 52nd minute but Braaten's effort was saved by Skeid goalkeeper Martin Jorgensen.
Needham picked up his first yellow card in the 73rd minute which was followed six minutes later by Skeid forward Bardh Shala being sent off with a red card.
The man advantage only increased the pressure by Bjorkman's men who created multiple scoring opportunities but could never find the final touch.
The drama of the match ratcheted up a notch in the 90th minute when Needham picked up his second yellow card when he tried poking a ball past Jorgensen only to see the netminder crumble to the ground after the two collided.
Replays show that the former SMU Mustang was making a play on the ball but the referee saw it different and gave Needham his walking papers.
A minute later, Diomande Alassane rode to the rescue for the hosts when he unleashed a shot from the right side of the penalty area and beat Jorgensen to the far post helping Alta salvage a point.
The draw leaves Alta four points behind Sarpsborg for the fifth and final playoff position in 1. Division. Sarpsborg were 0-2 winners at Stavanger on Sunday.
Notes
Brian Waltrip did not suit up in Molde's 1-0 loss at Tromso.
Mikkel Diskerud is with the US Under-20 team and did not take part in Stabaek's 1-2 victory at Odd.
Adin Brown sat on the bench as the reserve goalkeeper in Aalesund's 3-0 win versus Brann.
Goalkeeper Matthew Allen watched from the bench as Sandefjord got hammered by undefeated league leaders Rosenborg.
Connor Tobin did not make it off the bench in Nybergsund's 4-2 win over Notodden. |
|
|
| Register for Email Alert to receive news, interviews, and more directly to your inbox without spam. Ever. |
|
|
|
Currently visting YA: 142 
See these related articles
