We all like statistical oddities, don't we? Here is one: Rosenborg captain Mali Næss suffered an ACL-injury last week, which means her run of playing 266 consecutive Toppserien matches will end. She has been an ever-present for her club in league competition since way back in 2014.
TOPPSERIEN 2024 - Matchday 10 Arna Bjørnar 1 - 2 Rosenborg Sælen 35 --- Brønstad 43, Hørte 61 Brann 0 - 1 Stabæk Bjånesøy 42 LSK Kvinner 2 - 1 Røa Reshane 47, 77 --- Ulstein 90+4 Lyn 0 - 2 Kolbotn Larsen 26, Preus 58 Vålerenga 4 - 1 Åsane Kovacs 18, 65, Sævik 46, Thorsnes 90+1 --- Kokosz 66 TOP SCORERS 8 goals - Iris Omarsdottir (Stabæk) 7 goals - Anna Aahjem (Brann) 6 goals - Karina Sævik (Vålerenga) 5 goals - Miljana Ivanovic (LSK), Jenny Røsholm Olsen (Lyn), Julie Klæboe (Røa) 4 goals - Rakel Engesvik (Brann), Johanna Renmark (Brann), Eline Hegg (Kolbotn), Marie Preus (Kolbotn), Sara Hørte (Rosenborg), Melissa Bjånesøy (Stabæk) NEXT MATCHDAY - 8 June Lyn - Vålerenga Rosenborg - Kolbotn Røa - Stabæk Åsane - Arna Bjørnar Brann - LSK Kvinner
Euro 2025 qualifier, Oslo Norway 0 - 0 Italy Mixed emotions after this match. Big relief after Harviken's last second clearance, which she nearly belted into an own-goal. A draw was a fair result on the day, I think. Norway struggled to deal with Italy's high pressing. All players in our back four were too indecisive, lacked confidence to play from the back and often resorted to the long ball solution or back to the goalkeeper. Italy looked better on the ball. Both teams created two or three big chances without scoring. There were not many stand-out players for Norway. Fiskerstrand looked very solid when called into action, both on and off the line. Caro Hansen looked different class when on the ball, but disappeared for long stretches. Italy kept her out of the game. Reiten was disappointing. Looked uncomfortable in her midfield role. The rest were average. Line-up: Fiskerstrand - Bjelde, Harviken, Bergsvand, T.Hansen - Bøe Risa, Engen, Reiten - Bizet, Román Haug, CG Hansen. Substitutes: 46 min - Terland for Bizet 56 min - Thorisdottir for Bjelde 62 min - Naalsund for Bøe Risa 62 min - Hegerberg for Román Haug 90 min - Sævik for CG Hansen Rematch already on Tuesday at Stadio Paolo Mazza in Ferrara.
The most shocking thing to me was how many players were invisible throughout the game, Norway made Italy look much better than they actually are.
Or is it Italy made Norway look much worse than they actually are? Not just a rhetorical stance: did you notice how well-executed Italy's high pressing was throughout most of the game?
If Italy had made Norway look much worse than they actually are, the Italians would have scored a few goals. I think it can be summed up in this way: Italy had a clear plan going into the game, Norway didn't. I actually give Italy a lot of credit for that, I remember their home game against Sweden late last year where they lost but were the better team and they even beat Spain.
It's been a while since the last update here.. TOPPSERIEN 2024 - Matchday 14 Arna Bjørnar 1 - 1 LSK Kvinner Nigardsøy 24 --- Ivanovic 86 Kolbotn 1 - 1 Stabæk Fridlund 65 --- Omarsdottir 54 Vålerenga 5 - 0 Røa Tennebø 3, Godø 12, Sævik 21, Espås 78, Heidarsdottir 90+1 Åsane 1 - 1 Rosenborg Jensen 19 --- Andreassen 35 Lyn 1 - 5 Brann Skjelstad Jensen 51 --- Aahjem 24, 26, Kielland 54, Engesvik 67, Renmark 90+2 TOP SCORERS 10 goals - Anna Aahjem (Brann) 9 goals - Iris Omarsdottir (Stabæk), Karina Sævik (Vålerenga) 7 goals - Rakel Engesvik (Brann), Miljana Ivanovic (LSK), 6 goals - Julie Klæboe (Røa), Marie Preus (Kolbotn) 5 goals - Johanna Renmark (Brann), Johanne Fridlund (Kolbotn), Jenny Røsholm Olsen (Lyn), Elise Thorsnes (Vålerenga) NEXT MATCHDAY - 6/7 July Brann - Åsane LSK Kvinner - Lyn Røa - Rosenborg Stabæk - Vålerenga Arna Bjørnar - Kolbotn (rescheduled to 13 Aug) But already on Wednesday (3 July) the big match between Brann and Vålerenga.
Brann's Justine Kielland signs for Wolfsburg on a three-year deal I expected her to leave Toppserien this season after her performances in the UWCL.
She's the kind of player Wolfsburg needs especially after so many players left at the end of this past season and they have barely signed anyone so far in return.
Sorry, I haven't kept up. Is Ada injured? Norway just can't catch a full-strength break. Again, it seems Haavi and Jensen are in the proverbial dog-house. Still a decent team to represent Norway in these important games, but......
I have not really found any info about this even in French media but usually when she's not included it's due to injury and she's had a lot of them lately just like Caro Hansen.
Brann 0 - 2 Vålerenga Thorsnes 19(p), Godø 64 This Toppserien match should have been played early in the season, but was rescheduled due to Brann's UWCL quarter-final matches against Barcelona. It might be too early to write Brann off, but this defeat may have put them out of the title race. They're lagging 11 points behind Vålerenga now, although with a game in hand. Vålerenga tend to be stronger in the spring season than in the autumn. Brann's hope is to see that trend continue.
Sad to see, they had such a decent run in the UWCL. I do not think Valeranga or Rosenborg could repeat that run or do better, at least not with their current squads. What's happening with Guro Pettersen, did she find a new club?
TOPPSERIEN 2024 - Matchday 15 Brann 2 - 1 Åsane Eikeland 16, Gloppen 61(og) --- Kokosz 85 RC: Ho 87 (Brann head coach) LSK Kvinner 1 - 0 Lyn Kyvåg 79 Røa 1 - 4 Rosenborg Nyhagen 87 --- Nautnes 3, Berre 13, Dorsin 50, Andreassen 54 Stabæk 2 - 6 Vålerenga Godø 73(og), Strømnes 90+2 --- Brekken 34, 49, 56, Godø 38, Tvedten 53, Thorsnes 69 Arna Bjørnar - Kolbotn (rescheduled to 13 Aug) TOP SCORERS 10 goals - Anna Aahjem (Brann) 9 goals - Iris Omarsdottir (Stabæk), Karina Sævik (Vålerenga) 7 goals - Rakel Engesvik (Brann), Miljana Ivanovic (LSK), Elise Thorsnes (Vålerenga) 6 goals - Julie Klæboe (Røa), Marie Preus (Kolbotn) 5 goals - Johanna Renmark (Brann), Johanne Fridlund (Kolbotn), Jenny Røsholm Olsen (Lyn), Frøya Dorsin (Rosenborg) NEXT MATCHDAY - 17 Aug Kolbotn - LSK Kvinner Lyn - Røa Rosenborg - Brann Åsane - Stabæk Vålerenga - Arna Bjørnar
FT: Finland 1-1 Norway Norway conceeded the equalizing goal in the 98th minute, now winless in 4 games...
Norway should have been three goals up at half time. Unbelievable chances were squandered. The Sævik one in particular. The nine extra minutes were uncalled for. No VAR breaks. Still, there is no excuse for how Norway messed up towards the end inviting Finland back into a match they never looked competitive in. Big game coming up in Bergen against the Netherlands now. This group at least delivers on drama.
As far as team gripes go, this is minimal, but still ... The women's shirts don't have the gold stars on them. Not on the webstore and not on the shirts they actually wore. I don't know why. The shirt unveilings clearly had gold stars on the women's shirts. (Sorry for being AWOL. Work went to hell when I got back from Norway, then I got diagnosed with Crohn's not long after. It's been a weird and tiring 6 months.)