I was at the Rosenborg-Brann game, it was decent especially in the second half and Brann could have scored a few goals just like Rosenborg could have scored 2-3 more goals. I even spoke to Mathilde Harviken's parents after the game. On a sidenote, I'm not sure why Rugile Rulyte, the Rosenborg keeper, is always ignored when it comes to the Norwegian national team. She is much younger than all the standard call-ups in her position and even turned down Lithuania (where she was born and where she originally comes from) because she thought she had a better chance to be a regular squad member for Norway.
I think she also wanted to honor her first main club by moving back to Bergen to play for it but either way it is a bit humiliating for anybody to go from Chelsea to Arna-Bjørnar even if you're in your mid 30s and about to retire.
TOPPSERIEN 2024 - Matchday 23 It's been a while since the last update here. For the first time in a long time, we have highlight videos from a full round of Toppserien, but I'm curious whether the videos from TV2 are geoblocked outside Norway. Arna Bjørnar 0 - 0 Røa Brann 3 - 0 Stabæk Gaupset 24, Eikeland 47, Lie 53 Kolbotn 0 - 2 Åsane Kokosz 20, Sunde 82 Rosenborg 1 - 2 LSK Kvinner Berre 90 --- Woldvik 74, Kyvåg 90+2 Vålerenga 3 - 0 Lyn Kovacs 29, Arnesen 41, Sævik 53 Vålerenga are cruising and need only a win against Kolbotn next week to seal the title. Rosenborg are in free fall. They have lost five of the last six matches and thereby wasted their UWCL-chances. Brann have taken advantage of that slip-up and look certain to be back in Europe next season. Another story is LSK Kvinner's quest for survival. Their financial situation is so dire the club might fold before the end of the season. On the pitch, the players have performed admirably and beat Rosenborg today. TOP SCORERS 14 goals - Anna Aahjem (Brann) 11 goals - Karina Sævik (Vålerenga) 10 goals - Iris Omarsdottir (Stabæk), Olaug Tvedten (Vålerenga) 8 goals - Marie Preus (Kolbotn), Elise Thorsnes (Vålerenga) 7 goals - Rakel Engesvik (Brann), Signe Gaupset, Miljana Ivanovic (LSK), Thea Kyvåg (LSK), Julie Klæboe (Røa) NEXT MATCHDAY - 19 Oct LSK Kvinner - Arna Bjørnar Stabæk - Rosenborg Åsane - Røa Lyn - Brann Vålerenga - Kolbotn
I confirm that I can comfortably watch the videos from Italy, although I actually only entirely watched Vålerenga's highlights, because I am especially interested in them as rivals of Juventus in the Champions' League. It looks like what I've seen in Wedenesday's match is confirmed: Vålerenga are especially dangerous from Corner-Kick's actions and their best player is most probably Karina Sævik.
Janni Thomsen as a right wing-back and Sævik are the two best Vålerenga players, I think. Thea Bjelde in midfield could be mentioned as well. I thought Vålerenga were desperately unlucky to lose that game against Juve. It should at least have been a draw, but efficiency matters in UWCL.
Gemma Grainger has selected 23 players for the Euro qualifying play-off matches against Albania (25 Oct, Shkoder) and (29 Oct, Oslo). GOALKEEPERS Cecilie Fiskerstrand (Fiorentina) Aurora Mikalsen (Brann) Selma Panengstuen (Kolbotn) DEFENDERS Tuva Hansen (Bayern München) Guro Bergsvand (Brighton) Maren Mjelde (Arna Bjørnar) Marthine Østenstad (Brann) Thea Bjelde (Vålerenga) Emilie Woldvik (LSK Kvinner) Mathilde Harviken (Rosenborg) MIDFIELDERS Ingrid Engen (Barcelona) Vilde Bøe Risa (Atletico Madrid) Justine Kielland (Wolfsburg) Frida Maanum (Arsenal) Lisa Naalsund (Manchester United) Signe Gaupset (Brann) WINGERS/FORWARDS Karina Sævik (Vålerenga) Caroline Graham Hansen (Barcelona) Guro Reiten (Chelsea) Celin Bizet Ildhusøy (Manchester United) Elisabeth Terland (Manchester United) Sophie Roman Haug (Liverpool) Ada Hegerberg (Lyon)
Kinda ironic that Guro Pettersen was called up regularly when she had no club or zero playing time and now that she found a club and is playing regularly she isn't called up but instead Selma Panengstuen is.
Well, it's the third choice goalkeeper position we're talking about here. Panengstuen is up and coming where as Guro Pettersen is getting old and no longer the future. I can understand that decision. Unfortunately, Grainger didn't apply the same ideas in defence when selecting Maren Mjelde again. But at least Thorisdottir was dropped.
Arna Bjørnar signed her up on a free transfer as a last attempt to avoid relegation. Mjelde played there at the start of her career as well and her brother Eirik is head coach at the club. None of the top clubs in Toppserien offered her a contract, so I guess A-B or retirement were the only options for her.
Looks as usual like a very strong squad! From midfield and forward I would say it looks stronger than my Sweden, but the question is why have Norway flopped as much as they have the last years? While Sweden play like more than the sum of its parts I think that Norway does the opposite. Ofcource there's some managerial issues, but is it just that? Defence is ofcource the weak link and midfield, while strong, might not be that creative. OK that was just some speculations, glad to hear from someone who know this team.
There was a lot of drama between players and various coaches as well as tensions between players and the Norwegian football association for several years, it seems solved for now but you never know. Also you have several players who do not perform as well for Norway as they do for their clubs or have very inconsistent performances like Engen for instance.
It seems from my recollection that Ada would be out and CGH would play; then CGH would be out and Ada would play, etc. Never enough cohesiveness for any stretch of time.
Solveig Gulbrandsen quits her job at TV2. "Jeg er glad for å slippe å følge norsk landslagsfotball såpass tett, for det har vært fryktelig tungt i mange år nå. Akkurat det handler jo om den baksiden som man kjenner på. Det er tungt når ting ikke går bra, og man virkelig ønsker at det skal gå bra. Det er kanskje det verste." I mean, I get it. I so, so, soooo get it.
Dire, never heard an expert commentator, in this case also a norwegian football legend, in football being relieved to leave because of bad results for their NT. I guess things can only get better for Norway..
Solveig Guldrandsen, one of Norway's top players of all time, gold medal winner, etc.: "So, what's it like being the worst Norwegian women's team in the history of the program? While also being the best paid among all the national teams ever? How's that cushy club job going? Did you decide to slum it up with the nats out of boredom, or ... Oh! So you're saying you care about the team? Funny, your performance on the pitch today says otherwise ..." To the coach: "90% of your team plays abroad professionally, with many being key players for those teams, you have at least 3 of the very top players in not only their domestic leagues but also the Champions League, and you give us ... this?" To Klaveness: "Soooooo ..." :gestures vaguely, follows with a shrug: Yeah, that's a rough career. Especially when you know so many of the ones you're interviewing on a personal level. Imagine how tough the interviews with Hege Riise and Klaveness must have been.
TOPPSERIEN 2024 - Matchday 24 LSK Kvinner 2 - 2 Arna Bjørnar Kyvåg 2, Hjelmhaug 23 --- Sælen 64, Andresen 74 Stabæk 3 - 1 Rosenborg Isaksen 2, 55, Omarsdottir 7 --- Rogde 78 Åsane 1 - 0 Røa Seim 80 Lyn 1 - 3 Brann Holmen 15 --- Aahjem 20, Østenstad 25(p), Engesvik 66 Vålerenga 3 - 0 Kolbotn Sævik 15, Tvedten 31, 63 Vålerenga were crowned Toppserien champions on Sunday with three matchdays to go. Everything seems settled already. Brann finish second and return to UWCL. Arna-Bjørnar go down, Åsane will have to play-off against a team from tier two to stay up. Rosenborg coach Robin Shroot can't be far away from being sacked now. The've lost ten matches in the league including four in a row, but they did knock out Atletico Madrid from the UWCL. Go figure! TOP SCORERS 15 goals - Anna Aahjem (Brann) 12 goals - Karina Sævik (Vålerenga), Olaug Tvedten (Vålerenga) 11 goals - Iris Omarsdottir (Stabæk) 9 goals - Amalie Eikeland (Brann) 8 goals - Rakel Engesvik (Brann), Marie Preus (Kolbotn), Thea Kyvåg (LSK), Elise Thorsnes (Vålerenga) 7 goals - Signe Gaupset, Miljana Ivanovic (LSK), Julie Klæboe (Røa) NEXT MATCHDAY - 2/3 November Brann - Vålerenga Arna Bjørnar - Lyn Kolbotn - LSK Kvinner Rosenborg - Åsane Røa - Stabæk
Caroline Graham Hansen will attend the Ballon d'Or award show in Paris on Monday even if it's the night before the decisive play off match against Albania in Oslo. NFF will charter a private plane for her. I can't imagine she will go through all that unless she has been told she will win.
Quite impressive for Norway if Graham Hansen win. Then you are the only country together with Spain with 2 different winner. My Sweden have never even had a player in top3 and this season we aint even got players nominated for the prize. Quite astonishing btw that Graham Hansen wasn't even nominated last year and has never been actually, while know she seem like the clear winner. Things changes fast,, Speaking of fast hadn't had a single nominated player before 2021, but has since then won every year
I'm pretty sure she can afford to miss the Albania game, yes it's a decisive match but it's not like Norway aren't expected to go through no matter what especially with the first game being in Albania where they won 7-0 in 2021.
Manuela Giugliano has been nominated this year, and Italian journalists following women's football are so excited that they mention that at least a dozen time at every comment of a Roma's game!
Woops, Spain fell of the sentence, it should read "Spain hadn't had a single nominated player before 2021" Yea,big one for you and a sign of better days for italian football, but to be fair Sweden have had 6 more players nominated since ballon'dor started so it's ok , Norway just 3 btw.