Time to highlight this season's top scorer: Ajara Njoya (Vålerenga) - 10 goals It's by far the lowest ever goal tally for a top scorer in Toppserien, which underlines a tight season with few blow-out scorelines. But Njoya actually scored four in one of these unusual games against Klepp which is included in the video. I thought Rosenborg's Marit Clausen would end up topping the charts this summer, but she suddenly stopped scoring in September. Other golden boot candidates were never truly in the race for various reasons. - Lisa-Marie Utland struggled all season from her awkward wing position, but scored six goals in the end after a decent run-in. - Kennya Cordner didn't look as sharp as last season and had injury problems. - Synne Jensen scored 16 goals for Røa last year and looked fine in pre-season now, but stopped at only three goals for the champions despite playing a full season. A bit disappointing. - Runa Lillegård missed nearly the entire season for Lyn through injury, but brought life to the title race for a short while with her two splendid goals which beat Vålerenga. The sky is the limit for this 19 y/o, barring injuries. - Isabell Herlovsen retired just before the season started. - Elise Thorsnes had a good season for a 32 year old with her 8 goals. - Sophie Haug had a poor 2019 season for LSK and my expectations for her were quite moderate, but she redeemed herself a bit with 8 goals this year. - Camilla Linberg, Lyn, was the big surprise on nine goals, five of those came against top 4 teams, more than any other player in the league. She will join LSK next season. Toppserien top scorers from the last 10 years: 2019 - Kennya Cordner (Sandviken) - 17 goals 2018 - Guro Reiten (LSK) - 21 goals 2017 - Guro Reiten (LSK) - 18 goals 2016 - Isabell Herlovsen (LSK) - 30 goals 2015 - Isabell Herlovsen (LSK) - 19 goals 2014 - Debinha (Avaldsnes) - 20 goals 2013 - Elise Thorsnes (Stabæk) - 19 goals 2012 - Isabell Herlovsen (LSK) - 25 goals 2011 - Elise Thorsnes (Røa) - 27 goals 2010 - Lise Klaveness (Stabæk) - 21 goals
Wow, I didn't remember that Debinha had played in Norway! One of the strongest players around in the women's game, if you ask me.
Yeah, what a player Debinha was (and still is!). I can't find much footage from goals in her Norway days. Avaldsnes only finished fifth in that 2014 season when she was top scorer. Too bad she missed most of the 2015 season with injuries. Would have been interesting to see if LSK could have been knocked off the perch with a fit Debinha when Avaldsnes also had Adrianna Franch, Casey Short, Leticia Santos, Maren Mjelde, Frida Magnusdottir, Cecilie Pedersen and Luana in 2015. LSK won Toppserien by five points to Avaldsnes that year.
15 minutes left, available outside Norway... had no idea, have been watching English WSL games all morning: https://tv.nrk.no/serie/fotball-nm-kvinner/202012/MSPO32700220/avspiller Still 0-0 anyone's Cup.
Heading to extra time. Wish I didn't have to run out. Vålerenga clearly controlling play and LSK looking to bag on the counter but don't have the personnel to do it. Ida Norstrøm looks strong in the pipes for LSK.
NM Cup Final, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo Vålerenga 2 - 0 LSK Kvinner 1-0 Ajara Njoya 102 2-0 Marie Dølvik Markussen 105 The domestic season came to an end with the traditional cup final. Never has it been held as late as Saint Lucy's Day. It was a tense cup final between two arch rival clubs which went to extra-time. LSK had done their homework and learnt from the two clear defeats against Vålerenga in Toppserien. LSK did what they could to prevent Vålerenga from achieving "the double", but Vålerenga's extra quality became obvious as the game unfolded. The first half was rather stale, and LSK lost centre-back Ina Gausdal through injury. Justine Vanhaevermaet was pulled back to cover for her, which weakened LSK's midfield considerably. The bench players made the difference for Vålerenga in extra-time. Sigrid Heien Hansen set up Ajara Njoya nicely for the first goal, before Marie Dølvik Markussen scored arguably the goal of the season. She turned and shook off one defender, then advanced forward before firing an unstoppable shot from long range in off the post in the top corner. Vålerenga could lift King Harald's cup. A well-deserved double triumph for this team. [Full match and celebrations on NRK]
Nice highlights: what initially confused me is that I didn't get that they had cameras on both sides of the pitch and they were switching sides during the same half! It was actually a plus, since it multiplied the available angles for each action, but I guess we're too much used to having a clear direction per half for each team, to embrace this change right away and without wavering. Oh, yes: do I remember well that in Nordic countries Saint Lucy's Day is even more important that Christmas? (It was somehow similar in some parts of Northern Italy, until some dozens of years ago).
It is important but not as important as Yule (aka Christmas). That is in Sweden who I think is kind of the center for Nordic Saint Lucy's celebration and where Yule and Midsummer is in class by themselves and all other celberations is dwarfed by them.
Not more important than Christmas, but when I grew up we certainly made a big deal of Saint Lucy's Day at school. We had Lucia parades going from classroom to classroom. The Lucia girl dressed in all white would lead the parade wearing a crown on her head with lit candles, and then others like the "star boys" would follow in her wake handing out lussekatter (Lucia's cats). I have actually eaten a lussekatt today. Very tasty. But for me it's weird to witness a cup final that late on the calendar. Most years the pitch would be covered in snow in mid december, but we've had a soft winter this year, thankfully.
The right team won, had LSK stolen it in PKs it would have been unjust. Kudos to LSK for holding them 90 minutes. After that the Vålerenga bench can bring on the fresh legs of Sigrid Heien Hansen, Rikki Nygard and Marie Dølvik Markussen as well as three others. Outside their 18th minute injury replacement, LSK only had two they felt comfortable with, one of whom was a long-absent Cathrine Dekkerhus. LSK reminded me of watching Brighton & Hove hold Chelsea Ladies to a slim one goal win today. The same Chelsea with 11 of the Top 100 female footballers, more than any club in the world including Lyon. And most people can barely name a Brighton player. Yet they ground out a brilliant game plan and nearly nabbed the draw late. Hege Riise and Hope Powell both came away empty handed today but IMHO had better performances than their counterparts. Who were the last team to hold the crown besides LSK? The black and blue of the promoted Stabaek back in 2013. Everything old is new again.
A few more transfers have been confirmed in recent weeks. Sandviken are the winners on the market so far, and Klepp the losers. But plenty of business still to be done. Arna Bjørnar IN: Milena Kokosz (fw, Åsane), Kamilla Aabel (df, Røa) OUT: Pia Rijsdijk (fw, Napoli), Augustine Siliki (df, FC d’Ebolowa), Teagan Micah (gk, Melbourne City) Avaldsnes IN: OUT: Katrina Gorry (mf, Brisbane Roar) Klepp IN: OUT: Marthine Østenstad (df, Sandviken), Tuva Hansen (df, Sandviken), Elisabeth Terland (mf/fw, Sandviken), Nicole Stanton (mf, back to USA), Matilde Rogde (fw, Rosenborg), Isabella Hayes (fw, pregnant) Kolbotn IN: OUT: Nikola Orgill (df, Western Sydney Wanderers) LSK Kvinner IN: Mimmi Löfwenius (fw, Lyn), Camilla Linberg (fw, Lyn) OUT: Silje Kittilsen (mf, Fart) Lyn IN: OUT: Mimmi Löfwenius (fw, LSK Kvinner), Camilla Linberg (fw, LSK Kvinner) Rosenborg IN: Matilde Rogde (fw, Klepp) OUT: Rakel Engesvik (mf, Sandviken) Sandviken IN: Marthine Østenstad (df, Klepp), Tuva Hansen (df, Klepp), Elisabeth Terland (mf/fw, Klepp), Rakel Engesvik (mf, Rosenborg) OUT: Stabæk IN: Linn Huseby (mf, Røa) OUT: Vålerenga IN: Camilla Huseby (df, Djurgården) OUT: Sherida Spitse (mf, Ajax)
^ thank you, appreciate that, have been wondering about movement lately. I think the total package Kamilla Aabel brings has been really underestimated and Arna-Bjørnar will be very pleased with her presence. Does anyone remember who this is? I know they are both unrelated and both went on to play for the national team but can't for the life of me remember who it is.
It looks like the Vålerenga Champions League away leg in Denmark is now postponed as well. Vålerenga had said they emailed UEFA and have heard nothing about Brøndby being unable to field a team and are scheduled to travel to Denmark tomorrow (Tuesday). But Brøndby say they cannot compete because they have four positives and eleven players who have been in contact with them. They say they cannot field junior players because all youth sports have stopped in Denmark. UEFA are listing the games as February 7th and 14th: UEFA can confirm that the round of 32 second leg Brøndby (DEN) vs Vålerenga (NOR), scheduled for Wednesday 16 December in Brøndby, has been postponed. This follows the announcement last week that the first leg between the two teams, planned for 10 December in Oslo, could not take place as scheduled. Both clubs have requested that the 1st and 2nd legs of the tie in question be rearranged to take place on the following dates: 7 February 2021: Vålerenga vs Brøndby. 14 February 2021: Brøndby vs Vålerenga. UEFA has agreed to this request. You have to feel for Vålerenga who were ready to compete against a terrible match calendar.
Couple more tidbits... Vålerenga's stopper Ingibjörg Sigurdardóttir is voted Toppserien Player of the Year. And it wasn't Marie Dølvik Markussen's first royal appearance. Here she is as a 12-year old from Tromsø demonstrating "around the world" in front of the King:
Two big changes in the market since I posted the transfer set-up yesterday. Avaldsnes have re-signed Giovanna "Gio" de Oliveira from Santos. She was such a success for them as a winger in 2019. Can also play defence. Avaldsnes have been without Brazilian influence this season and it has just felt weird. Good to have her back. And this morning, a surprise: Marit Clausen, who scored nine goals in Toppserien for Rosenborg, has reportedly decided to not extend her contract and is open for transfer. My theory on this: Coach Steinar Lein has seen how Lisa-Marie Utland cannot properly fill that right wing role in his 4-2-3-1 system. New signing Matilde Rogde from Klepp is much better equipped for that and will play there instead. Lein is moving Utland up front which fits her the best. That leaves Clausen with the choice to accept a bench role or move on. She is choosing the latter and is open for new clubs.
Not many other options up in Trondheim. Choosing to walk has lifestyle and financial implications. If she enjoys home and the city perhaps she will just pack it in, or play lower league, or find another sport.
She has options, I'm sure. Other Toppserien clubs will certainly be interested in signing her when she is out of contract. Clausen is only 24. I'm reading now in a local Trondheim newspaper that foreign clubs have been in touch with her. Atletico Madrid is mentioned. We'll see what happens.
That's fantastic. She's at that age where many can afford to live marginally on the limited income most female footballers outside marquis national players can reign in. I hope that's not the case and she can make enough to live well and not crammed in with five other players and scraping by. On the other hand if her or anyone else has overarching career or family ties that bind, pivoting into other athletic directions isn't the end of the world and can sometimes work out well. I know a number of women locally who hit a wall in the sport and reached higher levels and had great experiences in other sports. Champions and heroes bubble up to the top wherever they are.
I don't necessarily disagree with that choice. She has been vital to Vålerenga's solid defence all season and has also contributed with important goals, but Awards season is quite confusing this time. Publications are pointing in different directions regarding these prizes. Vålerenga's supporters club gave their PotY prize to Sherida Spitse. It can’t have been easy. I would struggle myself to pick out one this year. We’ve had many high performing players, but not one who has been head and shoulders above everybody else, I think. Toppserien – Player of the Year NFF / Toppfotball Kvinner: Ingibjörg Sigurdardottir (Vålerenga) NF Kvinner: Camilla Linberg (Lyn) Kvinnefotballmagasinet: Julie Blakstad (Rosenborg) Toppserien – Young Player of the Year NFF / Toppfotball Kvinner: Elin Sørum (Rosenborg) NF Kvinner: Emilie Joramo (Rosenborg)
Yeah it's a really tough call. Sherida Spitse had a really great year but has a great supporting cast around her. I wouldn't want to be the one to have to make a decision. I am not sure what the exact nature of each award is... sometimes like the MVP in hockey (the Hart Award) it is given to the "player judged most valuable to his team." So in essence they are weighing your supporting cast. I'm not a big fan of individual awards in general, they're usually handed out by people who haven't even seen 25% of the play. Or sometimes like the Guardian's Top 100 where that's probably not even 5%. I think it's safe to say it's an inexact science. Sometimes it can work in your favour and sometimes not. A bit like Vegas.
Champions League, Round of 32 - 2nd leg LSK Kvinner 0 - 1 FC Minsk 0-1 Anastasia Skorynina 72 The decimated LSK project is stumbling through in Europe winning 2-1 on aggregate. Their terrible season somewhat ended on a high note despite a defeat. Three key players missed the game through injuries (Eide Lie, Gausdal and Wilmann) plus a number of players out of position, including a teenage centre-back forced to play on the wing in the second half. Many players probably suffered from fatigue after the cup final Sunday night which went to extra-time. For long stretches this was an eventless match. LSK just wanted to let the clock tick down while using minimum of energy. But the game took off when Minsk suddenly scored. The Belarus team really deserved a second goal towards the end, and had they got it, LSK probably would have faded in extra-time. It's quite telling that Minsk, the away team, had more substitutes available on the bench than LSK. Coach Hege Riise, in her last game in charge, got a ticket to the last 16 in the Champions League as farewell present. The new signings will be available in the next round and hopefully the injury situation has improved.
Great assessment. Yeah they would have been deep in the bag after that intense 120 in the Cup final. Glad they escaped it and survived, hopeful for a wonderful draw in the 16. But whoever comes out of the pot of the eight seeded teams, the games of their lives may still not be enough. With Fiorentina taking out Slavia Praha there will be no lightweights in the seeded teams and it could well be Lyon, Wolfsburg, Barcelona, PSG, Bayern, Man City, Chelsea and Rosengård. I really hope I'm wrong but I don't know that they have the horses to take down any of those. Perhaps in a one-game winner take all they could bunker and counter, but over two legs that will catch up on you. So perhaps something like Barcelona in late February where it can be quite sunny and warm would be a silver lining. And hopefully Vålerenga can manage Brøndby (unless there is another outbreak or other reason) as that would make two teams from the country in the last 16. If they can go through as well it's quite an accomplishment for a league that has lost most of it's national players abroad.
Ada Hegerberg extends her contract with Lyon until 2024 "I hope this sends a message. I'm still here and I will not slow down. The next years will be my best." "I know some players have backed out of joining Lyon. I don't think they know what they're missing. Some have used the club to get better contracts elsewhere. But Lyon is number one and will remain so." She is still not at match fitness, but will announce when her comeback is getting close.
No sooner do we mention the experience/maturity gap and then Elise Thorsnes signs for Vålerenga: https://www.aftenposten.no/sport/fotball/i/GaPVQQ/elise-thorsnes-klar-for-vaalerenga