Sunday, 29 April 2007

2007.04.29 – League match – Fredrikstad - Viking – 2-0

Vikings worst display resulted in the season’s first defeat as Fredrikstad ran out 2-0 winners at home.

The visitors from Stavanger were never in the match and had a disastrous first half as Fredrikstad won every ball and played havoc with the Viking defence for 45 minutes. The home sides’ quick strikers Tarik Elyounoussi and Ismael Fofana took advantage of the big spaces behind the visiting defensive line, and it was only a good Iven Austbø in the dark blues goal that kept the defeat from being even worse.

Viking manager Uwe Rösler felt the team embarrassed everybody, including themselves. Rösler said: “It was only the goalkeeper, our two strikers and the substitutes Razak Pimpong and Thomas Pereira that have played at an acceptable level today. The rest were awful.”

Fredrikstad took the lead on 18 minutes when usually reliable defender Ragnvald Soma lost the ball in the middle of the park, and big spaces opened up at the back. Elyounoussi ran onto the pass and slotted the ball into the far corner. Five minutes later it was 2-0, when fullback Andres Prytz struck a 35 yard free-kick into the top corner. A brilliant goal that Viking goalkeeper Iven Austbø had no chance stopping.

The rest of the match was uneventful and Viking rarely managed to get the ball in front of the opposition goal. Viking captain Nikolai Stokholm could only apologies for the performance. Stokholm said: “We were not on the pitch in the first half, so they deserved to lead. Now we must pick ourselves up and come back stronger.”

Viking manager Uwe Rösler warns the players ahead of next week saying: “I hope the players have learnt something today. We are going to have a tough week of training to sort this mess out”

Match Facts
Fredrikstad FK – Viking FK 2-0 (2-0)
Goals: 1-0 Tarik Elyounoussi (18), 2-0 Anders Prytz (23)
Yellow Cards: Anders Prytz, Patrik Gerrbrand, Pål Andre Czwartek, Miika Multaharju (Fredrikstad), Hannes Sigurdsson, Nikolai Stokholm, Jørgen Tengesdal (Viking)
Attendance: 12 089
Referee: Kristoffer Helgerud

Fredrikstad (4-4-2) – Rami Shaaban – Pål Andre Czwartek, Patrik Gerrbrand, Vidar Martinsen, Anders Prytz (Miikka Multaharju 74) – John Anders Bjørkøy, Hans Erik Ramberg, Ciaran Martyn, Raymond Kvisvik (Øyvind Hoås 60) – Tarik Elyounoussi, Ismael Fofana (Brian West 84)

Viking (4-4-2) – Iven Austbø – Jørgen Tengesdal, Børre Steenslid, Ragnvald Soma, Øyvind Svenning (Thomas Pereira 24) – Søren Berg, Nikolai Stokholm, Jone Samuelsen, Andre Danielsen (Birkir Bjarnason 36) (Razak Pimpong 65) – Peter Ijeh, Hannes Sigurdsson

League Table (After 4 matches)
1.Lillestrøm, 10pts (GD 8-2)
2.Brann, 9pts (8-5)
3.Rosenborg, 7pts (9-6)
4.Fredrikstad, 7pts (8-7)
5.Sandefjord, 7pts (5-4)
6.Start, 6pts (7-5)
7.Lyn Oslo, 6pts (8-7)
8.Stabæk, 5pts (4-4)
9.Strømsgodset, 5pts (4-5)
10.Tromsø, 4pts (6-7)
11.Odd Grenland, 3pts (5-6)
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12.Viking, 3pts (2-4)
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13.Vålerenga, 2pts (2-6)
14.Aalesund, 1pts (5-13)

Sunday, 22 April 2007

2007.04.22 – League match – Viking - Sandefjord – 0-0

The home crowd demanded three points, but witnessed a match in which Viking dominated but failed to find the back of the net.

Viking manager Uwe Rösler was obviously frustrated with the result and said “It was just one of those days. We created loads of great chances, but are finishing was not good enough. We are very disappointed with only one point.”

The first half-an-hour saw Viking dominate completely with Nikolai Stokholm, Jone Samuelsen and Razak Pimpong all with good opportunities. The only shot on target though was on 22 minutes when Vikings Andre Danielsen unleashed a powerful shot at goal, but the visitor’s goalkeeper Espen Bugge Pettersen got his fingertips on the ball and deflected it just wide of the top corner. Sandefjord had a big chance to take an undeserved lead near the end of the half, but Samuel Isaksens shot was saved easily by Iven Austbø.

Viking continued to create chances in the second half, but with the same result. Nine minutes into the half Viking had their biggest chance to score, but Nigerian striker Peter Ijeh managed to put the ball on the wrong side of the post from six yards out. The carelessness in front of goal continued after this with Øyvind Svenning, Søren Berg and Andre Danielsen all blasting their shots wide of the visitor’s goal.

Then with seven minutes left it looked like the home crowd was finally going to have something to celebrate. Øyvind Svennings cross was defelcted into the path of Icelandic striker Hannes Sigurdsson, and when everybody in the ground could see the ball on its way onto the strikers head, Peter Ijeh popped up in front of Sigurdsson and blasted the ball over the crossbar. The frustration could be heard all around Viking Stadium, but the match ended in a stalemate at 0-0.

After the match Viking manager Uwe Rösler felt the only thing he could fault his players for was their finishing. Rösler said “We were unlucky and I feel sorry for the players. On a normal day, Peter (Ijeh) would have scored two or three, so lets just hope this was a one-off”

Match Facts
Viking FK – Sandefjord Fotball 0-0

Yellow Cards: Birger Madsen, Adriano, Espen Bugge Pettersen (Sandefjord)
Attendance: 14 368
Referee: Tom Henning Øvrebø

Viking (4-4-2) – Iven Austbø – Jørgen Tengesdal, Børre Steenslid, Ragnvald Soma, Øyvind Svenning (Peter Abelsson 87) – Søren Berg, Nikolai Stokholm, Jone Samuelsen, Andre Danielsen (Alexander Ødegaard 77) – Peter Ijeh, Razak Pimpong (Hannes Sigurdsson 45)

Sandefjord (4-4-2) – Espen Bugge Pettersen – Martin Jensen, Birger Madsen, Fredrik Kjølner, Sampo Koskinen (Olav Zanetti 73), Ebrima Sohna (Jon Andre Røyrane 78), Tommy Knarvik, Kari Arkivuo, Samuel Isaksen – Adriano (Mikael Andersson 80), Andreas Tegström

League Table (After 3 matches)
1.Brann, 9pts (GD 8-2)
2.Lillestrøm, 7pts (5-1)
3.Lyn Oslo, 6pts (7-4)
4.Start, 5pts (6-4)
5.Rosenborg, 4pts (6-6)
6.Tromsø, 4pts (5-5)
7.Sandefjord, 4pts (3-3)
8.Stabæk, 4pts (3-3)
9.Fredrikstad, 4pts (6-7)
10.Strømsgodset, 4pts (4-5)
11.Viking, 3pts (2-2)
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12.Vålerenga, 1pts (2-6)
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13.Aalesund, 1pts (5-10)
14.Odd Grenland, 0pts (2-6)

Sunday, 15 April 2007

2007.04.15 – League match – Start - Viking – 1-1

The opening match at Starts new home, Sør Arena, ended in a draw and Vikings Søren Berg wrote himself into the history books.

It was a poor first half in Kristiansand and the awful pitch led to the players struggling to find their feet. Nine minutes into the match Starts Fredrik Strømstad was brought down in the area by dark blues left back, Øyvind Svenning and Swedish striker Stefan Bärlin was given a great opportunity to score the first ever goal at Sør Arena. However, Bärlin could not handle the pressure and his penalty went miles over the crossbar into the celebrating Viking fans behind the goal.

The visitors from Stavanger came close on 21 minutes when Peter Ijeh was a whisker away from getting on the end of Hannes Sigurdssons header, but neither Start or Viking created much and the teams went into the break deadlocked at 0-0.

The second half was just as uneventful as the first and it wasn’t until the last fifteen minutes that things started to happen. In the 74th minute Vikings Danish forward Søren Berg became the first player to score at Sør Arena when the home sides’ goalkeeper Rune Nilssen misjudged a free-kick from the right and collided with Hannes Sigurdsson in the area. The ball fell out to Berg who elegantly headed the ball over Nilssen and the ball rolled into the back of the net, sending the 800 traveling Vikings supporters into ecstasy.

However, the celebrations were short lived as a misunderstanding in the dark blues defence led to Starts Ygor Marciel Santiago arriving in the area unmarked, and he connected with a cross from the left to equalize for the home side.

This sparked the home side into pushing for the winner and Vikings goalkeeper Iven Austbø made two wonderful saves to keep the visitors in the match. Right at the death, Jone Samuelsen and Nikolai Stokholm had chances to steal the points but both dark blues midfielders sent the balls high and wide, leading to a share of the points in the first ever encounter at Starts new home.

After the match is was alleged from Viking star Peter Ijeh that Starts Kristoffer Hæstad made racial remarks towards the Nigerian striker, but both clubs have decided to put the incident behind them and get on with football matters.

Match Facts
IK Start – Viking FK 1-1 (0-0)

Goals: 0-1 Søren Berg (74), 1-1 Ygor Marciel Santiago (75)
Yellow Cards: Bjarte Lunde Aarsheim (Start)
Attendance: 14 448
Referee: Tommy Skjerven

Start (4-3-3) – Rune Nilssen – Steinar Pedersen, Atle Roar Håland, Ygor Marcel Santiago, Kristoffer Paulsen – Anthony Annan (Bjarte Lunde Aarsheim 70), Fredrik Strømstad, Kristofer Hæstad – Morten Hæstad, Stefan Bärlin, Espen Børufsen (David Nielsen 61)

Viking (4-4-2) – Iven Austbø – Maurice Ross (Jørgen Tengesdal 84), Børre Stenslid, Ragnvald Soma, Øyvind Svenning – Søren Berg, Jone Samuelsen, Nicolai Stokholm, André Danielsen – Peter Ijeh, Hannes Sigurdsson

League Table (After 2 matches)
1.Lillestrøm, 6pts (GD 4-0)
2.Brann, 6pts (4-1)
3.Start, 4pts (5-3)
4.Rosenborg, 4pts (5-4)
5.Lyn Oslo, 3pts (4-3)
6.Tromsø, 3pts (4-4)
7.Sandefjord, 3pts (3-3)
8.Fredrikstad, 3pts (3-4)
9.Strømsgodset, 3pts (3-4)
10.Viking, 2pts (2-2)
11.Stabæk, 1pts (1-2)
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12.Vålerenga, 1pts (1-2)
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13.Odd Grenland, 0pts (1-3)
14.Aalesund, 0pts (2-7)

Monday, 9 April 2007

2007.04.09 – League match – Viking - Rosenborg – 1-1

Viking and Rosenborg shared the points in the season opener at Viking Stadium in Stavanger.

Nigerian striker Peter Ijeh picked up from where he left off last season and gave Viking the lead in the first half, but with eight minutes to go Marek Sapara equalised for the visitors from Trondheim.

Little happened in the first 20 minutes, until Viking captain Nikolai Stokholms free-kick found Birkir Bjarnason in a good position, but the Icelandic youngster put the shot miles over the bar. The visitors turned up the pace in the next ten minutes and both Roar Strand and Steffen Iversen came close for Rosenborg.

Then on the half hour, Vikings Nigerian striker Peter Ijeh got the ball in the middle of the park and after running half the length of the pitch, Ijeh sent a low hard shot from 25 yards towards the far corner of the goal and it flew in off the post.

For the remaining fifteen minutes of the half, Viking dominated and created a couple of big chances. Both Søren Berg and Jone Samuelsen should have taken their chances, but Viking went into the break leading by the single goal.

In the second half Viking started well, but didn’t create too much in front of goal. The first chance fell to Rosenborgs Didier Konan, whose shot was saved superbly by goalkeeper Iven Austbø.

Both teams were playing great attacking football now, but it was looking like it was going to be one of those days for the visitors as they couldn’t find the back of the net.

Then with eight minutes to go, Rosenborgs Slovakian international Marek Sapara sent a free-kick towards the Vikings goal. The shot deflected of the wall and sent Vikings goalkeeper Iven Austbø the wrong way, and the ball flew into the far top corner giving Rosenborg their deserved equalizer.

The home team pushed for the winner, but Andre Danielsen and Razak Pimpong could not take their chances, and the match ended with a goal and a point a piece.

Viking manager Uwe Rosler was pleased after the match and saw no difference between his side and last years league champions.

Rosler said: “The match showed that we can compete with the champions, which gives us a lot of confidence.

Vikings central defender Ragnvald Soma had hoped that they could have kept all the points, but he found many positives to take from the game.

Soma said: “The goal we conceded was really unlucky and irritating. It would have been great to have got off to a winning start, but I feel that this year’s team is better than last seasons and that each player knows what is expected of them.”

Match Facts
Viking FK – Rosenborg BK 1-1 (1-0)

Goals: 1-0 Peter Ijeh (32), 1-1 Marek Sapara (82).
Yellow Cards: Peter Ijeh (Viking), Miika Koppinen (Rosenborg)
Attendance: 16 030
Referee: Roy Helge Olsen, Flekkerøy.

Viking (4-4-2): Iven Austbø – Maurice Ross, Børre Steenslid, Ragnvald Soma, Øyvind Svenning – Birkir Bjarnason (Jørgen Tengesdal 46), Nikolai Stokholm, Jone Samuelsen (André Danielsen 90), Søren Berg – Hannes Sigurdsson (Razak Pimpong 87), Peter Ijeh.

Rosenborg (4-3-3): Lars Hirschfeld – Fredrik Stoor, Mika Koppinen, Alejandro Lago (Bjørn Tore Kvarme 38), Mikael Dorsin – Roar Strand, Marek Sapara, Per Ciljan Skjelbred (Vidar Riseth 46) – Didier Konan, Steffen Iversen, Abodoulrazak Traoré (Daniel Braaten 69).

League Table
1.Lillestrøm, 3pts (GD 3-0)
2.Lyn Oslo, 3pts (3-0)
3.Start, 3pts (4-2)
4.Strømsgodset, 3pts (2-1)
5.Brann, 3pts (1-0)
6.Tromsø, 3pts (1-0)
7.Rosenborg, 1pts (1-1)
8.Viking, 1pts (1-1)
9.Odd Grenland, 0pts (1-2)
10.Stabæk, 0pts (0-1)
11.Vålerenga, 0pts (0-1)
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12.Aalesund, 0pts (2-4)
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13.Fredrikstad, 0pts (0-3)
14.Sandefjord, 0pts (0-3)