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Saturday, September 2 |
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FOOTBALL EUROPE: Rosenborg rising to the bait
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Rosenborg BK are back in the Norwegian title race despite coach Per-Mathias Høgmo being on sick leave for two months.
Tørum form
The Trondheim team won the league for 13 years running between 1991 and 2004, and having lost their crown to Vålerenga IF in 2005, could be starting a new run this term. Caretaker Knut Tørum has steered Rosenborg to three straight victories as well as to a Norwegian Cup quarter-final success against Viking FK. Sandefjord Fotball await in the semis.
Self-effacing
"The success is mainly down to the players. They have responded well, and we are now playing with a lot of confidence," said Tørum. Key men like Vidar Riseth and Steffen Iversen have heaped so much praise on the stand-in that the Rosenborg management saw fit to remind them that Høgmo is still coach. The club have also been helped by Alexander Tettey's emergence as a midfield talent to match Per Ciljan Skjelbred. The youngsters are regarded as two of Norwegian football's brightest prospects.
Shaky form
Pacesetters SK Brann and Lillestrøm SK had appeared to be running away at the top of the table, but both have been giving away points left, right and centre. The fight for gold now seems to be between Brann, Lillestrøm, Rosenborg and surprise package Stabæk IF. Lillestrøm have had numerous chances to take pole but have been thwarted by an inability to defend leads. Their latest setback came in a 3-3 draw at SFK Lyn Oslo on 23 August, where Lillestrøm conceded in the fourth minute of added time. "I couldn't bear to watch when Lyn attacked for the last time," sighed coach Uwe Rösler. "I knew what was coming. I think that's eleven points we have thrown away in the closing minutes of games." Things are even tighter at the bottom. With nine matches remaining, the gap between Vålerenga in seventh and last-placed Molde FK is five points. Only the top six look to be safe from the drop. |
posted by ^%&^
@ 8:24 PM
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