The Glimt captain steered in the winning goal from close range in front of the VIF cage. Ahead of the pass, Victor Boniface trampled past a couple of opponents.
A few minutes before, Ola Solbakken missed the penalty mark. A weak attempt was saved by Vålerenga’s goalkeeper debutant Magnus Sjøeng (20).
The referee pointed to the chalk mark when Hugo Vetlesen went to the ground after a duel with Petter Strand. From the sidelines, a pressured Vålerenga coach Dag-Eilev Fagermo shouted angrily that there was no penalty.
Målsky
Vålerenga is in acute sporting trouble a day after going seven straight games in the Elite Series without a win. The next settlement at home against jumbo-placed Kristiansund on July 10 will be very important.
– We are in a period of adversity, so we have to say it so that today we were up to our best against a good team. In the situation we have been in, it is a strong achievement from us. The challenges were the same as we have had. We do not score goals, and we had a number of opportunities that should have been used better, Fagermo told NRK.
There was a long way between the good attacks on Valle in Oslo. Vålerenga effectively stopped Glimt’s offensive, and for a long time the match was very slow.
The hosts had their best approach early in the second half. Amor Layouni then had a third chance at scoring, but a last ditch challenge made sure that he didnt. Henrik Bjørdal put the return ball aside for goal.
Uredd debutant
Sjøeng also excelled with a positive sign before the break. After just over half an hour, he kept up with two reactionary saves on the rap. The youngster also had an important intervention in the 80th minute, and shortly after he also stopped Solbakken’s penalty.
But the effort should not keep advancing in the cup.
– It is of course a tough period for the team, but I also feel that we play good football. We just can not put the ball in goal, Sjøeng told NRK after the match.
He got the chance after Vålerenga in the middle of the week sold the first choice Kjetil Haug to French Toulouse. The 20-year-old will guard the goal for the blue-clad at least until the transition market opens on 1 August.