June 22, 2025
With all of the winter seasons in Europe over, it was now the time for the 12 Europe leagues that have summer seasons to come under Fatbear’s spotlight. Norway’s Eliteserien has featured in these diaries on four previous occasions, the last of which was in December 2024, when Haugesund overcame Moss in the promotion/relegation play-off.
https://fatbearssportingdiaries.blogspot.com/2024/12/moss-fk-0-0-fk-haugesund-att-3500-est.html
Today’s Sunday lunchtime fixture saw a meeting of two sides who would have had expectations of being higher in the table at this stage of the season, as 12th placed Valerenga hosted 11th placed Molde, who were higher in the table by virtue of a better goal difference.
Valerenga IF
Valerenga IF is a multi-sports club in the capital Oslo which was founded in 1913, and named after the district of Oslo they were located in.
Valerenga have won 5 national league titles, the last of which was in 2005, and they won the Norwegian Cup for the fourth time in 2008. Relegation was suffered in dramatic fashion at the end of the 2023 season to end 22 consecutive years in the Eliteserien.
A 14th place finish meant a two-legged relegation play-off against Kristiansund, and Valerenga won the first match 2-0 away from home. However, Kristiansund turned the tables in Olso with a 2-0 win, and after extra time failed to produce a winner a penalty shoot-out was required. Unfortunately for Valerenga, they were unable to maintain their elite status as they lost the shoot-out 4-5.
Valerenga immediately bounced back though, by winning the OBOS-ligaen by 11 points last year, to return to the top level for 2025.
Home is the 16,555 capacity Intility Arena, which was opened in 2017 and has an artificial grass surface. Valerenga are known as The Bohemians, and also the Royal Blues after the colour of their shirts.
Valerenga have qualified for European competition on 18 occasions but have had few notable successes, with the elimination of Besiktas in the 1998/99 Cup Winners’ Cup perhaps the highlight. A 1-1 home draw was achieved against Newcastle United in 2003/04 whilst individual wins were recorded against Dinamo Bucharest, Club Brugge, AA Gent and PAOK Salonika, although the ties were lost on aggregate.
Valerenga started the day with a 3-2-5 record and were 1-1-2 at home. The newly promoted side made an encouraging start to the season, with a 3-1 home victory over Viking Stavanger ( who are since unbeaten and head the table ) and followed that up with a 1-1 draw at Sarpsborg 08. They were brought back to reality with a 0-2 loss at Fredrikstad and a 0-1 home reverse to Rosenborg, before earning a 2-0 away win at Kristiansund.
Two more losses followed, 2-4 at home to Brann and 1-2 at Sandefjord, but were then held to a 1-1 draw at home to HamKam. A vital 1-0 victory at 2nd bottom KFUM Oslo helped move The Bohemians away from the bottom three, but last time out they slipped to a 1-2 loss at Tromso.
Valerenga’s average home attendance so far this season was 15,318, the third best in the division. They had averaged 9,080 last year in the second tier, and 10,542 in their relegation season.
Valerenga Squad
Ex-Blackpool, Carlisle, Portsmouth, Esjberg and Almere City Danish striker Elias Sorensen was the top scorer so far this season with 3 goals.
Ex-St Pauli, Freiburg and Rosenburg right-back Vegar Hedenstad had 4 caps for Norway, whilst midfielder Elias Hagen had previously played for Bodo/Glimt and IFK Goteborg.
Other foreign members of the Valerenga squad included Brazilian central defender Vinicius Nogueira, who was on loan from Swedish side Halmstad, ex-Hobro and Randers Danish forward Muamer Brajanac, Cameroonian midfielder Fidel Ambina and Danish midfielder Carl Lange. Ex-HJK Helsinki left-back Noah Pallas had 3 caps for Finland, whilst Dutch forward Mees Rijks had come on a substitution in all 10 league games so far !
Molde FK
Molde is a town on the west coast of Norway, located between Alesund and Trondheim, with an estimated population of around 30,000.
The town’s football club, Molde FK were founded in 1911 and play at the 11,249 capacity Aker Stadium, which has an artificial pitch. Their traditional colours are blue shirts and white shorts.
It has only been in the last 15 years or so that Molde had become a major football force in Norway, with their 5 league titles all coming since 2011, with 2012, 2014, 2019 and 2022 also seeing Molde winning the league. Molde had also finished as runners-up four times in this period, and won four of their 6 Norwegian Cups in these years. Recent managers included Ole-Gunnar Solskjaer and Uwe Rosler, with Solskjaer being in charge for the 2011 and 2012 league wins.
In their European campaigns over the years, Molde had eliminated CSKA Moscow and Hibernian, as well as recording victories over Olympiakos, VFB Stuttgart, Celtic ( twice ), Standard Liege, Sevilla, Rapid Vienna and Hoffenheim. A Champions League tie against Finnish side KuPS in 2020 was famously dubbed the Student Kitchen derby ! Molde came out on top with a 5-0 victory………
Last season Molde finished in 5th place in the Eliteserien, but failed to qualify for the Europa Conference League as 6th placed Fredrikstad won the Norwegian Cup.
Like Valerenga, Molde came into today’s game with a 3-2-5 record. They started the season with two defeats, at home to Sarpsborg 08 ( 0-2 ) and at Sandefjord ( 0-3 ). The ship was steadied with a 2-2 home draw with Champions Bodo/Glimt, a 0-0 draw at Rosenberg, before a 2-1 home win over strugglers Haugesund, and a 3-0 win at newly promoted Bryne.
However, Molde had been beaten in three of their four most recent league matches, losing 0-1 at home to Kristiansund, 1-2 at HamKam, winning 3-0 at Brann despite having two players sent-off in the final 10 minutes, and last time out losing 0-1 at home to Viking, although 18 year-old Nigerian forward Daniel Daga had an equaliser ruled out by VAR three minutes from time.
Molde’s average home attendance so far this season was 6,555, which compared to 7,175 in 2024.
Molde Squad
Molde’s top scorers so far this season were ex-Rapid Wien and Hammerby striker Veton Berisha ( 10 caps ), who was mentioned in these diaries whilst playing for Viking Stavanger against Haugesund in 2022, and midfielder Kristian Eriksen, both of whom had scored three times. Berisha was suspended for today after receiving a red card and Eriksen was not selected in today’s match-day squad
Defender Erik Haugen had played in Sweden for Ostersunds, Danish centre-back Valdemir Lund had played for FC Kobenhavn, and defensive midfielder Samukele Kabini was from South Africa.
Striker Fredrik Gulbrandsen ( 3 caps ) had previously played for Red Bull Salzburg, New York Red Bull, Istanbul Basaksehir and Adana Demirspor, whilst midfielder Magnus Eikrem ( 17 caps ) had played for Heerenveen, Cardiff City, Malmo and Seattle Sounders, and had been at Manchester United as a youngster but without making a first team appearance.
Irish keeper Sean McDermott had spent most of his career at Kristiansund after short spell at Dinamo Bucharest.
Matchday Information
The journey from Molde to Valerenga’s stadium is nearly 500 km and takes around 7 hours by road. Flights by Norwegian Air Shuttle take 55 minutes and range from 1 to 3 flights per day depending on the day of the week. It appeared that more than aound 1,000 Molde fans had made the journey.
The weather at the 14.30 local time kick-off ( 13.30 UK ) was 19 degrees.
Adult tickets for the game ranged between 199 to 299 NOK ( £15 to £22 ) with hospitality priced at 699 NOK ( £52 ).
The match was streamed live on Onefootball.com. Bet365.com, who also live streamed the match made Molde at 6/5 favourites, with Valerenga 15/8 and the draw 11/4.
Valerenga made five changes from the side that started at Tromso. Jacob Storevik was back between the sticks in replace of Magnus Sjoeng whilst Pallas was in for Vinicius Nogueira, no doubt in expectation of a cat-like performance on the left. Hakon Sjatil replaced Vegar Hedenstad at right-back, and Rijks was in for a first start of the season, selected ahead of Brajanac after an assist in Tromso. Stian Sjovold replace Hagen in midfield.
Molde made four changes to the XI that lost at home to Viking. Casper Oyvann replaced Lund in defence, Dane Mads Enggard and Eirik Hestad, formerly of Pafos, came into midfield at the expense of Eriksen and Sondre Granaas and Ivorian Caleb Zady was in for Kabini. Zady was with Serbian side Vojvodina last year, and had previously played for Ajaccio and Caen.
Valerenga were playing in their traditional Royal Blue Shirts, with white shorts and blue socks whilst Molde were in a change kit of white shirts, black shorts and white socks
Match Report
Molde won an early corner, which was headed away, leading to a two on one break for Valerenga, but 19-year-old forward Filip Thorvaldsen wasted a good position by running across the penalty area and lost the ball to a retreating defender.
The opening few minutes were end to end, and when Valerenga lost possession of the edge of Molde area, Emil Breivik passed to Eikrem, who received the ball midway inside his own half and headed for goal. He rounded the static Valerenga centre-back Sebastian Jarl as if he wasn’t there, made his way into the home area and shot low into keeper’s left-hand corner from 12 yards. Keeper Storevik barely moved and it was 0-1 in the 7th minute.
Almost immediately after falling behind, Rijks saw a shot pushed away by the Molde keeper but referee’s whistle had already blown for a free-kick to Molde.
In the 11th minute Thorvaldsen twisted this way and that inside the Molde area but his shot was blocked by Haugen, and put out for a corner by Enggard before Sorensen could get to the loose ball. The corner was partially cleared, and when it was played back into the visitors’ area, a back-heel by Rijks found Lange in space, but the shot from 10 yards was saved by the diving Karlstrom.
After an open beginning it felt like this could be a high scoring game !
Valerenga were on the front-foot and Sjatil had a long-range attempt blocked for a throw in. At the other-end, Zady won a corner for Molde after a run down the left wing. This was headed on at the 6-yard line, but Gulbrandsen’s flick on the stretch lacked power and Storevik made the low save on his line.
If Molde were ruing the missed opportunity, Lange threaded a delightful ball through the heart of the Molde defence for Thorvaldsen to run clear between two Molde centre-backs and as the keeper came off his line, the youngster slid ball past the keeper and into the empty net for his second goal of the season. 1-1 after 23 minutes.
After a Molde short corner, Eikrem played the ball in beyond far post, but Gulbrandsen couldn’t get his header anywhere near the target.
In the 29th minute, Ambina got past Sjatil on the left and his ball in to middle was dummied by Rijks, but unfortunately for the Dutchman there was no teammate behind him and the ball rolled off for a goal-kick.
Molde then enjoyed a good short spell with Gulbrandson twice shooting over the bar from distance, then from a corner, Lange needed to head over his own bar after Oyvann’s flicked header from 6 yards.
Rijks then released Thorvaldsen on right wing but the cross from the byline was headed out for a corner. Lange’s header from the overhit corner looped high, and it was easy save for Karlstrom.
The home side then took the lead from a lovely flowing move. Lange found Rijks in the middle of the Molde half, who played the ball wide on the left to Sorensen. The Dane delivered a pass with the outside of right foot into the danger zone and Ambina ran onto the pass, getting to it ahead of the keeper to side-foot into bottom corner from 6 yards. 2-1 with 43 minutes on the clock.
The score stayed that way at the half-time interval. Molde had enjoyed 63% of the possession but Valerenga had looked more dangerous on the break.
Molde started the second period brightly but failed to create any clear-cut openings. Breivik shot wide from 20 yards and a corner was headed away.
Molde’s Stenevik received the first yellow card of the match in the 51st minute for a shirt pull. Two minutes later Sorensen was played in on left by Lange and sent the ball across the goal, but a Molde defender got a foot to it before it could reach Thorvaldsen.
Hestad then did well to keep the ball in play, and his cross from the byline was headed off for corner. When this was headed clear, Enggard hauled down Thorvaldsen as the Valerenga forward broke from his own penalty area, and another yellow card was produced.
Molde were seeing a lot of possession but the game was scrappy with the tackles flying in. Lange saw yellow for a late tackle.
Thorvaldsen pushed over Haugen who fell onto the ball inside the Molde penalty area. However, the referee awarded a foul to Molde instead of a penalty for handball !
Molde came close to an equaliser in the 67th minute. A free kick from right was met by Hestad but the header from 6 yards was blocked on line by Aaron Olsen, and after a helping hand from the keeper to prevent Gulbrandsen bundling the ball home, the ball was hoofed clear by Pallas.
Two minutes later Molde’s Ghanian substitute Jalal Abdullai, on loan from Swedish side Elfsborg, turned and shot from 12 yards, but Storevik made an excellent low save at his right-hand post.
Molde were now on top and won a free-kick in a central position just over 20 yards out. However, Eikrem could only shoot into the defensive wall. Good pressing from the home side then forced Molde from the edge of the Valerenga area all the way back to the goal-keeper, and then Molde gave away a throw-in midway inside their half.
With 13 minutes remaining, the ball reached Gulbrandsen, who seemed to take an age to get the ball under control, but with substitute Daga unmarked and screaming for the pass, Gulbrandsen opted to go for glory, only to shoot poorly high and wide from edge of area.
Despite Molde’s dominance, the equaliser still came as a bit of a surprise. Stenevik’s ball into the home area was touched on by Eikrem, and Daga produced a fabulous shot on turn from 12 yards into roof of the net. Keeper Storevik had no chance but perhaps Jarl could have down better to close Daga down. It was 2-2 after 80 minutes.
It soon got worse for the home side. Eikrem controlled a pass on his chest and strode away from the ponderous Jarl to then deliver a quality cross. Gulbrandsen escaped from Olsen and buried a close-range header. 2-3 with 83 minutes played.
Valrenga nearly got back on level terms three minutes later. Sjatil played an incisive ball through a square back line for Henrik Bjordal to run onto, but Karlstrom made a brave save at close range. Sjatil put the rebound high over the bar.
Five added minutes were to be played and Valerenga forced a corner. When the ball was eventually crossed, Olsen rose the highest, but his header was superbly tipped over the bar by Karlstrom for another corner. The second time around, Rijks won the header, but it was straight at the keeper, who made a routine save.
The referee then fell over Breivik and hit the deck. The referee was smiling and showed a yellow card to the Molde midfielder in what I assumed was a joke. However, the TV reported the card, as have most websites !
As Valernega poured forward in desperation, Gulbrandsen stole possession and put Abdullai clear, but the Ghanian could only shoot poorly from distance, sending the ball several yards wide.
The final whistle blew shortly after to give Molde three points that might kick-start their season. Eikrem, now 34 years old, was their stand-out player, showing why he had been at Manchester United as a teenager.
Valerenga looked decent at times, but appear to have an obvious weakness at centre-back, and all three goals probably would have been prevented by a better defender.
Highlights : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpPbsTYv0bQ
Valerenga : Storevik – Sjatil ( Hagen ), Olsen, Jarl, Pallas– Sjovold ( Strand ), Ambina, Lange ( Brajanac )– Thorvaldsen ( Riisnaes ), Rijks, Sorensen ( Bjordal )
Molde FK : Karlstrom – Stenevik, Oyvann ( Bjornbak ), Haugan, Amundsen ( Lund ) – Breivik, Enggard, Eikrem ( Kaasa ), Hestad ( Daga ) – Gulbrandsen, Zady ( Abdullai )
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