Lillestrøm SK – HamKam Women: 0-2 (0-0);
LSK hall, 1st round NM, 8 May 2024
Scores: 0-1 Amalie Taraldsen (53′), 0-2 Maria Hagen (78′)
Judge: Andreas Glenne Ellingsen (Frogner)
Yellow card: Tiril Grave (2′)
Red card: –
HamKam Women;
Vendela Bakke – Tiril Grave, Amalie Taraldsen, Linnea Camitz (Ida Skjerpingstad 79′), Marie Nordbye (Sigrid Wolla 68′) – Sara Bræk (Adele Torvik, 68′), Nathalie Jørgensen, Maria Hagen – Julie Heggelund (Indira Sundgot 79′ ), Madelen Dahlstrøm, Melina Hanssen (Nora Tømte 58′).
It is the guests from Hedmarken who take hold of the game, but it is the hosts from Romerike who get the most chance of a chance. A direct Lillestrøm team punishes Kamma on a counterattack, a somewhat hesitant defense by the away team ends up behind, and must resort to cynical forces to stop the opportunity already after two minutes. Tiril Grave is rewarded with a yellow card, which the home team’s bench thought should be red as a back. Here, Kamma could have had to play with one less for almost the entire match, but the referee thought it was safety on the inside.
It is still HamKam who controls the game. After 17 minutes played, the visitors work well high up the field. Julie Heggelund, who shows that the work put in over the winter pays off during the day, brings the ball up the right. She finds captain Bræk in the space in the center, who with his left leg lifts the ball in a nice arc over the goalkeeper. The ball hits the crossbar and out, which Madelen Dahlstrøm has smelled well. The latter puts his forehead on the ball, which goes straight into the goal, but the goal is waved off for offside.
On the other side, newcomer Melina Hanssen from Vang FL has played well into the match. In the 22nd minute of play, the modøl gets to use its enormous physique, almost stroking the ball through a couple of yellow-clad players into Lillestrøm’s 16-metre area. The first shot is blocked, while the second attempt is taken care of by the hosts’ goalkeeper. The same thing happens in the 39th minute. Amalie Taraldsen hits a good diagonal pass up to Melina from her stopping position, but instead of trying to shoot in a very pressured position, she finds Nathalie Jørgensen. She has arrived well in the space in the center of the lane. The Rogalender is pressed hard, and the goalkeeper controls the shot attempt. The home team fights heroically around their own goal, and does not create a great deal with their transitions.
In the second half, the battle continues. Kamma presses on, time after time. In the 53rd minute, the visitors get a corner. Bræk breaks into the box, and after a sacrificial effort in the opponent’s box, HamKam finally gets a payoff in the gymnasium at Lillestrøm. A well-focused Amalie Taraldsen comes onto the free ball at the back, and secures the lead for the green and whites.
HamKam’s corner is also there after 72 minutes. Dead ball manager Overmo is satisfied with the same number of marks in the back. That gamble was about to be severely punished, as the HamKam player miscalculates the first duel, and Lillestrøm rushes into attack. Only a solid intervention by last defender Vendela Bakke averts an equaliser. It is rumored that the set-piece coach lost half a kilo in relief the moment the ball was stopped.
Lillestrøm are again dangerous three minutes later. A corridor free kick halfway inside Kamma’s half of the pitch is shoveled into the field. The home team gets to finish off, Vendela Bakke has to go full stretch and gets the ball hit for a corner.
The nail in the coffin would still come for the Hamarsings. After 78 minutes played, Jørgensen gets free on the right. With her usual technique, she passes opponents like a hot knife through butter, looks up and hits low a little out into the field. There was a free pocket that Maria Hagen got into nicely. Ungjenta, new from OIL before this year’s season, gets over the ball nicely and with a clear inside strike she slams the ball low into the short corner via the post.
Thus, the match ends with a 2-0 victory for HamKam Women, and they advance to the second round of the NM in 2024. The opponent there is not clear at the time of writing, but one thing is certain: the first cup match in women’s history at Briskeby had been very fun to make!
We thank Lillestrøm for the match, and wish them the best of luck in the series.
Hello, Kamma!