Vålerenga were chasing their first home win of the season when Stabæk visited Intility Arena on Sunday evening. However, it ended with another disappointment at home for the blue jerseys.
Bassekou Diabaté sent Stabæk into the lead early on after a mess in the VIF defence, but Vålerenga hit back with a goal by their new striker Mees Rijks five minutes before the break.
In the second half, VIF pushed for another score, but instead it was the visitors who could cheer for the net rush. Stabæk’s centre-back Kasper Pedersen scored two quick goals out of nowhere, and thus it ended with a 1-3 loss for VIF.
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Geir Bakke’s men have not won at home at Intility Arena since 17 September last year. TV 2 expert Yaw Ihle Amankwah can hardly believe it, and calls Vålerenga bewitched.
– Those who have placed the voodoo curse on Intility – it will now hold. I think they’ve had enough now, Vålerenga. Now they’ve had so much bad luck on their home pitch that I’ve never looked at the match. They go into Intility with a bad feeling because they have had so many marginal games where everything that can go against them, goes against them. They are bewitched, said Amankwah in FotballXtra.
NB: You watch all of the OBOS league, as well as a number of matches from the Eliteserien on Nettavisen direct sports.
Hill: – Must be hard enough
Nettavisen met Bakke shortly after another defeat at home was a fact. The VIF coach is fed up with the storm of reactions that keep coming around the team in connection with weak performances.
– We are playing football.
– This is a thing with Vålerenga, and people want to rub it in all the time. And it is clear that the players probably know it now and then. I don’t care, I’m 54 years old. Exactly that, I think we have to be hard enough to bounce off, says Bakke in conversation with Nettavisen.
– There is great interest and many who are fond of Vålerenga who think it’s terribly sad when we don’t get it done. And then there are a hell of a lot of people outside who enjoy themselves without limit.
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Bakke points out that he was presented with clear messages from TV 2 who “sit in the studio and harass”, and believes that VIF cannot excuse itself by saying that the Obos league is tough.
– We are in Obos, and there is a reason why we are there. It’s because we weren’t good enough in the Eliteserien and then you have to respect all the opponents you meet, states the Vålerenga boss.
Mistake and backwards
It was a nightmare start to the game for Vålerenga when they conceded a goal after just six minutes. The home team messed it up in their own defence, and Elias Hagen lost the ball to Bassekou Diabaté.
He was able to stroll towards the goal, and finally the Stabæk striker put the ball into the goal between the legs of goalkeeper Magnus Sjøeng.
– Elias Hagen can do nothing but throw his arms in the air and say sorry, said TV 2’s commentator Haakon Thon.
Jesper Mathisen understood little of what was going on in VIF’s defense ahead of the goal.
– What happened in the defense? They just give away the score, said the expert in FotballXtra.
However, Vålerenga managed to fight back. First, Petter Strand put a rebound in the goal, but he was quickly waved off for offside.
The home team continued to hunt for an equaliser, and five minutes before the break it was tied. Henrik Bjørdal served VIF’s new striker Mees Rijks from five metres. The Dutchman made no mistakes, and the 21-year-old nodded the ball into the goal to make it 1-1.
– Unbelievable
Vålerenga dominated the second half and had several good chances. But it was still the away team who could cheer for scoring. Against the run of play, Kasper Pedersen Stabæk surged into the lead in the 60th minute.
– It is as against the course of the game as you get it. The bewitchment lives on, said TV 2 expert Amankwah.
Two minutes later, things got worse for Vålerenga. Pedersen was forward again, and the centre-back poked in his second score.
– It is unbelievable, said commentator Thon.
Vålerenga continued to press for scoring after the two quick late goals, but it was not to be for the blue shirts. Thus, it was another setback for VIF at home at Intility Arena.
The Oslo club has four points after the first three games in the Obos league this season.