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LSK VICTORY OVER TRONDHEIM 24th April 2010

(Photos Thomas Karlsen)

On the same day that Canada lost 0 - 2 to China, closing out a week-long camp in Yongchuan District, Chonqxing, I was in Trondheim playing in the Norwegian Topserrien league. The Canada vs China match had a raucous crowd of 23,000, while we had about 200. Different venues, but more fun I suspect for me, than my friends on the National team.

Obviously the enjoyment of our LSK Kvinner team playing against Trondheim-Orn Eagles has to do with the fact that we won, 3-2. However, Trondheim is a beautiful city and a great place to visit. We flew to Trondheim this morning and arrived at 11:00am, so basically we arrived here right before our 3:00 pm game. I had no problem with this though, as it meant two things; I was able to sleep in this morning, and anything that means I get more sleep in is okay with me. And of course, it meant that the airlines are finally flying again.

Before our match started we had not heard any result from China and I was really thinking of the team over there, while D was back home in Oslo scanning the internet.

Our game against Trondheim was an interesting one. I thought the opposing team played quite well at the start of the game and they really put us under pressure. They made us anxious with the ball and we surrendered ball back to them much too easily.

There were a couple of spells when we totally dominated them, but for the most part the two teams appeared even. Then we scored. Mari Knudsen scored the first goal, and we really needed the lift. She took a shot from about 20 yards out that took a slight deflection and looped into the net. It is Mari’s second goal of the season, and her tally really highlighted for me, how awesome are the LSK midfield players. I think they may have more goals as a unit than the forwards.

I scored the second goal from a perfect pass through from Ida Elise. She slipped the ball through the Trondheim defense and I was able to run onto it. I took a touch, and waited while the goalie and my defender committed themselves way too early. Then it was just a matter of toe poking the ball into the net.

We scored our third goal about 10 minutes into the second half. Mari played a ball over the top, and we had a player offside which caused their defenders to stop running. This lapse allowed Catrine to run through and place the ball past the goalie. This should have been the end of the game as a contest, but it wasn’t.

They scored a goal around 20 minutes into the second half, from the top of the 18; it was a curler into the top corner. It was a well-struck goal but it was plainly a result of LSK being complacent and 3-0 ahead. As so often happens, the momentum of the game swung and we were suddenly on the back foot. This was even though we were still two goals ahead.

To make matters worse Trondheim then scored a second goal in the 88^thminute, and it was all we could do to hang on till the final whistle.

All in all, this may have been an enjoyable victory, but it was a frustrating game. We totally collapsed. I fid this worrying.

We did take our three pints and move 2 points ahead at the top of the table. We have to be happy with this, but there is definitely A LOT we need to work on. The positive element is that this is only the fourth game of our season and we are improving all the time.

The Norwegian press is calling LSK a "scoring machine" as we have won our first three games 5-0, 3-0, 1-0, and 3-2. We are anything but. However, the press is probably correct when they say that LSK is not reliant on any one goal scorer. Five players have scored 2 goals so far this season and two other players have scored one.

The decision has been made to stay in Trondheim overnight. There were no flights out late enough for us to catch after the game. We had a good team dinner and are now sitting in the hotel watching Norsk TV. At least most of the team is. I am reading my book.

I am looking forward to getting home tomorrow, Sunday 25th April, to visit Ciara McCormack. She is a Canadian playing for Kolbotn. They beat Røa today 3-0, which is a huge win for them and a good thing for us. Roa is the team that came first in the League last year and they are also the team that beat us in the final of the Norwegian Cup. It is good to see they are beatable.