Strong second-half showing from LSK enough to earn them the win
LSK were favourites before the game against Røa and they lived up to that role despite Røa getting the best start to the game. The game was 21 minutes old when Rebecka Wanvik Holum gave Røa a fantastic start. Røa almost took their 1-0 lead into the half, but LSK were awarded a penalty shortly before half time and Guro Reiten made no mistake of it when she sent the goalkeeper the wrong way.
LSK turned it up a notch in the second half, and with goals from Sophie Haug, Marte Berget, Emilie Woldvik and another two from Reiten, which ensured her a hattrick, LSK won 6-1.
LSK now lead the league with eight points down to Avaldsnes, while Røa is fourth. With her hat-trick, Reiten now has 18 goals in 18 games and comfortably leads the top scorer chart.
Avaldsnes too strong for Sandviken
Three goals in each half saw Avaldsnes overcome Sandviken. Luciana opened the scoring when she fire fired Avaldsnes ahead in the 13th minute. 1-0 became 2-0 when Sandviken’s Stine Hovland scored an own goal six minutes later. Six minutes later and Cecilie Pedersen made it 3-0. It was also Pedersen who opened the scoring ten minutes into the second half, before Elise Thorsnes made it 5-0 after 72 minutes. A minute later it was Luciana who finished the game as she started it; by getting on the scoresheet.
The 6-0 win means that Avaldsnes are eight points behind LSK in first place, but Avaldsnes have a game in hand. Sandviken remain ninth with a comfortable lead down to the relegation fight.
Vålerenga open new stadium with a win
When Vålerenga played host to Kolbotn this week it was also the first official game at Vålerenga kultur- og idrettspark. The historic event brought out the Oslo crowd as 3541 spectators found their way to the stadium, which is a new record in Toppserien. The previous record was 1643.
The 3541 spectators saw Vålerenga take the lead in the 43rd minute through Stephanie Verdoia, before another American, Elise Krieghoff, made it 2-0 just a minute into the second half. Kolbotn did not have a response, and the game ended 2-0.
This result means that Kolbotn remain in 10th place, while Vålerenga stay in 7th place.
Goals galore as Stabæk and Arna-Bjørnar share the spoils
It was an eventful 90 minutes at Nadderud Stadion when Arna-Bjørnar visited Stabæk. Arna-Bjørnar started the better of the two sides and had a 2-0 lead at half-time through goals from Amalie Eikeland and Estelle Nahi. However, Stabæk came back with two goals in as many minutes in the second half when first Melissa Bjånesøy and later Andrea Wilmann made it 2-2. With a goal from Rebecca Mykland in the 90th minute Stabæk thought they had completed the comeback, but in the following attack Siri Nordeide Grønli deflected a ball into her own net, and Arna-Bjørnar had equalised. There were no more goals in the game and it ended 3-3.
With a point for each team, Stabæk still has a comfortable lead in third place and are still in with a chance of taking second place. Arna-Bjørnar are now five points behind today’s opponents.
Grand Bodø earn three vital points against Medkila
Grand Bodø against Medkila was more than just a three-point game. Coming into the game, the two sides were last (Medkila) and second-to-last (Grand Bodø) and just three points separated the two. Only the team that finishes last is guaranteed relegation, the other will play a play-off game.
The game was 26 minutes old when Vilde Fjeldall gave Grand Bodø the lead against her old club, and when Anne-Marthe Birkeland made it 2-0 after 39 minutes, it was looking increasingly harder for Medkila to get back into the game. It only got worse for Medkila in the second half when two goals from Trine Skjelstad Jensen ensured Grand Bodø a 4-0 victory.
This result means that Medkila has been left behind at the bottom of the table, and they now have five points up to Grand Bodø. Grand Bodø on the other hand will be incredibly relieved to have put some distance between themselves and direct relegation.
Trondheims-Ørn upstages Klepp
In the last game this week, Trondheims-Ørn welcomed Klepp to Ørn Arena. Klepp are one of the medal contenders, but it was Trondheims-Ørn who took all three points when a last minute goal from Klepp’s Tameka Butt was not enough to cancel out two first half goals from Trondheims-Ørn’s Rakel Engesvik and a second half goal from Elen Sagmo Melhus.
Trondheims-Ørn’s 3-1 win means they remain in eight place, but they have now made contact with the teams above them. For Klepp this result means that they lose a step in the medal fight, and they are now in sixth place with six points up to Stabæk.