– It’s probably a bit bad style, but that’s life. It is not something we attach much importance to, Moe told news before the start of the match. Then they had received the message that there should be no watering on the field, in line with the fact that it is the home team that decides whether it should be watered before the match and during the break. – But bad style? – That’s what I said, said Moe, who was most concerned about a potential increased risk of injury. General manager of Sandnes Ulf, Øystein Elvestad, explains the decision as follows: – In the regulations from NFF point 5.7 on page 6, it is clearly stated that the home team decides whether to water or not. “The home team decides whether to water before the match and during the break. The organizing club must inform about its decision at the match meeting/arrival at the stadium”. – This was informed about at the match meeting. We are keen to follow guidelines and rules, which we have of course done in this context, he wrote in an SMS to news. Sandnes Ulf’s coach Steinar Nilsen took it all with a smile. – Bad style, says Moe. What do you say about that? – I’m not sure what they would have done if they had met Real Madrid, he said with a grin before the match. NOT A FAN: Erling Moe would have liked to see that the pitch in Sandnes had been watered before the start of the match. Photo: Thomas Andersen / NTB – Difficult to play In news’s studio, the experts, like Erling Moe, pointed to a potential risk of injury. – First of all, it should be equal. In many ways, the teams must have the best possible surface to play on. It is clearly deliberate, in order to get a slower game and it can reduce the speed of the ball. Molde has been training for it since last year, from the semi-final against Kjelsås, said Åge Hareide. – I buy that argument very well. Especially when you have so many matches, the load becomes completely different when you play on a dry artificial turf pitch. But if I were Sandnes Ulf, I wouldn’t have watered the pitch myself. That’s how honest I’ll be, said Andrine Stolsmo Hegerberg. The Molde players also noted the dry pitch after the match. – It will be difficult to play on a dry pitch like today, but we will solve it well. It was a bit of a challenge, but we couldn’t think too much about it. Then we manage to score from two set pieces, says Molde’s Emil Breivik after the 2-0 victory. – There wasn’t much of the finesse you want in a semi-final. It rained well here and the ball bounced almost every which way. Then it was a set piece that was important today and we got two goals from that, says team-mate Kristian Eriksen. GOAL SCORES: Kristian Eriksen scored the first goal of the match. Photo: NTB Earned the favorite stamp Molde is the reigning cup champion and in the medal match in the Eliteserien. Sandnes Ulf, on the other hand, have all moved down from the 1st division. Thus, Molde were big, big favorites in Wednesday’s match. A favorite stamp they also fulfilled, even if it never erupted from the away team. Kristian Eriksen sent Molde into the lead towards the end of the first half, when he steered the ball into the goal after a corner kick. – There was not much cheering to be seen from Erling Moe. Not even the Molde boys right here. It is more of a relief, said news’s expert commentator Kristoffer Løkberg after the goal. Sandnes Ulf also had his chances, but just over ten minutes before the end, Molde’s second goal came when Kristoffer Haugen headed the ball over the crossbar and over the line. At least that’s what the assistant referee thought, who waved for scoring. – It is impossible to say from this angle. You get tricked and you don’t get a clear picture of it, said Løkberg after watching the first replay. Later there was a replay from a slightly better angle. It also convinced Løkberg. – It was absolutely right, I think, to raise that flag and wave for scoring. There was a better angle and it was very clear that the whole ball was over the line, said Løkberg. OVER THE LINE: At least that’s what both news’s expert commentator and assistant judge thought. Høiland played live The veteran striker Tommy Høiland, who won the cup with Molde in 2013 and 2014, was replaced in the last quarter for Sandnes Ulf. After the match, the 35-year-old said that his career is now nearing its end. – I think this will be my last match now. With two insignificant games left in the series, I will not take any minutes from youngsters, he says to news. – I’ve been dreading the day I’m going to quit for a long time. But I have come to terms with it, and the decision was made a long time ago, so it’s fine, says Høiland. – Is it a courageous day? – Yes, it always is when such a day comes. But that’s the way it is, one day it ends for everyone. It’s tough to go out with a loss, but we’ve made history and reached a semi-final. It is a big day for the club, says the striker. Published 30.10.2024, at 19.53 Updated 30.10.2024, at 20.09
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