The victory means that Molde now has a solid lead in the season’s gold medal match. Coach Erling Moe smiled widely after the match, but did not want to hear talk that the gold has already been awarded. – I don’t think things have been decided. The question is how the next matches will be, because there are no easy matches in this series, he says to news. – But is it good to have a ten point gap to the others? – It’s better to have that gap than to be the same, says Moe slyly. One person, however, who believes that the series is now decided is Glimt coach Kjetil Knutsen. – Yes, definitely. We had the opportunity to eat our way in, but it didn’t work out, he says. After two years of Northern Norwegian league gold, the Bergen native is now clear that Molde is the best team in Norway. – Undoubtedly. That is the fact now. Ola Brynhildsen celebrates with his teammates and the away fans after the 4-1 score. Photo: Ola Helness / news Kremmerhus After a slightly slow start to the match, the match caught fire after 37 minutes. First, Molde’s Markus André Kaasa scored 1-0, before Glimt stopper Isak Helstad Amundsen equalized two minutes into overtime in the first half. But the Bodø crowd had barely had time to sit down for the equalizer before a new cold shower came washing in from the North West. Kristoffer Haugen headed a cross back to Emil Breivik, who arrived late to the box. On the direct, he hammered the ball like a projectile into the cross behind Glimt goalkeeper Nikita Haikin. One of the most beautiful goals of the season, and Breivik’s first goal in the Eliteserien this season, could hardly have come at a more important time for the blue shirts. Aspmyra stadium was completely sold out before the top match against Molde on Saturday. Photo: Ola Helness / news Stilnet Aspmyra The match was a replay of the spring’s delayed cup final, where Molde was finally able to lift the King’s Cup. The setting for the match could hardly have been better. The autumn sun shone over Bodø, and the yellow wall of home supporters were expectant before the top game. But after 37 minutes, Molde had to silence a packed Aspmyra stadium. Magnus Wolff Eikrem got the ball out on the right and rolled the ball in to Markus André Kaasa at 11 metres. With a nice move, he tricked his way past Glimt’s Hugo Vetlesen, before shooting the ball via centre-back Marius Høibråten and into the goal. – We had to defend ourselves tenaciously for 90 minutes, because Glimt are so good with the ball. 4–1 is perhaps a slightly flattering result, says Wolf Eikrem after the match. In overtime in the first half, on the other hand, Glimt’s centre-backs were to ensure balance in the accounts. Marius Høibråten rose highest on a corner and headed the ball towards the goal. Molde goalkeeper Jacob Karlstrøm saved, but on the return fellow stopper Isak Helstad Amundsen argued with the ball in the goal to make it 1–1. Isak Helstad Amundsen equalizes to 1-1 behind Molde’s goalkeeper Jacob Karlstrøm. Photo: Ola Helness / news Punctured the game Molde did not seem to apply the brakes after the break, and strictly speaking should have led 3-1 five minutes into the second half. First a great chance from Haugen, and then an individual performance from Fofana. Only two strong saves from Haikin in the Glimt cage prevented scoring. National team manager Ståle Solbakken was in place in Bodø. Before the match, he told news that there was one player in particular he was excited to see in action: Patrick Berg. The returned son showed himself after 58 minutes with a shot from distance, but the Molde goalkeeper was on the scoresheet and was beaten for a corner. But it was included in the return to Aspmyra for the 40 million man. – You feel you are in control all the way, but suddenly it’s 4-1. It’s a good team that punishes us hard, says Berg after the match. Instead, Molde should have punctuated the match after 68 minutes. And again Kaasa put the ball in the box to make it 3–1. The midfielder turned away Glimt’s Brice Wembangomo and curled the ball in at the far post. Visiting Molde supporters celebrate with the players after the 3-1 score against Bodø/Glimt. Photo: Ola Helness / news When substitute Ola Brynhildsen ended a pattern counterattack six minutes before the end by scoring 4-1, the humiliation was total. Pellegrino out with injury Kampuret hadn’t had time to tick five minutes before the Eliteserien’s top scorer Amahl Pellegrino sat down on the artificial grass, holding the back of his left thigh and grimacing. The 32-year-old tried for another quarter of an hour, but it was not possible to finish the match. In came Alberg Grønbæk, 11 years younger, who for a few weeks was the most expensive purchase of all time for the Eliteserien, until Patrick Berg broke that record this week. Eliteserien’s top scorer Amahl Pellegrino had to leave with an injury after barely two minutes of play. Photo: Ola Helness / news There was never a final sprint for Bodø/Glimt, despite the fact that coach Kjetil Knutsen pushed in both Runar Espejord, Morten Konradsen and the new signing Marius Lode. Molde coach Erling Moe can go home happy after taking a seven-mile step towards the gold in this year’s Eliteserie. PS: Lillestrøm has one game to go and can shorten the gap to Molde to seven points with a win against rivals Vålerenga on Sunday.
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Molde punctured the gold match against Bodø/Glimt after a show of force – news Nordland
