VALLE (Dagsavisen): – It was fantastically delicious. I think we deserve points today, says Elise Thorsnes to Dagsavisen after securing a 1-1 draw against the big team Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
Last week was Vålerenga round robin by the same team. At home, it didn’t just end with points – VIF was fully on par with Bayern’s star gallery and could easily have taken the lead in both the first and second half.
– There is a winning culture in that team here. We never give up. We have fallen behind earlier in the season as well, but we always manage to come back. It works in Europe too, says Thorsnes.
It was Bayern Munich who scored the first goal of the evening and went up 1–0 through substitute Jovana Damnjanovic. There was only a quarter of normal time left, but in the 88th minute of play, the veteran Thorsnes appeared at a corner and knocked in the equaliser.
– I am very happy to score goals, and now it is getting longer and longer between each time I am allowed to be up in the box. So it was extra nice, says the former striker who has been retrained as a centre-back.
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– Large
– It’s big. We have so much respect for Bayern Munich that one point against them is good. I’m really just very happy with the match and the performance. We match them so much better than last time, so it was fun to play today, says Olaug Tvedten to Dagsavisen.
Tvedten had an adventurous chance and was a few centimeters away from a dream goal that had given Vålerenga the lead in the second half. But instead of going in, it was another hit in the opposite post and out. Later, Bayern also took the lead, before VIF equalized in the final minutes.
– I don’t understand that it’s possible, but that’s how it is from time to time, she says of the mega-chance and continues:
– All in all, 1-1 is perfectly fine and good for us. We are very satisfied.
Vålerenga coach Nils Lexerød agrees.
– It was a very good feeling. I have always said that if we are to take points in the Champions League, we must be able to do two things. We have to make the game even, and we have not been able to do that in the previous two games against Arsenal and Bayern away. Today it was smooth all the way, says the VIF boss.
– And then we have to be able to put the opportunities we get. That’s why it was extra nice to see that we got that result, he adds.
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Good goalkeeper
In addition to the fact that the home team finally broke through, Tove Engblom had a very good game in the VIF cage.
– Tove is a machine behind there and has some extremely good saves. It’s fun to have such a good goalkeeper behind there, says Tvedten about her team-mate.
In the first half, she picked shot after shot and post after post. After the break, she kept up with several important interventions, including a foot parade when Weronika Zawistowska came alone with the Swedish goalkeeper.
– Fantastic. She has saved our results several times this season. It is very nice to know that you have a good goalkeeper if you are rounded. Tove stands behind and has our back, says Thorsnes.
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Cup final next
After the strong 1-1 result, another big game awaits Vålerenga this week. On Sunday, Rosenborg are opponents in the cup final at Ullevaal, just like in last year’s final.
Thursday’s performance gives increased self-confidence for the series champions who are looking for revenge after last year’s setback in the final, both Thorsnes, Tvedten and Lexerød point out.
– It’s a boost after all. Both being under and coming back, but also knowing that we have that calmness and faith in the whole gang. It’s good to have with you towards Sunday, says the 36-year-old.
– It only gives an even better self-confidence and an energy boost towards Sunday. It is obviously a tough match today with a lot of running. It’s tough to face such a good opponent, so we just have to recover and get back on track. We have to try to play as well as today, then it should probably go well on Sunday, says Tvedten.
– Bringing good performances from the Champions League into the domestic cup and series seems mutually reinforcing, concludes Lexerød.
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