IFK Norrköping - VSK
Publié : 11 août 2003 7:30
I went to Norrköping with the same sense in my stomach that I've had for most of the games so far: This could go either way....
We started very brightly, the entire team looked as if on fire, we played a tight defensive play and was going for counterattacks as our main offensive weapon. This sort of play resulted right away, just five minutes gone when our forward got a 60-metre pass from our right back, their defender misjudged the ball resulting in one-on-one with their keeper. He came out to disturb our forward, Stefan Bärlin, but Bärlin kept his cool and lobbed the outrushing keeper. 1-0 to us and the game had barely started...
We played the same way throughout the first half, not much possesion for us but a secure defensive play and hoping for counterattacks. Norrköping found it difficult to create anything with our human wall defensive.
Halftime and we are still leading 1-0, and deservedly so in my opinion. Second half started and it was quite clear that we were not about to change anything really. Six minutes into the half and Bärlin was at hand again. He timed his run perfectly, got the ball from our midfielder, he let his body drop before shooting the ball into the net, despite the flailing arms of their keeper. Wild celebrations among the travelling supporters, wonderful.
Norrköping tried to push forward even more from now on, but to no avail. They had a few halfchances, but nothing serious really. Despite this, they managed to get a consolation goal just six minutes after ours. Somewhat sloppy defending from Braz and his centre-back partner meant that one of their forwards broke loose and scored.
By now, I knew that it was going to be a looooong time before the final whistle. Norrköping piled forward, creating more and more but again without really troubling our defence. We, on the other hand, had at least two or three clear cut opportunities, but some poor finishing meant that the score remained 2-1. We managed to hold on until the end, a fine 2-1 victory for us. The entire team came up and thanked us, the fifty or so supporters who were now in full song.
Results elsewhere meant that we now are sixth, six points to the play-off spot. Next game on Thursday, Assyriska away. They play in a suburb of Stockholm, so I'll probably be going.
We started very brightly, the entire team looked as if on fire, we played a tight defensive play and was going for counterattacks as our main offensive weapon. This sort of play resulted right away, just five minutes gone when our forward got a 60-metre pass from our right back, their defender misjudged the ball resulting in one-on-one with their keeper. He came out to disturb our forward, Stefan Bärlin, but Bärlin kept his cool and lobbed the outrushing keeper. 1-0 to us and the game had barely started...
We played the same way throughout the first half, not much possesion for us but a secure defensive play and hoping for counterattacks. Norrköping found it difficult to create anything with our human wall defensive.
Halftime and we are still leading 1-0, and deservedly so in my opinion. Second half started and it was quite clear that we were not about to change anything really. Six minutes into the half and Bärlin was at hand again. He timed his run perfectly, got the ball from our midfielder, he let his body drop before shooting the ball into the net, despite the flailing arms of their keeper. Wild celebrations among the travelling supporters, wonderful.
Norrköping tried to push forward even more from now on, but to no avail. They had a few halfchances, but nothing serious really. Despite this, they managed to get a consolation goal just six minutes after ours. Somewhat sloppy defending from Braz and his centre-back partner meant that one of their forwards broke loose and scored.
By now, I knew that it was going to be a looooong time before the final whistle. Norrköping piled forward, creating more and more but again without really troubling our defence. We, on the other hand, had at least two or three clear cut opportunities, but some poor finishing meant that the score remained 2-1. We managed to hold on until the end, a fine 2-1 victory for us. The entire team came up and thanked us, the fifty or so supporters who were now in full song.
Results elsewhere meant that we now are sixth, six points to the play-off spot. Next game on Thursday, Assyriska away. They play in a suburb of Stockholm, so I'll probably be going.
