Just under 100 Odders had made the trip to Sarpsborg for the first away game of the year. We had to go all the way back to 2018 to find the last victory in Sarpsborg, but the visitors finally got to cheer in Østfold!
Odd started with the following teams:
Hansen, Ruud, Hagen, Miettinen, Baccay, Owusu, Jørgensen, Svendsen, Bang-Kittilsen, Ingebrigtsen and Tewelde.
A challenging start for Odd when Steffen Hagen had to leave the pitch with an injury after just over ten minutes. Birthday boy Ivancevic replaced Hagen.
Despite an injury to Hagen, Odd delivered a solid first half. Mikael Ingrebrigsten had two huge chances out on the right after 15 and 16 minutes of play.
Odd continued to press further into the half and gets a corner after 23 minutes played. Eternally young Espen Ruud hits a good corner that ends up on the head of substitute Ivancevic. The Serb heads at goal, but the ball is saved on the line. Faniel Tewelde stands further back in the field and knocks the rebound into the goal. 0-1!
Sarpsborg created virtually nothing in the first half and the teams went into the break at 0-1.
The home team improves considerably in the second half. After just over an hour, Stefan Johansen comes in for the blue and whites. The former national team captain gets a giant chance immediately, but André Hansen holds out with a spectacular save.
Bilal Njie comes in for Bork Bang-Kittlsen after 70 minutes.
Sarpsborg 08 press on and get more chances, but Finnish Miettinen and Hansen save time and time again.
After being pressed low for a long time, it opens up with a counter attack. Tewelde pulls off a man and is close to scoring his second of the day, but is unable to push the shot under the crossbar.
76 minutes into the game, Dokken makes tactical changes to get back into the game. Glenna Andersen, Midtskogen and Hussain come in for Ruud, Ingebrigtsen and goalscorer Tewelde.
Miettinen, who has played a very good game, makes a clumsy penalty when he brings down Jo Inge Berget after 78 minutes. Berget himself goes forward to take the penalty, but André Hansen saves here too! A fierce game from the veteran!
Bilal Njie has an all-time opportunity to punctuate the match just before the end when he comes alone with Ilic. Sarpsborg’s last chance saves for a corner.
Midtskogen gets a huge double chance at the corner, but he doesn’t get to put the ball in the goal either.
The referee finally calls off a dramatic match and we win in Sarpsborg!
– It feels good. I thought we were good in the first half, we let little go and create chances ourselves. Sarpsborg is good in the second half and it will be hectic. It is right and deserved that we are left with three points.
Thanks to the visitors who lined up with TIFO and a lovely atmosphere for 90 minutes.