Sæter double and Rajkovic strike as Vålerenga crush Tromsø
Vålerenga beat Tromsø 4-0 at Intility Arena on Sunday evening in front of 11,664 supporters. Ole Sæter scored twice in the first half after Tromsø were reduced to ten men inside seven minutes. It was Vålerenga's third straight league win.
Early red card shapes the night
Tromsø's evening went wrong almost immediately. After seven minutes, Vetle Skjærvik collected his second yellow card for fouling Ole Sæter inside the box. Sæter, who played with a bandage around his head, took the penalty himself and scored in the ninth minute.
The visitors were a man down for 83 minutes and never recovered.
Sæter doubles up, Rajkovic finishes in style
Sæter made it 2-0 in the 21st minute. Dennis Gjengaar crossed from the flank, and Sæter got to the ball first in the box. He guided it in via the keeper and the post. Both goals were his first in the Eliteserien for Vålerenga, and the 2-0 scoreline held at half-time.
Vålerenga kept up the pressure after the break. Ghayas Zahid found Gjengaar, who cut inside and lifted the ball in front of goal. Mathias Grundetjern timed his run and headed in the third in the 50th minute.
The fourth came in the 80th minute from 15-year-old Gabriel Rajkovic. He struck a sharp finish into the top corner, with Petter Strand credited with the assist. Tromsø ended the match with nine men when Alexander Warneryd also received a second yellow card in stoppage time.
The match statistics reflected the one-sided contest. Vålerenga had 70 per cent possession and 18 shots, nine of them on target. Tromsø managed three attempts, none on target.
Crowd and table
11,664 supporters watched at Intility Arena, which has a capacity of around 16,555. They saw a third straight league win for the Oslo side.
Vålerenga sit eighth in the Eliteserien on 32 points after 25 games. Tromsø remain sixth on 40 points, eight ahead of Vålerenga. Brann are seventh on 32 points, level with Vålerenga. Sarpsborg 08 and KFUM Oslo, on 31 points each, are directly behind.
In the Danish-style language of the post-match coverage, the performance was described as "lekefotball", or playful football. Vålerenga will hope to carry that form into the remaining fixtures of the season.
More football at the arena tonight
Intility Arena hosts another match tonight. Vålerenga's women's team face Lyn in a Toppserien round 21 fixture, with kick-off at 6 pm local time.
Sources: bbc.com, nrk.no, tv2.no, statsbet.org, flashscore.co.za
