– Relieved and proud – VG

With two goals from over 20 meters, Lars-Jørgen Salvesen ensured that Strømsgodset was in the lead early in the second half. After 65 minutes, he secured his way to victory when he headed at 3-1, his first hat trick at the top level in Norway.

The position lasted the match, and after 13 games in a row without a win, Strømsgodset has now won his last two games in the Eliteserien. With that, they’ve also done enough to secure their spot with a series round to go.

– It’s fantastic. I am really relieved and proud of my boys. Two wins in a row and decide myself before the last round. I am very happy and very proud, says Strømsgodset coach Henrik Pedersen in an interview shown on Dplay.

Salvesen was “incredibly proud of the guys” after the game.

– I think we’ve played a lot of good matches this fall, so we went so long without winning it was a coincidence. Today we delivered another good game and we are here with three games. Now we can only focus on the last game on Tuesday and next year.

For Odd, the form curve has pointed in the opposite direction, with five losses and a draw in the last six games. The last four games have been played in the last week and a half after the Skiens team had to move several games after several players from the Odd squad were infected by covid-19.

So the simple question “beer?” He came in from the side during Pedersen’s interview shown on Dplay after the game, the Dane was ready to speak.

– Of course we’ll have beer, he says with a smile, after what is finally heading towards a very good end to a troubled Elite Series season for Strømsgodset.

– Now we will have a little fun, he continues, which also has the support of hat trick hero Lars-Jørgen Salvesen.

– It should be celebrated a bit now. It has been a tough few weeks lately and they have finally succeeded. It’s delicious, says Salvesen.

Strømsgodset needed a win to secure a place in the Eliteserien until 2021 on the road against Odd and they were off to a very good start.

Already after four minutes, Lars-Jørgen Salvesen had a great opportunity, but the shot from five meters was well saved by Sondre Rossbach.

Five minutes later, the firing foot was perfectly adjusted. Sørlendingen picked up a cross pass from Espen Ruud and from 20 yards got the ball perfectly around Rossbach and into the goal at the root of the post.

P.S. You can see all the matches of the Elite Series in Dplay (editorial collaboration)

Strømsgodset continued to create chances after the first goal, but it was Odd who scored the second goal of the match in the 20th minute. Espen Ruud made up for the cross with a beautiful cross to Elba Rashani, who headed the ball into the goal from six meters.

Duplexe Tchamba probably thought he had sent Strømsgodset just before the break, but an acrobatic punt from John Kitolano down the line brought him 1-1 at the break.

At seven minutes into the second half, Salvesen was in his place again. A perfectly placed 25-meter tracker scuttled past Rossbach and sent the visiting team in the lead again.

Salvesen wasn’t done with that: The 24-year-old soared into the sky in the 65th minute and headed the cash at 3-1 from a corner kick.

P.S. You can see all the matches of the Elite Series in Dplay (editorial collaboration)

See more Elite Series stats on VG Live.