Team
Strømmen were outplayed by Røa who were a much better team on the day. Team
Strommen's Hilde Hansen commented that "We let a couple of easy goals in, and
you can’t win a final by giving the game away.”
Coach Hege Riis said that the game "might be our weakest performance this Fall.
It’s extremely disappointing in a final. Røa was the best team and deserved the
victory." The Team Strommen goalie was kept busy, and she felt bad that two
goals went in behind her.
On one, the Røa defender, Siri Nordby, lined up to curve the ball out in the
16-meter area on a Røa corner. The Team Strommen goalkeeper Bruserud, was
standing about 4 meters out from the net. But, instead of curving the ball out
into the goal area, Nordby curved it the other way and right into the net.
"I was
paralyzed by it, even though I saw what was going to happen. We have practiced
for this corner, because Nordby uses it often. Because the conditions were so
wet, the curve on the ball was even more than usual, and the ball went right
into the net."
Diana
Matheson had the first post, but she says that she wasn't ready for the
in-swinger. Nasra Abullah on the back post, didn’t have time to kick the ball,
before it went in.
It is
not an easy way to retire from the game, says Bruserud, but "my back has really
felt bad lately. First of all it’s going to be a holiday and then we’ll see what
happens. It might be over. My contract period is finished."
However, Team Strommen's coaches are pleased with what the
team accomplished this season. The victory for Røa was deserved, and they
were the better team, but "if the women had said that they would win two silver
medals at the beginning of the season, I don’t think we would have believe it.
They should be happy enough with two silver medals."
Hege Storløkken was probably Team Strømmen's most
disappointed player after the game. The tears came streaming. After a comforting
hug from her boyfriend Carl the smile eventually returned to her face. As she
said, "Our goal is just to enjoy the rest of the evening." The highlight of the
evening wasn’t just the banquet, but the return to Lillestrøm where the real
party with the fans is going to happen." On her plans for another season at Team
Strommen, she was not prepared to comment.