Stabæk

Ground: Nadderud Stadion

Visits: 1

Date: 3rd August 2014

Match: Stabæk - Rosenborg 4-1 (Tippeligaen)

Attendance: 4 206

The match at Strømmen Stadion finished around 16.50 and with the drive to Nadderud Stadion taking us approximately 30 minutes we had time to get something to eat between our two matches on Norway. Magnus parked the car in central Strømmen and we went to a restaurant/pizzeria to see what they had to offer. Pizzas were priced £25 (!) and we decided to go somewhere else. We found a less fancy pizzeria where the pizzas were only priced £10 and we decided to eat at this place. Unfortunately the person in front of us ordered 12 pizzas and 4 burgers and we had to wait 40 minutes for our food. As I then tried to pay for my cheeseburger my card was yet again declined. "Only Norwegian cards" and for the second time this Sunday I shook my head in disbelief. I was thinking about Swedish politician Björn Rosengren who famously called Norway "Den sista Sovjetstaten" (English: The last Soviet state). Anyway, the long wait meant we were running out of time and Christian had to eat his pizza in the car as we set off for Bærum.

Stabæk were promoted to Tippeligaen for the first time in 1995 but have since then been relegated to 1. divisjon twice. Last year Stabæk were once again promoted to Tippeligaen and the club are playing their matches at Nadderud Stadion in Bærum. In 2009 Stabæk moved to a newly built indoor, Telenor Arena, but in 2012 the club moved back to their old home. Nadderud Stadion is quite ran-down and most seats are without a roof. The ground only have stands on two sides and there are running tracks as well. We arrived 15 minutes before kick-off and 10 minutes before kick-off we were in our seats in the West Stand. The weather was by now quite nice and the forecasted thunder storms were somewhere else. On the pitch Stabæk had one of those days. The home team played really well and were 3-0 up at half-time. As the second half started we could see dark clouds and flashes of lighting in the distance. Rosenborg pulled a goal back and had some great chances to make it 2-3 as well. Most of us looked as much on the dark clouds (and the official match-clock) as we did on the pitch and in the 80th minute it started to rain. Stabæk made it 4-1 before it started to rain heavily. In the 87th minute there was big bang as well as a flash if lighting. The thunder storm was right above us and the referee blew his whistle and the players were taken off the pitch. With heavy rain coming down and only a few minutes of the match left, in combination with a 4-1 scoreline, we decided to leave the match and head for the car. Most of the 4 200 fans at Nadderud Stadion did the same and as the match was completed later in the evening nothing exciting happened and the match ended 4-1 to Stabæk.

This was my first visit to Norway since 2010 and hopefully I will be back next year as well. The grounds in the Oslo area are within reaching distance for me with car which helps. It would also help if my credit-cards are accepted but maybe that is asking for too much!

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