Ullevaal Stadion

Ground: Ullevaal Stadion

Visits: 1

Date: 26th July 2009

Match: Vålerenga - Odd Grenland 0-3 (Tippeligaen)

Attendance: 9 549

After two days in Kristiansand I set off for Oslo around 9 in the morning and was in the Norwegian capital 5 hours later. After finding my hotel and having another shockingly expensive meal I then left for Ullevaal Stadion and was at the ground 90 minutes before kick-off. Vålerenga play their matches at Ullevaal, a ground that is also the home of Lyn as well as the Norwegian national team. Ullevaal was opened by Crown Prince Olav on 26 September 1926. Back then Ullevål had running tracks but they were removed in the 1980s. Vålerenga moved to Ullevaal in 1999 after 55 seasons at Bislett. The club's contract for use of the stadium runs until 2010, at which point they are hoping to move to a new stadium closer to their historical roots at Vålerenga in eastern Oslo.

The first half of the match was even but the visitors, Odd Grenland, scored the only goal. In the second half Vålerenga created a number of great chances but somehow failed to equalise. Odd Grenland then showed us all how to counter attack and were suddenly 3-0 up. The Vålerenga fans created a great atmosphere throughout the game but the home team still couldn't find the net and the 400 or so Odd Grenland fans could celebrate a memorable victory.

ullevaal