First he made himself the top scorer. Then Joachim Soltvedt apologized for the “head mister”.

Tromsø (BT): In minus five degrees it boiled over for the winter’s goalscoring king.

TROMSØ FIRE 2–4

– It was pure head mist. I lie flat and say sorry, says Joachim Soltvedt about the seconds after the decisive moment in Brann’s 4–2 victory over Tromsø.

The series opening was freezing cold.

In it, Joachim Soltvedt was the same. Brann’s top scorer throughout the winter held on even after the matches started:

• 0–1: Immaculate penalty kick at the crossbar after 17 minutes.
• 0–3: Dream goal from distance seven minutes into the second half.

In addition to Soltvedt’s two and Tromsø’s two, Bård Finne and Aune Heggebø each scored a Brann goal.

– It’s great fun to win and it’s great to be at it, says Soltvedt after the uplifting start to the series.

He says it went well.

– It was the right Brann team that came out on the field, says Soltvedt, who remembers weak openings in several of the training matches throughout the winter.

– It was very good that it didn’t happen today. We show that we have a high level inside, says Soltvedt, who together with Tromsø’s Lasse Nordås is the top scorer in the Eliteserien.

– It’s cool to be able to borrow that title. It probably only lasts until the next series round, says Soltvedt.

Sorry the headmaster

After he scored his second goal at the Romssa Arena on Easter Sunday, he gestured in the direction of musty home supporters. In front of Tromsø’s most die-hard fans, Soltvedt made him freeze. The celebration seemed like a provocation.

– I got an iron blanket. It was a head mist. There were a lot of emotions inside me, which came out in front of them. It was not to tease them, but a pure head mist. I apologize to them, says Soltvedt about the celebration in Tromsø.

A city he says he likes.

– It’s a bit cold, but very nice.

Maybe there wasn’t stormy jubilation among the Brann fans when the experienced defender was brought home from Sarpsborg last summer.

But assistant coach Erik Huseklepp was confident about the purchase.

– When we brought him in, he was the best attacking defender in the Eliteserien. The one with clearly the most goal points and on the team of the year in the Eliteserien at TV 2, points out Huseklepp.

After the first game of the season, the Brann back is on track to do the same again.

– I think it was a very good buy, he adds.

It has been a long time since he left Brann to manage what he has now managed.

– This is what I wanted. I want to play for a team that wants to fight at the top, says Soltvedt, who says that he feels even better this year than last year.

Renate Blindheim says Joachim Soltvedt’s left foot alone has made Brann better. The team has become more dangerous with it.

However, she believes Soltvedt has more than just a precise foot.

– He is also a good relationship player, who is easy to play with, no matter who he plays with. He is someone who wants the ball and makes it easy for his teammates, says Blindheim.

She says Soltvedt makes few and small mistakes.

– He does everything properly every time. In addition, he has made himself the goalscoring king. That’s someone you want on your team, says the expert.

Soltvedt was involved in most of what Brann created in the series opener, as he has been many times before.

Kick-off 1st half0-1 Fire, Joakim Soltvedt0-2 Brann, Bård FinneKick-off 2nd half0-3 Fire, Joakim Soltvedt1-3 Tromsø, Lasse Nordås2-3 Tromsø, Lasse Nordås2-4 Fire, Aune Heggebø