LSK, Opinions | “Home party” in Drammen ensured an exciting LSK autumn

Comment This is a comment, written by an editorial staff member. The commentary expresses the writer’s views.

LSK has had one very variable start to the season, especially at home in Åråsen. But away from home in the cup, coach Andreas Georgson has kept up with party football every time. In four cup matches at Bjørkelangen, Strømmen, in Bodø and Drammen, they have scored 20 goals.

It has lasted until a quarter-final, which will not be played until five months from now. A lot will happen before that, but for LSK and the supporters it will be there as a carrot they can look forward to regardless of how the season in the Eliteserien develops.

With many of the supposedly best clubs from the Eliteserien out, the cup has also become a tournament that can be won. The winning pot in the cup final at Ullevaal in December also includes a ticket to Europe.

The winning team the Norwegian Cup in 2024, will enter the 3rd qualifying round of the Europa League in 2025. Then the Norwegian club that gets that place in the “worst case” will end up with a playoff final for a group stage place in the Europa Conference League. In that case, it will be a battle for many millions of kroner.

The other very positive thing about the cup success is that the games have shown what lives in this LSK team when they play to their full potential. Offensively, the cup matches have been very good. But they have also reminded everyone that football is about more than attacking.

Also in Drammen on Thursday, it ran too much backwards. In a first half where LSK was clearly the best team and played very good attacking football, they still managed to drop Strømsgodset to two goals. The score at half-time was therefore a narrow 3-2 lead. The euphoria of scoring a goal in front of over 1,100 LSK supporters meant that they twice conceded a goal right after they had scored themselves.

Børsen: Godset-LSK: “Was called a crazy loner by his mother this winter – now he got paid for all the training”

It was very unnecessary in a match they had essentially controlled from A to Z for 45 minutes. With just under 20 minutes left in regular time, they were punished for it when the home team once again took advantage of a mistake inside the LSK field and equalized at 3-3.

But LSK would return. First, both Felix Va and Gjermund Åsen were close to deciding in overtime of the regular game time. With just over two minutes left in the second extra period, the duo jointly managed to score the winning goal. Va played Åsen, who tapped in with the left and the ball brought in to make it 4-3.

It was an exciting few minutes before the referee blew the whistle. Espen Garnås was brought in and helped to clear away the last corner.

Coach Georgson hit went with several changes at Marienlyst. Marius Lundemo, who has just returned from injury, began to feel the cramps in the middle of the second half. In order to change as little as possible otherwise, the LSK coach inserted August Karlin in his position. The Swedish midfielder delivered well in what was almost 50 minutes. He came in to fill big shoes but certainly came away with a good performance.

Just before 90 minutes had been played, the coach chose to change both backs who had been running a lot. Experienced guys like Erling Knudtzon and Eric Larsson came in. They delivered exactly what LSK needed at the time: solid performances and defensive security.

Emotional celebration with a supporter: – Said I would extend on one condition

Out in the first extra period Thomas Lehne Olsen had also finished the race. A bad hip meant he couldn’t run anymore. Then Henrik Skogvold came in and continued to make it difficult for the defenders who had worn out.

So back to Lehne Olsen. The striker delivered the best performance in the LSK uniform in a match in which he did not score a goal. The way he contributed as a play-off point was simply enormous. He went low down the field and was played up the entire time. Godset stopper Gustav Valsvik did not keep up and was repeatedly pulled out of position.

It was the very key to LSK almost running over Strømsgodset at Marienlyst in periods. It took a lot of effort, and now everyone in and around LSK has to cross their fingers that Lehne Olsen recovers for Sunday’s home game against Brann.

LSK left Drammen with the wonderful energy boost that a cup promotion gives, but there were also many tired legs on the bus home to Romerike. From the time the match was called off just after 8.30pm on Thursday, the players and the club’s support staff have had just over 70 hours to get their bodies match-ready again until Brann stands on the opposite half of the pitch on Sunday evening at 7.15pm.

It will be one of the most important rehabilitation jobs to be done this season. LSK badly need to get their league season started on their own turf. there the club stands with one poor point in three games.

Now the match in Drammen on Thursday was probably experienced as a home match because over 1,100 LSK supporters almost made Marienlyst their home ground in the stands. But it does not count towards the home statistics. There, the players who are selected for the team on Sunday evening have to do the work. It will be anything but easy against a Brann team that overcame Rosenborg in the previous series round.

It is natural to think said that there will be some form of rolling based on how each individual player feels after 120 cup minutes on Thursday. In any case, the performance and the result must give a lot of extra energy when LSK runs out in front of its own audience.