Vålerenga saw off Skeid 4-1 in the Round of 64 of the Norwegian Cup at Nordre Asen on Wednesday evening. The visitors took control early and never looked back, moving into the next stage of the competition with a comfortable margin.
P. Strand opened the scoring in the thirteenth minute, giving the hosts a brief moment of optimism before the visitors responded. Skeid pushed forward but the breakthrough came from the other side, and the balance of the match shifted as Vålerenga settled into their rhythm.
I. Nasberg restored the two-goal cushion in the forty-ninth minute, and G. Rajkovic added a third just five minutes later. By then Skeid had stopped trying to press high and were defending deeper, but Vålerenga kept their side in it with steady possession.
L. Haren made it 4-1 in the seventy-seventh minute before K. Odemarksbakken added a fifth in the eightieth-sixth. Skeid had not travelled to make up the numbers, but the scoreline told the story of a match where they simply could not contain the visitors.
Vålerenga dominated the numbers: 62 per cent possession, eight shots on target against six for Skeid, and 76 attacks to 75. The visitors were sharper in front of goal, converting their chances while Skeid's six shots on target produced only a consolation.
We had called for a home defeat before kick-off, and the result followed the prediction with near certainty. Skeid's recent form—four wins and a draw in their last five—did not translate here, and the cup exit came as expected.
The score leaves Skeid with nothing but the memory of a match they should have kept closer. Vålerenga advance with momentum, and the gap between the two sides was laid bare over ninety minutes.