Tromsø made short work of Aalesund on Saturday, running out 6-2 winners in the Eliteserien's sixteenth round. The visitors carved them open with clinical efficiency and never got out of second gear after the opening goal. Aalesund, who sit 15th, had no answer to the relentless pressure from a side three places above them in the table.
D. Edvardsson opened the scoring in the ninth minute, and by then Aalesund were already on the back foot. An own goal from I. Vadebu in the 42nd minute doubled the lead, while H. Melland had a VAR-confirmed strike cancelled just two minutes later. The hosts dropped deeper, but the gap only widened. A. Thongla-Iad Warneryd marked his first start with a goal in the 48th minute and never looked back.
Thongla-Iad Warneryd added two more, in the 55th and 69th minutes, giving the full-back a torrid evening. E. Osenbroch pulled one back for Aalesund in the 59th minute, but it was too little, too late. H. Larsen capped the scoring in the 81st minute before U. Syversen added another own goal in stoppage time. The visitors came from the dead in the final moments to make it seven, though the official result stands at 6-2.
And here's the thing about the statistics: Aalesund dominated possession at 53 per cent and registered 112 attacks, yet their shots accuracy sat at a dismal 13 per cent. They fired 12 shots wide and managed only three on target. Tromsø, by contrast, hit 50 per cent accuracy with just six shots on target. They didn't need more chances — they took the ones they had.
The result leaves Aalesund rooted in 15th place with 18 points from 19 games and three wins. Tromsø hold third with 35 points, five behind the leaders. Aalesund's recent form offers little comfort — they've drawn one and lost three of their last five league matches. Tromsø, meanwhile, have opened talks about maintaining their push for European qualification.