Ranheim claimed a comprehensive victory over Steinkjer with a 6-0 scoreline in the first round of the Norwegian Cup on Friday evening. The match took place at Guldborgsund Stadium and concluded with the visitors establishing total control from the opening exchanges. By then the result seemed inevitable, though the manner of it still drew attention.
E. Solberg opened the scoring in the twelfth minute, capitalising on a defensive hesitation. M. Lundgren doubled the advantage just before the quarter-hour mark, finding space in the box to slot home. Steinkjer had no answer to the early pressure.
An own goal from O.S. Estilronningen in the thirty-eighth minute effectively ended any remaining hope of a comeback. The defender caught the ball awkwardly, and it trickled past his own keeper. The hosts had pinned themselves into a corner from which there was no escape.
After the break Ranheim showed no intention of easing off. E. Solberg completed his brace in the fifty-first minute, followed by S. Haugland's strike in the seventy-sixth. F. Daddysboy added the sixth and final goal in the eighty-first, a routine finish that sealed the rout.
Statistics proved difficult to reconcile with the result. Both sides recorded identical possession figures of 0.5, yet the match statistics showed zero shots on target for either team. The numbers suggest the data collection did not capture the full picture of what unfolded.
Ranheim's recent form has been unpredictable, with results alternating between defeat and victory. Three wins and two losses in their last five outings meant this performance represented a clear step forward. The margin of victory suggests they can spring a surprise in subsequent rounds.