Champions League, group D, round 1 (17/9) ================================== Real Madrid (Spain) - Rosenborg 4-1 (3-1) Att: 40 000 1-0 Christian Panucci (7) 1-1 Jahn Ivar Jakobsen (22) 2-1 Ze Roberto (38) 3-1 Raul (44) 4-1 Fernando Morientes (84) Referee: Gilles Veissiere, France. Yellow card: Manuel Sanchis, Real Madrid, Bjørn Otto Bragstad, Rosenborg. - As expected a heavy defeat for RBK in Madrid. However, what was annoying wasn't that they lost, but the way they did it. All the three first goals could have been avoided with better defending and especially with better goalkeeping by Jamtfall. First, he mistimed a corner, then allowed a rebound from a freekick and finally failed to intercept a cross. Without these mistakes things could have gone differently as Real Madrid were not very impressive on the night. Champions League, group D, round 2 (1/10) ================================== Rosenborg - Olympiakos (Greece) 5-1 (3-0) Att: 16 038 1-0 Harald Martin Brattbakk (13) 2-0 Roar Strand (32) 3-0 Strand (43) 4-0 Sigurd Rushfeldt (56) 4-1 Peter Ofori-Quaye (69) 5-1 Brattbakk (79) Referee: Hugh Dallas, Scotland. Yellow card: Mirza Varesanovic, Olympiakos. - A very convincing home win for RBK, in what was probably one of their best games ever in Europe. The Greeks were never able to stop the relentless Rosenborg attacks, and the scoreline could have been higher. The nest game against Porto will show whether this was a one-time performance. Champions League, group D, round 3 (22/10) ================================== Rosenborg - Porto (Portugal) 2-0 (2-0) Att: 17 214 1-0 Sigurd Rushfeldt (10) 2-0 Harald Martin Brattbakk (37) Referee: Nikolaj Levnikov, Russia. Yellow card: Chippo, Lula, Fernando Mendes, Porto, Jahn Ivar Jakobsen, Rosenborg. Red card: Chippo. - The game was played in wintery conditions, which made the pitch heavy, but more than playable. Rosenborg completely dominated the full 90 minutes and more than deserved their win. In fact, Mini missed a penalty kick (wrongly awarded, though) at 2-0 and in the second half the home side wasted a lot of clear opportunities. Porto only had one or two shots on targetin the whole game, and also had Chippo stupidly sent off in the second half for tugging a shirt after already have been given a yellow card for a reckless tackle in the first half. It wouldn't have mattered had he stayed on, though. The return match in Porto will be an interesting affair. Champions League, group D, round 4 (5/11) ================================== Porto - Rosenborg 1-1 (1-0) Att: 12 000 1-0 Jardel (8) 1-1 Roar Strand (89) Referee: Dermot Gallagher, England. Yellow card: Zlatko Zahovic, Rui Barros, Aloisio, Jardel, Porto, Harald Brattbakk, Bjørn Otto Bragstad, Rosenborg. - A last minute equalizer saved one point for RBK, and kept their hopes of a quarterfinal place alive. This was nothing more than they deserved after battling their way into the game, after going behind early on. Porto had obviously learnt from the game in Trondheim, and managed to restrict the usual fluid RBK passing. Still the home team was jeered off the pitch at the final whistle. Champions League, group D, round 5 (27/11) ================================== Rosenborg - Real Madrid 2-0 (1-0) Att: 19 147 1-0 Roar Strand (42) 2-0 Harald Brattbakk (53) Referee: Paul Anthony Durkin, England Yellow card: Sanchez Fernandez Jaime, Fernando Morientes, Real Madrid, Bent Skammelsrud, Rosenborg. - A bitterly cold night in Trondheim (-8 degrees Celsius), but as Lerkendal has under-soil heating, the field was in good condition. Rosenborg started the better, but Real had the two best opportunities in the first 30 minutes as Raul twice shot over when it would have been easier to score. Then, after 42 minutes, the home side took the lead. An excellent dummy by Mini, sent Chendo the wrong way, and his cross was met by Strand, which sent the ball into the net with a diving header. A great goal. Soon after the break it was time for number two. Once more, Mini was the provider and this time Brattbakk sent an unstoppable volley into the goalie's right hand corner. An even better goal than the first. From then on, RBK were in control, and could easily have scored a couple of more goals. However, 2-0 was just about the correct scoreline, and gives the Norwegian team a decent chance of making the last 8. A win away to Olympiakos, and they are through to the quarterfinals. Champions League, group D, round 6 (10/12) ================================== Olympiakos - Rosenborg 2-2 (0-0) Att: 30 000 1-0 Dimitrios Mavrogenidis (48) 1-1 Sigurd Rushfeldt (49) 1-2 Rushfeldt (69) 2-2 Predrag Djordjevic (88) Referee: Günter Benkö, Austria. Yellow card: Ilija Ivic, Olympiakos, André Bergdølmo, Rosenborg. - So close, but yet so far. After scoring two goals on what was more or less their two only decent chances in the game, Rosenborg conceded a freekick two minutes from time. The wall jumped, leaving a gap in it (between Berg and Bergdølmo), and Djordjevic sent the ball through that hole and into the corner. On the balance of play, this was surely nothing more than the Greeks deserved, as they had been the better side for almost the whole game, creating a lot of chances but only scoring once. Paradoxically, the only exception being in the last 15 minutes, when Olympiakos for the first time in the match didn't look like scoring, and it seemed the game would end 1-2. For that reason only, it was a cruel way to go out, as a win would have sent RBK to the quarterfinals for the second year running. Still, the Norwegians have nothing to be ashamed of this year, as once more they have showed that they can compete with the best of in Europe. Only one defeat in six matches is very good by any standard.