Cup Winners Cup, second round, first leg (22/10)
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Vålerenga - Besiktas 1-0 (0-0)
Ullevaal stadion
Att: 6284
1-0 Bjørn Arild Levernes (49)
Referee: Sandor Puhl, Hungary.

- One of the best performances of the season for Vålerenga ended with
  a win and a clean sheet, which could turn out important in the away
  leg. After Besiktas totally dominated the first 15 minutes, and 
  really should have taken the lead, the home team gradually worked
  themselves into the game, and in the second half the Turkish side
  hardly created a chance before in the final minutes. A pity that Vålerenga
  only managed a single goal, scored by Levernes after a goalmouth
  scramble following a Hovi cross and attempted shot by Carew. Both
  Viljugrein and Haug missed good opportunites to extend the lead.
  The return in Istanbul will obviously be very difficult, but with
  the vastly improved defensive tightness after Drillo's return, nothing
  is impossible. Maybe Carew can score another important away goal too...


Cup Winners Cup, second round, second leg (5/11)
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Besiktas (Turkey) - Vålerenga 3-3 (3-0), agg. 3-4
Inönü stadium
Att: 28 000
1-0 Oktay (8)
2-0 Tayfur (40)
3-0 Oktay (43)
3-1 Knut Henry Haraldsen (64)
3-2 Kjell Roar Kaasa (67)
3-3 John Carew (73)
Referee: Edgar Steinborn, Germany.

- An amazing turn-around in the second half changed what looked to
  be a lost cause for Vålerenga, into a draw and a surprise place in the 
  quarterfinals in March. This achievement equals that of Rosenborg, Brann
  and Lyn, which are the three Norwegians club to reach the last 8 in
  Europe. Will Vålerenga become the first team to play in the semifinals?
  Back to the game. The first chance went to Carew after only
  two minutes, but the Turkish keeper saved brilliantly. After that,
  Besiktas took over, and got they reward when Oktay fooled Kjølner after
  a short freekick. This was exactly the start Vålerenga wanted to avoid,
  and for a period Besiktas threatened to score a second, but gradually
  the Norwegian team lifted the play and created some good opportunities
  themselves too. However, just before half time, a couple of defensive 
  mistakes lead to two Turkish goals. First, Waltin was to slow to react
  to a smart throughball to Tayfur who shot past Krogstad, and then Tran
  misstimed a tackle, allowing Ohen to cross and an unmarked Oktay headed
  in his second goal of the night. By then everybody expected Besiktas
  to cruise through, but nine golden minutes in the middle of the second 
  half changed all that. First, Haraldsen headed in a corner, then 
  substitute Kaasa poked in the second from a Haug throughball, and finally 
  Carew raced onto a pass from Kaasa, went past the goalkeeper and scored
  from an acute angle. This really silenced the home crowd. For the remaining 
  of the game Vålerenga opted to defend, not allowing Besiktas any big 
  opportunities, and the Norwegians were never really threatened. Now, the
  draw on December 16 will determine whether even further progress is 
  possible.