Soccer-Solskjaer's Molde leave it late on sodden pitch

Posted Monday, October 08, 2012 by YAHOO Sport

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Molde needed a late goal on a sodden pitch to ensure a 3-2 win over Sandnes Ulf and remain top of Norway's Tippeligaen on Sunday.

With five matches to play, Molde have 51 points, two more than Rosenborg Trondheim. Stromsgodset are third on 48 and Tromso fourth on 42.

Molde manager Solskjaer described the clash against Sandnes as "a parody of a match" and said the pitch was so waterlogged the game should not have gone ahead.

Asked if it should have been postponed, Solskjaer told Norway's TV2: "Yes, you could see that after two minutes."

Molde got off to a flying start when Mattias Mostrom fired home from 20 metres in the third minute.

The lead was doubled 20 minutes later when Jo Inge Berget sent Sandnes goalkeeper Aslak Falch the wrong way from the penalty spot after a foul in the box on Molde's American forward Joshua Gatt.

Molde seemed to cope better with the wet conditions and appeared to be heading for a comfortable victory, but Sandnes goals in the 83rd and 85th minutes rocked the defending champions.

Molde struck back immediately with defender Vegard Forren firing an 86th-minute free kick into the top corner.

Sandnes forced a series of corners in the dying minutes but could not find an equaliser.

"It was fantastic to get three points," former Manchester United forward Solskjaer told reporters. "Maybe not completely deserved, but the most important thing is that we took them."

Rosenborg, the 2010 champions, kept up their challenge with a 1-0 win over Odd Grenland thanks to a second-half goal from a very tight angle by Swedish striker Rade Prica.

Third-placed Stromsgodset, who face Molde at home next, drew 1-1 away to Valerenga on Friday.