Who says Football Manager doesn’t produce enough drama? Yet another season at Lyn 1896 is reaching a nail-biting conclusion. Whereas last year saw Marit Enstad’s team go to extra-time while chasing promotion to the Eliteserien, they’re now battling to stay in it.
Lyn’s survival has come down to their final two regular-season games – both at home against their fiercest rivals: Stabæk, and Vålerenga. If all goes well, they’ll be safe and sound; if not, a promotion/relegation play-off surely awaits.
You can read Part 5 here to see how Marit’s men got on in the build-up to this finale. When you’re ready, we’ll join the First Lady of the Bislett to see if 2024 ends in ecstasy or agony…
LYN 1896 vs STABÆK (Eliteserien – Match 29)
Hei, det er Marit. You rejoin us ahead of our final two matches of the Eliteserien season, when we were among five teams still fighting against relegation. Here’s how the table looked:
Haugesund and Kongsvinger might have been odds-on to finish in the bottom two and go down automatically, but that still left a relegation play-off place to fill. Stabæk were just behind us on goal difference, making our meeting at the Bislett absolutely crucial.
Whoever won this Oslo derby would have a very strong chance of surviving for another year. The losers would have their fate out of their hands – and they would even be in danger of automatic relegation if either Kongsvinger or Haugesund won their games.
(It’s also worth noting that it would still be possible for Kristiansund to finish 14th if Lyn vs Stabæk ended in a draw. Otherwise, they would be safe for another year.)
It was important to keep our best players fit and sharp. Unfortunately, just nine minutes after kick-off, disaster struck. After collecting a pass from August Erlingmark, our inverted winger Kot Chol Tafesse suddenly pulled up mid-dribble and winced in pain. Tafesse pointed at his hip and asked to come off.
Brage Karterud had only just replaced our injured Kenyan when things got even worse in the 13th minute. Following an unconvincing clearance from Lyn captain Benjamin Zalo, Stabæk quickly moved the ball forward again. Attacking midfielder Sindre Mauritz-Hansen then drove in an excellent 25-yard finish.
Having scored his first goal of the season in his 19th appearance, Mauritz-Hansen doubled his money ten minutes before half-time. Box-to-box midfielder Sander Eng Strand was dispossessed close to our penalty area by ‘De Blaa’ striker Aleksander Biseth-Owe. The ball fell to SMH, and when his shot crashed in off the bar, I was… well, smh.
Trailing 2-0 to our local rivals at half-time, I questioned my players’ passion and spirit before switching tactics from the 4-4-2 to the 4-2-3-1. We returned for the second period with a new gameplan, and a fresh mentality.
The fightback began on 57 minutes. Andreas Uran‘s left-wing cross was poorly intercepted by Stabæk defender Erlend Bui, allowing right-winger Eirik Haugstad to score his seventh goal this season. Two minutes later, Erlingmark sent a corner to the near post, where centre-half Ole Jørgen Falk Larsen headed in his first career league goal to equalise.
The Stabæk crossbar denied Falk Larsen another goal – and us a 3-2 advantage – in the 66th minute. That was a turning point, as roughly a minute later, it was ‘De Blaa’ who led by the odd goal in five. Uran reacted uncertainly to a cross from his left-back counterpart Simen Rafn, which meant midfielder Johan Hove could get past him and leave us trailing again.
That lapse from our vice-captain was a costly one. Erlingmark and striker Svein Melfjord each missed the target as our attempts to get back on terms failed, and we fell to a SIXTH home defeat in this year’s Eliteserien. Our top-flight future was now in serious doubt.
[Christopher here. You know about how stressed and impatient I got towards the end of my Shrewsbury story? Well… I might have angrily banged my fists against my desk after this defeat. I might also have relegated Uran to the reserves and put him on the transfer list.]
Neither Haugesund nor Kongsvinger got the results they needed to avoid automatic relegation. Even so, it now looked like we would fill 14th place and go into a two-legged Promotion/Relegation Playoff with a team from the 1. divisjon.
We now had a three-week break until the final round of regular-season matches. Only a win over Vålerenga – and a Stabæk home defeat to Sogndal – would secure our top-flight survival without having to negotiate those pesky play-offs.
Things weren’t looking good, and I was even less hopeful when it emerged Tafesse would miss the rest of the season with that hip injury. A few days later, a groin strain accounted for striker Niklas Helgesen, who too would miss our season-ender against Vålerenga.
You might’ve noted that we’d been getting more injuries – and more serious injuries – lately. From January until late June, when we usually played in a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3, our players picked up SIX injuries that were at least ‘moderate’ (i.e. putting them out for at least one week). In the five months since we switched to the more intensive 4-4-2, they’d received TEN such injuries.
While upping the pressing intensity had got us slightly better results and at least given us a fighting chance of survival, it’d come at a cost. Our players hadn’t really been properly conditioned to play in such a way, so it was no surprise that they were getting hurt more often.
LYN 1896 vs VÅLERENGA (Eliteserien – Match 30)
Needless to say, it would take an incredible final-day effort to beat 6th-placed Vålerenga in front of 11,439 spectators at the Bislett (a record attendance for my reign). If we could somehow pull it off, and Sogndal did us a huge favour at Stabæk, it would allow us to end a difficult first season up on a high.
Lyn goalkeeper Eivind Aalvik had been ever-present in league games since joining us in 2022. Having conceded 20 goals in his last eight, though, I decided to drop him and give 17-year-old Kasper Morthen a first taste of league action.
Kasper’s honeymoon period lasted for 12 minutes, until the creative Vålerenga midfielder Nikolaj Lodberg chipped a fantastic pass into our box. Striker Andreas Nymoen got between our centre-halves to latch onto the ball before rounding Morthen and tapping into the net from a difficult angle.
Vladimir Mølsæter – another of our teen starlets – narrowly missed out on an equaliser seven minutes later. The pressing forward regretted that miss after fortune smiled on Enga in the 31st minute. A powerful shot from attacking midfielder Halvard Åretun rebounded off the crossbar and fell to the prolific Oliver Abildgaard, who couldn’t possibly miss.
For the second game in a row, we were losing by two goals at home to bitter foes. This time around, I didn’t wait until half-time to make a tactical overhaul. Mølsæter came straight off for attacking midfielder Adil Zahid, as we reverted to the 4-2-3-1 that had served us so well against Stabæk… at least until we blew it.
The changes made an impact in stoppage time. Karterud held the ball up well in the Vålerenga box before passing short to Zahid, who then dribbled past a couple of defenders before lashing home to deliver fresh hope.
Our recovery continued midway through the second half, when Haugstad was upended in the area by Enga left-back Souleyman Doumbia. Our recent 12-yard record was pretty poor, and Melfjord in particular was no Norwegian Matt Le Tissier. You can understand how nervous I was as Svein composed himself before striking the ball low… and putting it just past Kjetil Haug to equalise!
You don’t need to be reminded of what happened the last time we recovered from a 2-0 deficit. History almost repeated itself in the 82nd minute, when the visitors celebrated after Nymoen fired winger Ola Brynhildsen’s swerving free-kick into the net. Thankfully for us, the referee’s assistant had flagged Nymoen offside, and the goal didn’t stand.
We had narrowly escaped defeat this time… but we couldn’t get the third goal we needed to have a chance of avoiding the play-offs. It wouldn’t have mattered anyway, as a couple of second-half goals got Stabæk a 2-0 win over Sogndal and kept them up.
Lyn were now confirmed in 14th place. Our season would continue for two more matches – against familiar opposition.
So we meet again, Sandefjord! The 2024 Promotion/Relegation Playoff was a rematch of the 2023 decider, but with the roles reversed. Now we were the Eliteserien side attempting to stay up for another year, and Sandefjord were the 1. divisjon challengers to our top-tier status.
The Guttane had finished 3rd in the second tier – seven points adrift of Aalesund and Lillestrøm, who both secured immediate returns to the Eliteserien. Jostein Grindhaug’s side were on course to do the same after beating Åsane 2-0 and then Levanger 3-0 to win the divisional play-offs.
We would have home advantage for the first leg on Monday 2 December – just over a week after the end of our regular season. Sandefjord would then host the return fixture five days later at the Komplett Arena – the venue for our promotion party last year.
If there was to be another party, though, Tin Zanchi wouldn’t be involved. The Croatian striker – who’d played just nine minutes for us since the start of October – re-injured his ankle in training to end his Lyn loan spell on the sidelines.
[Six appearances, ONE goal. Brilliant signing, Marit…]
LYN 1896 vs SANDEFJORD (Eliteserien – Promotion/Relegation Playoff, Leg 1)
After our last two home games, I adopted a 4-2-3-1 formation from the start of this Playoff. I made several changes to the starting XI, including reinstating Aalvik and giving loanee midfielder Christoffer Akermann a first start since June. Chris had become a peripheral figure following our switch to the 4-4-2, but I hope he would make a big impact on our survival bid.
Interestingly, Grindhaug also lined his team up in a positive 4-2-3-1. Sandefjord attacked us from the second minute, with midfield dangerman Aron Elís Þrándarson sending a half-volley just wide. The Icelander also forced a couple of early saves out of Aalvik.
We took a little longer to get going, as our first shot on target didn’t arrive until the 22nd minute. Haugstad’s flick-on across the penalty area was nodded back to him by Guttane centre-half Teodor Wålemark. Eirik fired a shot goalwards, and keeper Rasmus Leislahti could only fumble it behind for an ineffective Zahid corner.
As time went on, Zahid started to make more of an impact in the attacking midfield slot. In the 25th minute, he collected the ball from his fellow stalwart Haugstad and dribbled past a blue shirt before unleashing a banana shot that went wide.
We launched a more promising attack three minutes from half-time. Lyn right-back Andreas Rishovd‘s deep cross into the box was met by a scuffed clearance from his Sandefjord rival Johan Andersson. Karterud sent a header towards goal, but it bounced safely into Leislahti’s hands, and the scoreline remained 0-0 at half-time.
We appeared to have the slightest edge, which was confirmed four minutes into the second half. Our midfield three of substitute Erlingmark, Akermann and Zahid exchanged passes deep in the opposition half before Adil used his dribbling abilities to enter the box. Once there, he lashed in a fantastic strike to delight the Bastionen!
Having gone 1-0 up, we now felt like we could assert our class on Sandefjord. Falk Larsen troubled Leislahti in the 53rd minute with a powerful header from Erlingmark’s corner. Another set-piece nine minutes later gave us a better opportunity, but Melfjord’s free-kick missed the target, summing up what was a frustrating evening for him.
I kept the pressure on Sandefjord by bringing on Mølsæter and Andreas Öhman from the bench. Meanwhile, Grindhaug switched to a three-striker system in a desperate effort to equalise. I reacted by dropping our midfielders back and adopting the counter-attacking 4-3-3 that had got us promoted at our opponents’ expense a year earlier.
Going more defensive did the trick, as we restricted Guttane to only two shots in the final half-hour. One of them was an optimistic long-ranger from substitute midfielder Morten Mortensen in the 77th minute, but that went well off target.
Mind you, Andersson did give Aalvik a real test in stoppage time. The Swedish wing-back’s strike from 17-year-old Ole Martin Furuseth’s cross was tipped behind by our goalie, who remained on course for a first clean sheet since August. After Akermann dealt with Andersson’s corner kick a few moments later, the referee called full-time.
Just like 12 months earlier, just over 5,000 spectators at the Bislett had seen the Promotion/Relegation Playoff start off with a cagey single-goal first leg. This time, though, the outnumbered Lyn fans were outsinging their Sandefjord counterparts. They would travel to Vestfold five days later hoping that we could convert our narrow 1-0 advantage into an overall victory.
Of course, winning 1-0 in the opening match didn’t do Sandefjord much good last year…
And losing two defenders on the eve of the second leg didn’t do us much good either. Rishovd picked up a cold at the worst possible time, and a hip injury sidelined centre-half Marius Høibråten until the spring. [I somehow can’t see Marius asking Kot Chol to donate his hip as a replacement!]
SANDEFJORD vs LYN 1896 (Eliteserien – Promotion/Relegation Playoff, Leg 2)
Elton John once said Saturday night was alright for fighting. We hoped Saturday 7 December would be alright for fighting for our Eliteserien future. [If not, may I recommend this song instead?]
I went with a 4-3-3 for the second leg and made three changes to my line-up. Rishovd was replaced at right-back by Markus Frydenlund (who was STILL moaning about not being allowed to join Tromsø). I also brought Erlingmark into the midfield ahead of Sander Eng Strand, while Helgesen returned to the left wing in Karterud’s place.
While I’d shuffled my pack, Grindhaug stayed loyal to the 11 players who’d started Sandefjord’s first-leg loss. That meant Salomón Obama remained up front, hoping to take inspiration from his famous namesake’s three-word catchphrase. [“Up the Irons?”]
Sandefjord pushed forward first, with winger Conrad Wallem putting an angled shot wide after just nine minutes. His next attempt 12 minutes later was caught by Aalvik, who had earlier kept out efforts from three of his team-mates.
A few speculative shots from Erlingmark aside, we gave the hosts little to worry about until the 27th minute. August stroked a lovely ball ahead of Svein, who cut past his marker Wålemark and curled in a pot-shot from the edge of the ‘D’! We now led 1-0 on the night, and 2-0 on aggregate!
Sandefjord needed to score at least two goals to have a chance of staying up. They got the first of them 10 minutes before half-time, when Aleksander Karlsen equalised with a similar 25-yard effort to Melfjord’s opener.
With our advantage back down to a single goal, we needed to keep our heads. Akermann should have heeded that advice in the 40th minute, when he recklessly lunged in late on home winger Marcus Vik. The on-loan Odd midfielder was immediately called to referee Svein Oddvar Moen, who showed him a straight red card! We were down to 10 men!
Sandefjord thankfully couldn’t make their extra man count before half-time, though Aalvik did catch a last-minute header from Wålemark. Nevertheless, our lead was now a very fragile one, and I had to bring Thomas Zernichow on for Helgesen to fill the midfield gap Akermann had left us with.
Keeping Sandefjord quiet early in the second half would be crucial to our survival hopes. It was far from ideal, then, that we folded just five minutes after the restart. The Guttane stretched us out when left-back Ridouan Essaeh stroked a square ball to Finnish midfielder Janne Ulvila, who confidently finished from just outside the box.
Ulvila’s strike left us 2-1 behind on aggregate. We could’ve been 3-2 down on aggregate had Sandefjord rounded off a brilliant counter-attack in the 55th minute by scoring. Much to the travelling fans’ relief, half-time sub Mortensen volleyed Obama’s searching pass inches wide of Aalvik’s goal.
We had a rare opportunity to attack the hosts three minutes later, when Frydenlund put a free-kick into their box from the right wing. As Zalo flicked a header goalwards, the referee spotted that Wålemark had pushed Zahid – and pointed to the spot! Melfjord stepped up to take a high-pressure penalty, but our leading scorer showed no nerves to send Leislahti the wrong way!
Sandefjord had lost their second-leg lead and gone 3-2 behind in the tie. Could they possibly bounce back again?
“Yes, we can,” said Obama. The one-time Atlético Madrid striker needed only two minutes to cancel out Melfjord’s penalty, heading in an excellent delivery from the ever-dangerous Essaeh.
Shortly after that, in the 65th minute, I brought on my second substitute. Haugstad had been surprisingly ineffective in both legs of the play-off, so I hoped Öhman would be the man to make the difference on the right wing. He certainly set up a good chance in the 68th minute, but his delivery to Melfjord (via Zahid) was blazed over.
Then, in the 74th minute, came another game-changing penalty. Moments after Wallem whipped a Sandefjord corner into the Lyn box, Þrándarson went down under an apparent push from Falk Larsen. Now it was Wallem’s turn to have a pop from 12 yards, and despite a spot of mind games from Aalvik, our goalkeeper was easily beaten.
The Guttane were 4-2 ahead on the night and – for the first time – led the tie 4-3. Lyn were 16 minutes away from relegation, so we HAD to go for broke. Frydenlund was substituted, Öhman moved to right wing-back, and Mølsæter came on to join Melfjord up front.
Melfjord had his first chance to secure a hat-trick – and save our skins – on 79 minutes. Unfortunately, Svein’s powerful effort was palmed wide by Leislahti before being cleared by Andersson. Our number 9 would soon be back on the attack, though not before Aalvik made a vital save to stop Obama putting the game to bed.
That shot at redemption came in the second minute of stoppage time. Our luck turned when Essaeh’s long ball just inside our half ricocheted off Mølsæter and headed towards the Guttane’s penalty box. Melfjord escaped Wålemark’s desperate slide tackle to reach the loose ball and enter the area, where he powered in a peach of a finish!
Super Svein was was now a superhero to the Bastionen! His hat-trick goal had saved us from the brink of relegation, levelling the aggregate scores at 4-4 to force extra-time! Despite being down a man, we were rejuvenated and went into those additional 30 minutes feeling like we could complete the miracle!
Our optimism was swept away within 20 seconds of kick-off. A very early clearance from Zalo allowed Sandefjord to stream forward and take advantage of a Lyn defence that had completely lost focus. When Mortensen’s cross was finished by Obama for the Spaniard’s brace, our Eliteserien future was back in jeopardy.
If Zalo quickly squandering possession was a forgivable mistake, though, then what his central defensive partner did about three minutes later really was not. Falk Larsen, hang your head in shame.
As Leislahti punted the ball upfield, Ole broke ranks to come forward and try to head it back into the Sandefjord half. Disastrously, he mistimed his interception, allowing Mortensen to race away and go one-on-one with Aalvik. Eivind never stood a chance as we fell behind 6-3 on the night – and 6-4 on aggregate.
Our task had become even more difficult. We now needed TWO goals in the remaining 26 minutes simply to force a penalty shoot-out! Even the most optimistic Bastionen could be forgiven for losing heart.
With no choice but to throw everything at the opposition, we managed to pull one goal back… in the 118th minute. Mølsæter nodded Aalvik’s long kick on to Melfjord, who ran fearlessly at the defence before powering home his fourth strike of the evening. Unless he or another Lyn player got another in what little time remained, though, it wouldn’t be enough.
Our very last chance came in stoppage time, after a Melfjord free-kick was headed towards the byline by Karlsen. Vlad’s follow-up cross won a corner off Eriksson. That left Zahid needing to deliver the best set-piece of his Lyn career…
…but his hanging-ball towards Zalo was quickly picked up by Leislahti. Our hearts sank as the 24-year-old hoofed the ball up the pitch, followed by the referee’s final whistle.
After just one season, Lyn’s Eliteserien adventure was over. We were heading straight back to the 1. divisjon…
SLUTTEN
…and I wouldn’t be on the journey back down. I struggled to contain my emotions in the dressing room as I told the players – and chairman Patrick Madsen – that my 193rd match as Lyn manager would be my last.
I’ve had six unforgettable seasons at the Bislett. We’ve tasted promotion twice and brought top-flight football back to Lyn for the first time since the original club was liquidated. We’ve also reached the Semi Final of the Cupen (though the less said about that, the better). After spending over a decade rebuilding in Norway’s lower leagues, the Bastionen now have a team to be proud of again.
Obviously, I was hoping to stay here for even longer and deliver a first league or Cupen championship since the 1960s. I know that Patrick would’ve been happy for me to stay on for at least the remaining two years of my contract. I also know that the fans have grown very fond of me.
It’s just that… this year has taken a lot more out of me than I thought it would. We were always likely to struggle during our first season in the Eliteserien, but dropping out in such spectacular style is a major blow.
Honestly, I don’t have the energy or the desire to fight for promotion back from the 1. divisjon. It’s time to hand over control to someone who does.
Whoever takes over will inherit a young and talented squad, which includes the new Norwegian Goalkeeper of the Year. Despite only keeping eight clean sheets in 31 games, Aalvik picked up the Kniksen Award for the Eliteserien’s best custodian. I’m sure Eivind will quickly return to the top flight with another club instead of dropping down with Lyn.
Indeed, Lyn’s youth set-up looks stronger than ever. The Under-19s had a fantastic season under new coach Mustapha Achrifi, finishing 3rd in the National Championship behind Brann and Molde! Expect a few members of that squad to get first-team chances next year after relegation.
[And look! Rosenborg got relegated! Ha!]
So I’m leaving Lyn much stronger as a team – and as a club – than it was when I took over the reins. As a football manager, that’s got to be your main objective, hasn’t it?
In that sense, I suppose my reign has been a success after all. I can leave the Bislett with my head held high… and when I come back next season, it will be as a very proud fan.
And that will, unfortunately, bring our Norwegian adventures to a close – with my first ever relegation in 20 years of playing Championship Manager or Football Manager. Not the kind of history I’d hoped to make with this save, that’s for sure!
Rest assured, though, that there will be a 2024 Season Review next week. After delving through the wreckage of Lyn’s season, I will explain in more detail why I’m ending this story now instead of trying to pull Lyn back up to the Eliteserien.
“Takk for lesing.”
Fuller FM 
You must be logged in to post a comment.