Cup final in Oslo, October 27, 1996 =================================== Tromsø - Bodø/Glimt 2-1 (0-0) Ullevaal stadion Att: 22 683 0-1 Runar Berg (55) 1-1 Ole Martin Årst (79) 2-1 Sigurd Rushfeldt (90) Referee: Terje Hauge, Lyngbø. Yellow card: Jonny Hanssen (1), Ole Martin Årst (51), Tromsø, Andreas Evjen (30), Ørjan Berg (58), Bodø/Glimt. Line-ups -------- Tromsø (4-4-2): Tor Andre Grnersen - Johnny Hansen (Bjørn Ludvigsen from 70.), Arne Vidar Moen, Steinar Nilsen (Stian Larsen from 46.), Morten Kræmer - Roar Berntsen, Bjørn Johansen, Per Egil Swift, Thomas Hafstad - Sigurd Rushfeldt, Ole Martin Årst; Roar Christensen, Stein Berg-Johansen, Ole Andreas Nilsen. Bodø/Glimt (4-3-3): Rohnny Westad - Ola Haldorsen, Bent Inge Johnsen, Cato Hansen, Andreas Evjen - Runar Berg, Ørjan Berg, Thor Mikalsen - Aasmund Bjørkan, Stig Johansen, Jan Derek Sørensen (Terje Ellingsen from 77.). Match report ------------ - When Runar Berg gave B/G the lead against the run of play, it looked like a referee mistake could decide the outcome of another cup final. Because, Berg clearly handled the ball, before advancing 40 metres and surprising the TIL defence, which waited for the referee's signal, by shooting between a wood of legs into the left corner. Thankfully justice was done in the last quarter of the game. First, Årst equalised after a corner, and then over 2 minutes into injury time(!), ace striker Rushfeldt headed home the winner after an excellent freekick by Kræmer. In the end that was noting more than TIL deserved. The team from the capital of Northern Norway had been the sharper and better team throughout in a rather weak game, having created the better chances and looked the likelier to score. Bodø/Glimt was a major disappointment. Their normally sharp counter attacks were nowhere to be seen, and even the B/G coach admitted afterwards that their play had been below par and that defeat was deserved, although it happened in a cruel way. Tromsø will now represent Norway in the 1997/98 Cup Winners Cup, their third European participation, whereas B/G, last year's bronze medalists, must go home wondering why 1996 wasn't their year.