Seventh heaven for Rosenborg
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Article summary
Rosenborg BK 7-1 FC Astana (agg: 10-2) Teenager Abdoulrazack Traoré scored a hat-trick as Norway's champions sailed past their Kazakhstani counterparts.
Article body
Rosenborg BK beat Kazakhstani champions FC Astana 7-1 in Trondheim to win this UEFA Champions League second qualifying round tie 10-2 on aggregate and set up a Scandinavian derby against Finland's Tampere United.
Traoré hat-trick
The Norwegian champions, attempting to return to the group stage of European football's premier club competition after missing out last year, coasted through thanks to a hat-trick from Abdoulrazack Traoré, two goals by Yssouf Kone and further strikes from Steffen Iversen and Marek Sapara.
Easy victory
Rosenborg made a dream start when Kone added to his two first-leg goals by giving the home side the lead from close range on 45 seconds. Within six minutes Iversen had doubled the advantage and 17 minutes were on the clock when 18-year-old Traoré got the first of his treble – this was his first appearance in two weeks after being mugged on holiday in the Ivory Coast. After Alexandr Suchkov had reduced Astana's arrears, Kone made it 4-1 at half-time before Traoré found the net twice in four minutes just after the break to claim the match ball. There was still time for Sapara to score a spectacular free-kick soon after the hour as Rosenborg eased to victory.
