|
|
 |
| Quartet of sales boost Viking coffers |
As noted in last week's press release, Viking South Utsira spent the end of their last campaign and the whole of preseason trying to juggle a huge squad bursting with youthful prospects into some sort of viable shape, with no money at their disposal.
This week, manager VelvetAndroid accepted defeat in the unequal battle and reluctantly transfer-listed four solid prospects along with yet another half-decent arrival from the academy. The latter, 19-year-old defender Bettine Klovning, was immediately sold off for buttons to Div 6:12 side Buenos Muchachas FC, and this -- only the seventh sale the Blood Eagles have made in over eighteen months -- sparked a flurry of activity at the weekend as another four youngsters abruptly departed for destinations far and wide.
20-year-old midfielder Yvonne Kvalvik left for a million econs to take on the daunting challenge of Division 1 football at Fanfas FC, who fell only narrowly short of reaching the top flight in their playoff 10 days earlier against Gretna Girls. Another 20-year-old, defender Amaia Austrheim, meanwhile hops sideways to Div 3h to join Irish side Barbed Barbies for just a handful of econs more -- a club whom coincidentally Viking beat in a playoff to reach Division 1 six seasons ago, in their only encounter to date.
21-year-old Bodil Hovland made quite an impact in her short time at Ragnar Rock after arriving late last season from the academy, supplying two assists in her five league appearances then netting twice in a friendly against Gastele -- in what proved her valedictory appearance in Utsiran colours. She has moved for a shade over 2 million econs to Australian club Brisbane Roar in Div 6:29. Simultaneously a rather longer-term prospect, though one of the same age, departed in a more surprising move, as third-choice forward Ulrikke Klovning was reluctantly cashed in on by the perennially poor Utsirans despite having four solid seasons' development under her belt. She has ended up with Spanish side Zeniamar Girls in Div 5:28, where she will have to get used to playing in a tied-off blouse rather than a proper shirt, while her old club pocket 2.2 million econs for her.
With all four transfers in the early stages of being set up in midweek, two of the quartet nonetheless played a small further part in preseason, the second and last friendly being a 3-1 defeat at Space Chicks on Tuesday. Amaia came off the bench for the second half, while Yvonne made the most of a full 90 minutes to score a farewell goal 9 minutes from time.
None of the four featured on Saturday, however, when in the curtain-raising Round 1 Xpert Ladies cup tie of the new campaign Viking took most of the game to make a breakthrough at Racing 92 da Feira before veteran midfielder Birgit Austrheim kickstarting life without her recently-retired elder sister Asta by nodding the only goal in the 86th minute. The second leg back at Ragnar Rock beckons next weekend, but first comes the return to league action on Tuesday with a Div 3e home game against Deportivo Cruz Azul.
|
|
2019-12-03 22:27
|
1042 Gledania |
|
Reporter:
TheMoss
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|