AMSTERDAM – Molde FK netminder Ethan Horvath got a little late help from his friends to post his third clean sheet in nine days' time, a 1-0 win over Tippeligaen hosts Valerenga.
The 20-year-old chalked up one save, a pair of cross claims and a pair of punches in running his shutout streak across all competitions to 348 minutes. However, Horvath needed a last-minute rescue in the form of a clearance off the line after his handling error offered Alexander Mathisen a golden chance to level. Thanks to their first league victory in five, Molde pulled to within seven points of the last Europa league slot with nine rounds left.
Around the horn in Norway, Zarek Valentin and Bodo/Glimt got back to winning ways with a 4-2 road triumph over FK Haugesund.
With teammate Danny Cruz watching on from the away dugout, Valentin put in a competent full shift at right back. Thanks to their seventh victory in eight games, Glimt held firm in eighth place, one point behind Molde.
Rhett Bernstein and Mjondalen gave upsetting clear table-toppers Rosenborg another hearty effort, but fell just short this time in suffering a 1-0 away defeat.
The American nearly reproduced his goalscoring heroics from the Mjondalen home win earlier this season on 20 minutes, but nudged his corner kick header inches over the frame. The miss would come back to haunt as the dominant hosts finally broke the resolve of Bernstein & Co. just past the hour mark. The loss kept them docked in the survival playoff spot.
