AMSTERDAM – Clubs dressing Americans enjoyed a perfect Wednesday night in NM Cupen round-of-16 play, with Cole Grossman notching an assist as Stabæk exploded after the break for a 5-1 home win over Strømmen.
The former Real Salt Lake man (pictured above) collected a 70th-minute free kick into the wall and quickly dished off for Adama Diomandé to bag the home side's third. Blues Ones boss Bob Bradley ran his Norwegian Cup record to 9-1, leading the team to the quarterfinals for the second year running.
Elsewhere, in a duel of American netminders, Quentin Westberg made two big saves in the penalty shootout to help Sarpsborg 08 return to the elite eight following a scoreless draw at Alex Horwath's Brann.
Horwath, a former Red Bulls 'keeper, posted his first career NM Cupen shutout, thanks to a pair of tidy first-half saves and another near the hour. Westberg, meanwhile, pulled off his cruelest robbery of regulation when Brann winger Kristoffer Larsen broke in alone during the final minute of added time.
The Sarpsborg custodian then made huge stops during each 15-minute overtime session – wrapped around Horwath's 104th-minute denial of a curling free kick – before completing his heroics in the 4-1 penalties triumph.
Early injury sub Rhett Bernstein would quickly be forced off himself in Mjøndalen's 4-0 rout of guests Hødd. The center back entered on 19 minutes, but departed with what appeared to be a knee injury shortly after the half-hour mark.
Viking defender A.J. Soares watched from the bench as the visitors followed a tense 2-2 draw with an easy-as-pie 3-0 shootout win at Kristiansund BK. The regular center back was held out as precaution after taking a nasty bump to the head during weekend league play.
Also, Ethan Horvath served as backup netminder as holders Molde FK eased past visiting Kvik Halden 3-0.
