Vålerenga Fotball suffered another away defeat in their match against Lillestrøm. The team lost 2-0 at Åråsen Stadion on Saturday, deepening a profoundly difficult period for the club.

The short version: - Result: Lillestrøm 2-0 Vålerenga. - Scorers: Ruben Gabrielsen (25') and Thomas Lehne Olsen (90+6') for Lillestrøm. - The story: Vålerenga are without a win in five matches and are stuck in a severe form slump.

After the match, the manager was clear that explanations have run out. There are no excuses, he told reporters. We have had enough time to work our way out of this situation. Now we just have to find solutions and perform better. The team has been in a poor period, but there is no reason to blame factors other than ourselves.

The loss to Lillestrøm was Vålerenga's third consecutive defeat in the Eliteserien. Their last five matches have yielded zero wins, two draws, and three losses. The negative run started with a 1-2 home loss to Bodø/Glimt on August 8th, followed by a dramatic 5-5 draw away to Aalesund and a 3-4 home defeat to Molde. A 2-2 draw with Sarpsborg 08 offered a glimmer of hope before the loss to Lillestrøm ended it.

Form must be reversed

With just two points from their last five games, Vålerenga have created pressure on themselves that must be lifted. The manager pointed out that the team has had sufficient time on the training pitch between matches to correct mistakes. We have worked hard, but the results are not coming, he said. Now it is time for the work to show in the matches. There is no magical solution, it's about being better in both boxes.

Vålerenga's top scorer this season, L. Haren, has eight goals in 19 appearances but has not scored in recent outings.

The next opportunity to reverse the trend comes on Sunday, September 20th, when Vålerenga host Fredrikstad at Intility Arena. It will be a key match to break the negative streak and generate some positive momentum before the final games of the autumn. See the full fixture list to keep track of the upcoming matches.

The manager stressed that the focus is now entirely on preparations for the Fredrikstad game. We have a week to prepare, and everyone is aware of what is at stake, he said. The team needs a win, and that is the only thing that matters now.

Vålerenga leave Åråsen without any points, and the work to find the missing stability continues at Valle in the days leading up to Sunday.

The original report is at TV2 Sport (NO)