Before the match, the 24-year-old Zekhnini had not scored since 12 December 2020 for Switzerland Lausanne against Lucerne. Since then, there has been very little playing time and very little score. He played a total of twelve league games for Molde last season without setting a goalscoring record.

On Monday, he “finally” got the hole when he had to stand alone in front of goal and score 2-0 just before halftime. Previously, Magnus Wolff Eikrem took advantage of an error by AaFK goalkeeper Sten Grytebust in the third minute.

– Long awaited. I’ve worked hard and patiently, and so have kept the odds. It felt good, it was time, although there wasn’t much playing time, Zekhnini told Discovery after the game.

It was a win for a team that was aiming for the league title this year.

– Very good. They failed to create the whole world within us. “Very good away game,” said Molde coach Erling Moe.

Back off early

Molde had a rather disappointing start to the season and have picked up ten points in the first six games. On Monday, the Romsdalians will gauge strength against county rivals AaFK, and it is the blue-clad who have the reins despite the fact that Aalesund has delivered well at the start of the comeback season at Eliteserien and picked up eight points.

AaFK will meet Sarpsborg in their next match, while Molde will play in a new area against Kristiansund.

Eikrem’s goal came after three minutes of play. Zekhnini caught the ball in the back room which he was chasing himself. Grytebust came out to clear, but the ball slipped slightly off the feet at that point and fell to Eikrem. He had a little trouble getting the ball into an empty net from about 25 yards.

Zekhnini’s goal

– It’s boring because we missed it early. We had a setback at an inopportune time. “They had good control and deserved to win,” said Grytebust.

The second goal came just before halftime. Emil Breivik headed the ball into the box again after a corner, and there Zekhnini was left alone. It took him two attempts to get the ball past Grytebust but at the second finish he slotted it into the net.

The AaFK players screamed desperately for offside, but were not heard.