Kongsvinger I.L.

Kongsvinger I.L. is a Norwegian football club from the town of Kongsvinger in Hedmark. The club was founded in 1892 and plays its home matches at Gjemselund Stadion.

Related Topics:
Norwegian - Football - Kongsvinger - Hedmark

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Despite limited financial resources, Kongsvinger I.L. played in the Norwegian Premier League for 17 straight seasons (1983-1999). Among the club's achievements were a silver medal in the league in 1992, bronze in 1986 and -87 and a 1-1 draw against football powerhouse Juventus in the UEFA Cup in 1993. Kongsvinger dropped out of the top flight in 1999, in the end struggling both financially and on the pitch. Only two years later another relegation sent the team down to level three in Norwegian football. After a mediocre interlude in the 2002 season, former Ham-Kam-player Vegard Skogheim took over the job as Kongsvinger-manager in 2003, instilling new enthusiasm into a young squad of part-timers. In 2003, the team went undefeated in their division and secured promotion back to 1st division, the second-highest level. The success continued in 2004, and the newly promoted team surprised many experts by managing third place in the league, and thereby earning the right to two playoff matches for promotion against the club that finished third last in the Norwegian Premier League, Bodø/Glimt. Kongsvinger I.L. won the first match 1-0, but lost the second 0-4, giving away both the aggregate win and the right to play in the Premier League to Bodø/Glimt.

Related Topics:
Norwegian Premier League - Juventus - UEFA Cup - Ham-Kam - Vegard Skogheim - Bodø/Glimt

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