Last season, Sarpsborg 08 landed in 9th place with a burning desire to climb higher in the table this year. – So far it seems to be going well, and especially today, Sunday, they were strong. Not very entertaining, but tactically strong and disciplined.
It must be said, after the experience from the World Cup it is fantastic to watch a football match knowing that no one, absolutely no one is trying to rig the result for financial gain.
Unexpected that it would be Sarpsborg who stopped Viking.
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Sarpsborg 08 had only kept a clean sheet once this season. On Sunday evening, the reigning league champions Viking awaited – a team that had won nine games in a row. It turned out to be a night to remember for the Blues from Østfold.
On our Live service you can see all the statistics from the match.
The reigning champions came to Sarpsborg with a single mission: three more points and a continued hunt for the league lead. But the hosts showed no fear. From the first kick, Sarpsborg 08 were just as good in the game, and they were not impressed by the opponent’s track record.
After 22 minutes, the breakthrough came. Claus Niyukuri saw his striker, Daniel Karlsbakk, and struck precisely. Jærbuen created space in masterful Haaland fashion, turned away the defender and made it 1-0 with a controlled finish that sat perfectly in the corner.
Viking crushed after nine straight wins
After the break, the game went back and forth. Viking pressed for an equalizer, but they met a Sarpsborg goalkeeper in great form. Leander Øy was impossible to pass, and time and time again he saved his team with important finishes.
Viking chased, created chances, but never got a hole in the buoyant fortress. 1-0 stood until the referee blew the whistle.
Thus, Sarpsborg 08 inflicted their first loss on Viking since the series opener against HamKam. The reigning champions had won nine straight games before this clash. Nine games without a misstep – until they faced a Sarpsborg team that refused to give up.
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Climbing the table – and keeping a clean sheet
For Sarpsborg 08, this was a performance out of the ordinary. They kept a clean sheet for the second time this season – and climbed to 7th place in the table. Three important points that send them up in the fight for a top spot.
Viking, on the other hand, remains in second place, one point behind Tromsø. But they have three games less played than the league leaders, so the gold medal match is far from decided.
For Sarpsborg 08, this was a night they will never forget. Against all odds, against the league’s most in-form teams, they showed that they are a team to be reckoned with.
