Bjørdal's Stoppage-Time Strike Earns Viking a Point in Sandefjord
Viking FK salvaged a 1–1 draw away to Sandefjord on 4 September thanks to a Henrik Bjørdal equaliser deep into injury time. The point keeps Viking second in the Eliteserien table, with two home fixtures at Lyse Arena and a UEFA Champions League trip to Stuttgart on the horizon.
A Hard-Fought Point on the Road
Viking FK travelled to Sandefjord on 4 September 2026 for Eliteserien matchday 20, and had to settle for a 1–1 draw after a dramatic late leveller. Sandefjord took the lead through a goal at the hour mark, and it looked as though Viking would return to Stavanger empty-handed.
Henrik Bjørdal had other ideas, however, equalising deep into stoppage time — 90+4' — to rescue a point for the visitors and keep the title race very much alive.
Title Challenge Continues
The draw leaves Viking sitting second in the Eliteserien table, a position they have held throughout a strong campaign that has seen them win 14 of their first 19 league matches, scoring 43 goals and conceding just 19. Their points tally of 44 from 19 games underlines their consistency, even if a late slip cost them maximum points in Sandefjord.
The result was made all the more significant by the flurry of transfer activity that surrounded the club on 2 September, with departures recorded in defence, attack and midfield — Essiën Bassey, Erik Botheim and Henrik Bjørdal himself all moved on — making Bjørdal's farewell strike a particularly poignant moment.
What's Next at Lyse Arena
Attention now turns to home comforts. Viking host Kristiansund at Lyse Arena on 13 September before welcoming Lillestrøm to Stavanger on 20 September. Both fixtures represent opportunities to close the gap at the top of the table in front of the home faithful.
Sandwiched between those Eliteserien ties is a mouth-watering UEFA Champions League assignment: Viking travel to Stuttgart to face VfB Stuttgart on 9 September, continuing a historic European campaign that represents the club's first appearance in the competition's revamped format.
