Viking FK vs Sandefjord - prediction, team news, lineups

Viking FK could reclaim apical spot successful the Eliteserien table with a triumph connected Saturday erstwhile they invited Sandefjord to Lyse Arena for their circular 14 encounter.

A 1-0 decision to Sarpsborg past play saw Morten Jensen's broadside surrender the Norwegian top-flight summit, portion Guttane's 2-2 gully with HamKam past clip retired near the Vestfold nine ninth successful the standings.

Match preview

Viking ended a 34-year hold for the Norwegian top-flight rubric successful 2025, edging Bodo/Glimt by a azygous point, and the Dark Blues are good connected people to clasp the Eliteserien crown this season.

With 9 victories from 11 league matches (L2), the Stavanger outfit beryllium conscionable 1 constituent down leaders Tromso IF, who person played 3 games more, leaving the defending champions with the accidental to reclaim apical spot this weekend.

Jensen's broadside were 2nd champion successful past Sunday's travel to Sarpsborg contempt enjoying 60% possession, managing an xG of conscionable 0.86 compared to their opponents' 1.31, with Daniel Karlsbakk's 22nd-minute onslaught proving decisive.

That decision saw Viking neglect to people successful a lucifer for the archetypal clip successful implicit a year, with the past specified juncture besides coming successful a 1-0 nonaccomplishment astatine Sarpsborg successful the Norwegian Cup connected July 9, 2025.

The Dark Blues person present gone back-to-back matches without triumph aft playing retired a 1-1 gully with Danish broadside SonderjyskE successful a mid-season affable earlier past weekend's defeat, bringing an extremity to their nine-match winning streak successful the league.

However, a instrumentality to Lyse Arena should manus Jensen's men a important boost, having won each of their 5 location league matches this season, portion lone leaders Tromso person collected much points (20) connected their ain turf, albeit from 9 matches.

That makes this weekend's duty adjacent much daunting for a Sandefjord broadside that person mislaid each of their past 3 distant league matches, suffering defeats to Tromso, Lillestrom and Molde, and different travel to a top-five broadside offers small encouragement.

Guttane's struggles connected the roadworthy person contributed to their existent four-match winless run, alternating betwixt defeats and draws during that spell, astir precocious sharing the spoils successful that location gully with HamKam contempt playing overmuch of the contention with 10 men.

Sandefjord took an aboriginal pb done Bendik Berntsen, but Jakob Vester's dismissal successful the 54th infinitesimal proved costly arsenic the visitors equalised soon aft the hr mark, and portion Edvard Pettersen restored the hosts' advantage, Mame Niang struck heavy into stoppage clip to rescue a constituent for the Hamar visitors.

Guttane person present conceded 2 oregon much goals successful 3 of their past 4 matches, shipping 15 successful 12 league fixtures this play portion averaging conscionable 1 onslaught per crippled implicit that period, highlighting their imbalance astatine some ends of the pitch.  

Interestingly, Sandefjord's past 3 victories person each travel with cleanable sheets, suggesting that taking thing from Stavanger whitethorn beryllium connected producing a disciplined antiaircraft display, with different decision this play perchance dragging them person to the relegation playoff places; lone 3 points abstracted the Vestfold nine from 14th-placed KFUM Oslo.

History besides offers small encouragement for the visitors, who are winless successful their past 7 meetings with Viking, losing each of the past six, including a 2-1 decision successful their latest clash, portion Guttane’s astir caller sojourn to this crushed ended successful a 3-1 setback.

Viking FK Norwegian Eliteserien form:

Viking FK signifier (all competitions):

Sandefjord Norwegian Eliteserien form:

Team News

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Viking appeared to travel done past weekend's decision to Sarpsborg without immoderate caller wounded concerns, though the defending champions stay without Veton Berisha (knock) and Martin Roseth (knee).

Defender Henrik Saelebakke Falchener has returned pursuing Norway's World Cup quarter-final exit and is expected to commencement successful cardinal defence, with Anders Baertelsen apt to marque way.

Peter Christiansen leads the club's scoring charts with six league goals this play and should erstwhile again spearhead the attack, portion Simen Kvia-Egeskog, who has netted 5 times, is expected to supply enactment behind.

Captain Zlatko Tripic remains Viking's originative talisman from the near flank, with nary subordinate successful the 2026 Eliteserien registering much than the 33-year-old's 13 assists this term.
Sandefjord volition beryllium forced into astatine slightest 1 alteration aft Vester's suspension, with Pettersen pushing to commencement successful cardinal midfield pursuing his extremity from the seat against HamKam.

Filip Loftesnes-Bjune remains unavailable with a thigh wounded and is expected to miss retired erstwhile again, having not featured since April 7.

Nikolaj Moller should proceed to pb the enactment for the visitors aft scoring 3 goals successful 12 league appearances this season.

Viking FK imaginable starting lineup:

Belko; Heggheim, Stensness, Falchener, Haugen; Bell; Fuglestad, Askildsen, Kvia-Egeskog, Tripic; Christiansen

Sandefjord imaginable starting lineup:

Hadaya; Kristiansen, Lambrix, Pedersen, Egeli; Pettersen, Mork, Melchior; Patoulidis, Moller, Berntsen

We say: Viking FK 3-1 Sandefjord

Although Viking suffered decision past weekend, a instrumentality to acquainted surroundings provides the perfect accidental to bounce back, peculiarly against an hostile they person dominated successful caller years.

Alongside an unfavourable head-to-head record, Sandefjord's mediocre distant signifier leaves plentifulness of country for concern, and with the visitors conceding astatine slightest 3 goals successful each of their past 3 visits to this ground, different comfy location triumph looks the astir apt outcome.
 

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