It was exciting right to the end, but Viking held on for their first win of the season by beating fellow strugglers Odd Grenland.
Nothing happened in the first 25 minutes of the match and many people were dreading a repeat of the Sandefjord 0-0 draw a fortnight earlier. However, on 27 minutes Peter Ijeh dummied the ball to Andre Danielsen, who then passed the back into the path of the Nigerian striker. From 12 yards out Ijeh placed his shot in the bottom corner and the stadium irrupted.
Ijeh almost got his second a few minutes later, but this time the visitor’s goalkeeper Rune Almenning Jarstein was equal to it. Odd Grenland were very poor in the first half, but almost scored just before the break when Fernando de Ornelas stole the ball and was clean though on goal. However, Iven Austbø was quickly off his line to block the shot.
It was a better start to the second half than the first and Peter Ijeh (x2) and Hannes Sigurdsson had good opportunities to increase the lead, but could not direct their shots on target. Then on 64 minutes the visitors got a free-kick on the right. Espen Ruud crossed the ball into the area and an unmarked Nat Borches got up to header the ball into the net for an undeserved equaliser.
In the space of four minutes there were two goalmouth scrambles in the visitor’s penalty area, but Viking couldn’t get the ball over the line. Then with 12 minutes to go Nikolai Stokholm sends a corner into the box and Peter Ijeh gets his header on target and the ball rolls into the back of the net. Viking Stadium explodes!
Alexander Ødegaard caused havoc on the left side after coming on as a substitute and was pulled down in the area with three minutes to go. Ijeh had the chance to score a hat-trick, but his penalty was saved easily by Jarstein in the Odd goal.
The home side almost gave away the points right at the death, but somehow Odds Fernando de Ornelas put the ball wide from five yards out. Viking captain Nikolai Stokholm was greatful for the Venezuelan striker missing the chance right at the end saying: “It was unnecessary to give them a chance like that, but luckily it didn’t end up in the back of the net.
Viking manager Uwe Rösler was happy with his side finally getting the three points saying: “It’s not good for our confidence to draw matches that we should have won, so it was good to finally win.”
However, the former Manchester City favourite is still not happy with the finishing and feels there is room for improvement. Rösler said: “We have to be better in front of goal and keep our composure in the vital moment. There is still a lot to work on.
Match Facts
Viking FK – Odd Grenland 2-1 (1-0)
Goals: 1-0 Peter Ijeh (27), 1-1 Nat Borches (64), 2-1 Peter Ijeh (78)
Yellow Cards: Børre Steenslid, Andre Danielsen (Viking)
Attendance: 13 808
Referee: Roy Helge Olsen
Viking (4-4-2) – Iven Austbø – Maurice Ross, Børre Steenslid, Ragnvald Soma, Thomas Pereira – Razak Pimpong (Søren Berg 77), Nikolai Stokholm, Jone Samuelsen, Andre Danielsen, – Peter Ijeh (Peter Abelsson 88), Hannes Sigurdsson (Alexander Ødegaard 68)
Odd Grenland (4-4-2) – Rune Almenning Jarstein – Espen Ruud, Nat Borches, Steffen Hagen, Tuomo Kononen – Jan Tore Amundsen (Torjus Hansen 46), Tommy Svindel Larsen, Trond Viggo Toresen, Jacob Sørensen (Magnus Lekven 81) – Fernando de Ornelas, Zbynek Pospech (Fredrik Gulsvik 60)
League Table (After 5 matches)
1.Lillestrøm, 13pts (GD 11-3)
2.Brann, 10pts (10-7)
3.Sandefjord, 8pts (6-5)
4.Rosenborg, 7pts (10-8)
5.Tromsø, 7pts (10-8)
6.Start, 7pts (9-7)
7.Lyn Oslo, 7pts (9-8)
8.Fredrikstad, 7pts (9-11)
9.Stabæk, 6pts (5-5)
10.Strømsgodset, 6pts (5-6)
11.Viking, 6pts (4-5)
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12.Vålerenga, 5pts (4-7)
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13.Odd Grenland, 3pts (6-8)
14.Aalesund, 1pts (6-16)
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