2007.06.17 – League Match – Viking - Tromsø – 3-1

Viking recorded their fourth victory in a row with a deserved 3-1 win over Tromsø, who still only have three points away from home this season.

Two goals from Peter Ijeh and an unlucky Christian Steen gave the Stavanger team all the points in a game that never really got going until the second half. The first 45 minutes were poor with both teams having problems with their passing and few chances being created.

After 28 minutes Yngvar Håkonsen headed home from a free-kick to give the visitors the lead, and the home side were struggling to get back into the match. However, in first-half injury-time, Nicolai Stokholm fired a shot at goal and the ball hit Tromsø's Christian Steen sending the ball into the back of the net behind a wrong footed goalie Saed Ramovic.

In the second half Viking dominated and outplayed a defensive Tromsø and Peter Ijeh, Søren Berg and Andre Danielsen all had shots on goal, but the dark blues just couldn't find the breakthrough.

Then with 12 minutes to go Alexander Ødegaard sent a world-class ball into the box and striker Peter Ijeh headed the ball into the top of the net to give the Stavanger team a 2-1 lead. Three minutes later, Ødegaard once again found the Nigerian with a perfect ball and Ijeh, like the previous goal, headed home to score his seventh goal in eight games.

After the match, manager Uwe Rosler was pleased with the second half performance, but after being asked about what he thought about Vikings chances of challenging for the title the German said: "Take it easy, we are not a top team yet."

"I am still trying to work out all the players strengths and weaknesses. We are on the right track and the substitutions at half-time turned the game to our advantage, which gave us the victory"

Match Facts
Viking – Tromsø 3-1 (1-1)
Goals: 0-1 Yngvar Håkonsen (28), 1-1 Christian Steen (45og), 2-1 Peter Ijeh (78), 3-1 Peter Ijeh (81)
Yellow Cards: Maurice Ross (Viking), Sead Ramovic (Tromsø)
Attendance: 16 241
Referee: Tom Harald Hagen

Viking (4-4-2) – Iven Austbø – Maurice Ross, Børre Steenslid, Ragnvald Soma, Thomas Pereira – Razak Pimpong (Alexander Ødegaard 46), Nikolai Stokholm, Andre Danielsen (Jone Samuelsen 84), Allan Gaarde – Søren Berg, Peter Ijeh

Tromsø (4-3-3) – Sead Ramovic – Martin Knudsen (Thomas Hafstad 72), Christian Steen, Henrik Nordnes, Yngvar Håkonsen (Ruben Yttergård Jenssen 62)– Tom Høgli (Sigurd Rushfeldt 75), Douglas Sequeira, Joel Lindpere – Morten Moldskred, Ole Martin Årst, Hans Åge Yndestad

League Table (after 10 matches)
1.Brann, 20pts (GD 20-18)
2.Stabæk, 19pts (16-10)
3.Viking, 18pts (16-13)
4.Lillestrøm, 17pts (18-11)
5.Rosenborg, 17pts (20-14)
6.Fredrikstad, 15pts (17-16)
7.Strømsgodset, 15pts (12-15)
8.Lyn Oslo, 14pts (23-18)
9.Tromsø, 13pts (17-18)
10.Start, 13pts (16-18)
11.Vålerenga, 12pts (8-10)
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12.Sandefjord, 8pts (10-16)
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13.Aalesund, 8pts (13-22)
14.Odd Grenland, 4pts (8-15)
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