Tripić Fires Viking to Historic Champions League Win

For the first time in the club's history, Viking have won a Champions League match, and the SR-Bank Arena was celebrating before the final whistle confirmed it. Home supporters chanted through the closing stages of a 4–1 win over Sabah FA. The victory was built on persistence, a saved penalty that still produced a goal, and a second half in which the visitors came apart after losing Aiden McCarthy to a VAR-upgraded red card.

Zlatko Tripić was at the centre of it. He scored the goal that put Viking ahead and created the one that settled the contest. Erik Botheim scored twice, once early and once late, and his second arrived in stoppage time.

Sabah punish Askildsen before Botheim levels

The night began badly for the hosts. In the 11th minute, an error by Kristoffer Askildsen let five Sabah players break forward. Umarali Rahmonaliyev's pass sent Patrick Mbina through, and he side-footed low into the bottom-right corner. It was Mbina's second goal of the season in all competitions, in his ninth appearance.

Viking took 16 minutes to respond. Kristoffer Haugen sent in an accurate cross and Botheim met it first time, steering the ball in acrobatically with his shin. It was an instinctive finish rather than a clean one, but it made the score 1–1, and that is how it stayed until half-time.

The level score at the break was a fair reflection of the play. Sabah were not passengers. They finished with 16 shots and 49% of the ball. Viking's edge of 21 attempts to 16, and eight on target to four, was one of degree rather than control.

Tripić turns a saved penalty into the lead

The game turned in the 69th minute. Tripić stepped up for a penalty and Stas Pokatilov saved it, but the Viking forward reacted first and put away the rebound. In a single moment he missed a spot-kick and scored, taking his tally to 10 goals in all competitions this season from 30 appearances.

Eight minutes later, Sabah's evening unravelled. Referee Sander van der Eijk was sent to the pitchside monitor to review McCarthy's challenge on Peter Christiansen. He upgraded the original decision to a straight red card for serious foul play. Sabah were one goal down with 13 minutes plus stoppage time remaining, and now had to chase the game with ten men.

Falchener and Botheim punish ten-man Sabah

Viking needed only four minutes to make the extra man count. Tripić delivered a corner in the 81st minute and Henrik Falchener rose in the box to head it home. It was his third goal of the season in all competitions, in his 23rd appearance. Viking won ten corners to Sabah's six, and this was the one that mattered.

The fourth goal, in stoppage time, had some luck in it. A defensive error by Daşdəmirov let Christiansen win the ball back inside the box. He cut it back to Botheim, whose shot deflected off Puchacz and Solvet on its way in. Botheim has now scored in three of Viking's last six matches and has six goals in 11 appearances in all competitions this season.

Botheim offered a modest assessment of himself: "I'm not in that class." On the evidence of this night, Viking will be glad to have him.

Viking climb into the play-off places

The win changes their position in the table. The three points lift Viking to 22nd on four points, inside the knockout play-off zone. A month ago, a 3–3 draw with Bayern München had left them 26th with a single point. Their attack has been consistent throughout: they have scored in each of their last 22 matches in all competitions, with 55 goals in that run.

For Sabah, the margins have become very small. Three points from four matches leaves them 31st and outside qualification contention. The game was level with 21 minutes left and ended as a three-goal defeat. The red card did not just remove a player; it turned a close contest into a heavy loss.

Viking now have something no previous Viking side managed at this level: a Champions League win. Four matches into the league stage, they also have a position worth defending.