Much of the Stavanger Stadion seated stands and terrace cease to exist now as they were taken down after Viking moved out over twenty years ago, but it was still nice to finally visit this old athletics stadium, indeed this was the very ground Viking humbled Chelsea on in the UEFA Cup back in October 2002, I remember watching it on TV back then, so this ground does hold fond memories for the locals for sure, as that was certainly one of Viking's most famous wins in recent times, and ever arguably. They would end up knocking that Chelsea team out of Europe after a 5-4 aggregate win over the two legs, a big shock indeed.
So, it was ironic that my first visit to this ground would include a Viking side, which today was their second team, up against Vidar whose actual home ground, Lassa, was being renovated hence they had to move a mile or so down the road to play at this historic venue, and continue their charge to what they hoped was a championship winning season and promotion back to the third tier in Norway.
Anyway, more on that game later, as you know I have been covering this league in the three weeks I've been in Norway, so I thought I'd actually do a blog on the league featuring the game I was at for the final weekend I am here, so that was Round/Week 14 of the league season, there were two games on Friday night and then five more on Saturday, including my one, let's see what happened on Friday evening to start with:-
Friday 1st August
Djerv 1919 5 Sola 0
Hosts Djerv 1919 come from Haugesund and I had the pleasure of watching them last weekend when they battled hard to a 3-1 win at bottom side Sandnes Ulf 2 at the Oster Hus Arena, they had been in good form lately and they were fully expected to see off a Sola side who I had seen grab their first clean sheet last Friday against Torvestad in a game they should have been well beaten in after the visitors on that day missed a glut of chances, however Sola still dropped into the bottom three despite this point and were going to be in for another tough evening.
It turned out to be a very tough evening for them as well, going behind to a Mads Johannesen goal in the 22nd minute before they found themselves two behind by the half time break after Vebjorn Rullestad netted for the hosts right on half time to give Sola a mountain to climb. Djerv though were not to let up on their struggling opponents after the break, making it three in the 55th minute through Tom Undheim, and it was four to the hosts in the 69th minute when Johannesen netted his second of the game, and the scoring was completed seven minutes from time as Johannesen completed his hat-trick to help hand Djerv another impressive win, their sixth win in seven league games, for Sola that's five straight losses now as they remain in a precarious position down at the bottom.
Torvastad 0 Hinna 4
I'd seen Hinna twice during this period I'd been over here in Norway, going into the summer break they had won three games in a row, however, since their return they had lost twice without scoring a goal, so I hadn't exactly brought them any luck!!! It had seen them slip from fourth to ninth in the table as a result and they were up against a Torvastad side I'd seen become the first side not to score against Sola this season, and it was a wonder how after they missed a ton of chances in a goalless draw, although as said in that game blog they had only scored six goals in their last nine games, madness!!!
The hosts though did sit a point above their visiting opponents prior to kick off though, so this one could go either way you felt, well it turned out to be a landslide result in the end as Hinna put their opponents to the sword and bounce back from those defeats to Brodd and Vidar, the ironically named Johannes Hinna opened the scoring for, Hinna, in the 15th minute before Espen Ringlund doubled that lead just past the midway point of the first half, leaving the hosts a mountain to climb.
This mountain became even larger when Vegard Saetre was booked in eleven second half minutes to be sent off before the hour mark, and then saw Mats Valvatne net a 61st minute spot kick to extend Hinna's advantage before they added a fourth goal with just over twenty minutes remaining through Aryan Moghimi and bounce back from those losses in style and sending them up those standings, whereas for Torvastad that's now just one point in nine since the return from the summer break, not how they wanted to come back for sure!!!
Ok to Saturday now, starting with the game I attended at Stavanger Stadion:-
Saturday 2nd August
Vidar Vs Viking 2
I had seen league leaders Vidar net a 4-0 win at Hinna on Monday evening, and could see why they held a five point lead at the top of the division heading into Round 14 of the season, they are a very powerful all round side who have netted 53 goals in the thirteen league games thus far, and only conceded ten, winning eleven of their thirteen games too, they have only lost two games all season, one of those was against today's opponents, could lightning strike twice perhaps?
Viking 2 were having a mixed season but knew if they could notch a double over today's opponents would climb into the top six if results went there way, but it was going to be a tough ask against the leagues best side, and it soon became apparent that this result would not be repeated as Vidat opened up a three goal lead after just twenty minutes, opening the scoring on just three minutes when a cross from the right saw their number nine Simen Haughom, who had netted a brace in that 4-0 win at Hinna, glance home a deft header into the far corner.
And in the 11th minute Vidar had doubled their money, a ball floated into the box William Husebo saw visiting keeper Arn-Sebastian Escobar appear to misjudge the flight of it, so he came to far and saw the ball float over him to the back post where Kujtim Ismaili was on hand to nod home a simple goal, and then with twenty minutes on the clock Haughom had another brace when a ball played back into the box found him all alone and he duly composed himself before slotting beyond Escobar to pretty much end this one with barely a quarter of the game gone.
Vidar had chances to add to their tally too, Viking 2 did have one moment that caused the hosts alarm, but it was a fleeting moment in a game the hosts were very comfortable, and just before half time they did end the contest by adding a fourth, Haughom receiving the ball inside the box before firing beyond Escobar into the far corner with effortless pernach, and Vidar were on their way to another comfortable win, but how many could they win by?
The second half wasn't really much to write home about sadly, with the game done in the first half it was pretty much a non event, and it appeared to be drifting to a 4-0 conclusion, however, their was some late action to write about, Vidar won a penalty with six minutes to go when hat-trick hero Haughom was brought down inside the box, and he got up to convert the spot kick for his fourth of the game and a fifth for Vidar, Viking then managed a goal of their own three minutes later when a effort from Ali Rahim was parried across goal by home keeper Petter Vassenden giving Sondre Tveiten the simplest task of converting from a yard out. It was however a mere consolation in a game they were well beaten in.
So an easy win for the league leaders, and another five goals added to their ever increasing tally, they would have been slightly annoyed at conceding a goal at the end, but it's another three points that maintains their five point cushion at the top, Viking 2 were well beaten today and they stay down in eight spot and just outside the top half of the division. I was very pleased to finally get to see the historic Stavanger Stadion, with a decent crowd of 300 people there to watch as well, so all good, and it stayed dry!!! Even better.
Full time Vidar 5 Viking 2 1
Right, lets look at the other games in the division on Saturday:-
Brodd 1 Sandnes Ulf 2 0
The NSE-banen Midjord kunstgras, home of Brodd, was the first ground I visited on this trip, and on that occasion they defeated Hinna 1-0 in what was a scrappy encounter, however last time out they were surprisingly beaten 3-0 at relegation threatened Vag, and another relegation threatened side, Sandnes Ulf 2, were in town. The bottom side had lost for the seventh time in eight matches when I saw them last weekend, going down to a battling loss against Djerv 1919, could they upset the hosts here or what Brodd get back to winning ways?
Well, one goal was enough to decide this contest, and it went the way of Brodd after twenty minutes of this game, Martin Mossmann grabbing the goal for the hosts who have now netted two 1-0 home successes since the return from the summer break, helping them to be in the top six, whereas for Sandnes it's another defeat which means they remain rock bottom of the division with just seven points from fourteen games played.
Madla 3 Staal Jorpeland 2
I had visited the Madla Handelslag Stadion two weekends ago in Round 12 when the hosts saw off relegation threatened Sola 4-2 in a very entertaining game, and they were up against another side looking to avoid the drop in the shape of Staal Jorpeland who were involved in a bonkers encounter last time out when they led at home to Stord three times before eventually going onto lose 7-5 at home, madness!!! Madla knew they could go second with a win, whereas Jorpeland were trying to reduce the gap to the sides out of the relegation zone and also climb above Sola into third bottom, everything pointed to a home win though.
However, it was anything but straightforward for the hosts, they did take the lead in the 16th minute through Elias Kebede but then saw the visitors level through David Eie midway through the first half before Brage Woie then have Staal Jorpeland a surprise lead two minutes later, meaning the visitors took a lead into the half time break. It remained that way until five miutes from time when a dramatic conclusion to this one saw Madla level through Mathias Dessingue before an own goal from visiting player Steffen Helgeland put the hosts in front in the 87th minute, Helgeland was then sent off in the 90th minute for a second booking to cap a miserable ending to the contest for him, and Madla managed to sneak out with all three points and break the visitors hearts in the process.
Stord 4 Vag 3
These two sides I haven't managed to see on my trip here, or at any time I have been to Norway, but Stord were involved in a barmy contest at Staal Jorpeland last time out, coming from behind three times to win 7-5, Vag managed to get themselves out of the relegation places last time out when they stunned Brodd 3-0, the hosts could climb to third with a win, but most likely fifth due to goal difference, whereas Vag will be looking to record another win to take them further away from the drop zone.
Well, this game turned out to be a cracker, Stord thought they were cruising to a comfortable win when they found themselves three goals up early in the second half, Roger Ekeland gave them an 18th minute lead from the spot before adding another twelve minutes before half time, and when Jonas Stoknes made it 3-0 five minutes into the second half, the game looked done, well, it was anything but, Felix Eriksen reduced the arrears three minutes later before Mateusz Radgowski made it 3-2 just past the hour mark, and when Brian Kjeldsberg netted in the 71st minute, it was 3-3 and everything to play for!!!
However, Stord were not to be denied all the spoils and saw Havard Handeland net a 90th minute winner to break Vag hearts and hand the hosts a dramatic win!!!
Vindbjart 3 Haugesund 2 0
These are also two teams I have not managed to see on this trip to Norway, I have watched them both on previous occasions away from home though, but have never been to there home grounds, Vindbjart were currently Vidar's closest rivals to top spot in the division although at kick off they were five points behind the leaders, Haugesund 2 however were hovering just above the relegation line although they were in it until a brilliant win at Torvastad two weekends ago, they were soundly beaten last time out at home to Madla and were up against a Vindbjart side who had won their last five league games netting nineteen goals in the process.
It was to be another routine afternoon for the second placed team as it turned out, Sander Svela handing the hosts a 12th minute lead, they had to wait until the 61st minute before doubling their lead and giving themselves some breathing space when Mustapha Fofana netted, and the game was sealed when Fofana added another at the end of the contest to keep Vindbjart five points behind the leaders. Haugesund remain just above the bottom three.
This is how the table looks after the latest round of games:-
Well, it's been fun watching this division over the past few weeks, below are all my blogs I have written on the games in this division so go and have a look at those if you so wish:-
Saturday 19th July - Brodd 1 Hinna 0
https://pedroslocalfootiefix.blogspot.com/2025/07/brodd-1-hinna-0-early-second-half-goal.html
Monday 21st July - Madla 4 Sola 2
https://pedroslocalfootiefix.blogspot.com/2025/07/madla-4-sola-2-dana-peroti-brace-plus.html
Friday 25th July - Sola 0 Torvastad 0
https://pedroslocalfootiefix.blogspot.com/2025/07/sola-0-torvastad-0-struggling-sola-pick.html
Saturday 26th July - Sandnes Ulf 2 1 Djerv 1919 3
https://pedroslocalfootiefix.blogspot.com/2025/07/sandnes-ulf-2-1-djerv-1919-3-two-eric.html
Monday 28th July - Hinna 0 Vidar 4
https://pedroslocalfootiefix.blogspot.com/2025/07/hinna-0-vidar-4-norsk-tipping-ligean.html
Well, that's it for this edition of football in Norway, it's been fun, so until next time, bye for now!!!
