- Standings: Viking are 2nd in Eliteserien 2026, with 27 points from 11 games, while Sandefjord are 9th with 15 points from 12.
- Recent form: Viking have won 3, drawn 1 and lost 1 of their last 5 matches in all competitions, while Sandefjord have won 1, drawn 2 and lost 2.
- Home form: Viking have won 5 of their 5 home games in Eliteserien 2026, losing none and conceding only 6 goals.
Viking have momentum
Viking form
Viking Stavanger are 2nd in Norway's Eliteserien 2026, and have been in excellent form of late. They have won 3, drawn 1 and lost 1 of their last 5 in all competitions, beating Kristiansund BK 2-1 on the road in their most recent Eliteserien 2026 fixture.
A 1-1 friendly draw with SonderjyskE in midweek followed a 1-0 defeat to Sarpsborg 08 earlier today, but they have been in good form and boss Morten Jensen has them playing a high-tempo, pressing game that pins the opposition back and forces turnovers high up the field.
Sandefjord form
Sandefjord are 9th in the Eliteserien 2026, and have won 1, drawn 2 and lost 2 of their last 5. They lost 2-1 at Molde, but they could not build on that result with a 2-2 draw at home to Hamarkameratene earlier today.
Hans Erik Oedegaard has his side set up in a compact formation that can absorb pressure before breaking forward in numbers.
Hosts should have the edge
Viking are the in-form team in this game and are at their best when playing on the front foot, while Jensen's men have not lost at home in the Norway's top tier this season. Sandefjord are an experienced side and will be well drilled in their approach, but they have failed to win on their last 3 trips to Viking, which should make the hosts favorites in this contest.
- This has the look of a typical 'press vs counter' match, but the odds make little sense with Viking as short as 1.27 favourites.
- Sandefjord are marked up at 8.5 and the tie is at 5.75, while 1.37 on over 2.5 goals looks a good fit for the way Viking like to play and Sandefjord's leaky away numbers.
Zlatko a real threat
Viking have their playmaker in Zlatko Tripic, who has been the main driving force in their recent surge. The midfielder has 5 assists in his last 5 appearances, driving forward and delivering accurate balls from wide areas to the dangerous Peter Christiansen, who has scored 5 of Viking's 11 goals in that period.
Nikolaj Moeller has been Sandefjord's main man of late, with 3 of their 7 goals coming from him in their last 5. Sandefjord should get their opportunities to counter attack in this one, so there will be plenty of space for the Dane in behind Viking's defensive line.
Jensen's side have played a 4-1-4-1 or hybrid 4-3-3 formation this season that should stretch Sandefjord wide, while Oedegaard's 4-3-3 looks to sit deep. Viking are the most likely winners in this match, but Sandefjord will have enough to disrupt the game, so the tie could be on the cards.
