Viking out of the Conference League – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio

On Thursday, the stage was set for a football party at home. Tonight’s match was the most important for the Vikings in several years. The starting point before the start of the match was good: a 2-1 victory over Romanian FCSB away from home. Viking could play a draw and still progress to the group stage in the series league. That would mean NOK 30 million in revenue for the club. But FCSB were too strong, and the match ended 3–1 to the visitors. Coach Morten Jensen describes it like this after the match: – It’s sour, bitter. It feels like being hit by a bus. I felt we deserved better. Viking coach Morten Jensen was seriously depressed after the FCSB loss. Photo: Carina Johansen / NTB Sports manager Erik Nevland was also naturally very disappointed. – What do you think? It’s terrible. Shit heavy, if I may say so. He believes the penalty right on the eve of the match was completely wrong. – That is not a penalty. It’s terribly stupid to smoke like that. I am so disappointed. Goal after a few minutes FCSB scored only three minutes into the first half. The excitement was therefore great when Viking got a penalty for a good distance in the first half. Zlatko Tripić ensured that the ball ended up in the goal, to wild cheers from the stands. Viking went into the break with 1–1. Almost ten minutes into the second half, FCSB scored another goal after a keeper error from Patrik Gunnarsson. He miscalculated when he was supposed to save, and 2–1 was a fact. – The defense did everything they could to block, but it went as it did, says Gunnarsson, who calls the atmosphere in the dressing room after the match “quiet”. When FCSB scored on a penalty as well, the match ended 3–1 in overtime. Viking player Viljar Vevatne believes the loss and the penalty on the match is bitter. – It is a childhood dream that is taken out of your hands. We were more than good enough today. This has added flavor, but right now it’s just black. For Molde, however, it has been a party night. They outplayed Wolfsberg from the start and qualified for the conference league’s group stage with a 4-0 away win on Thursday. Audience record set The Vikings’ journey towards a European group stage has been full of highlights. This summer they defeated the big team Sparta Praha with a 2-1 victory at home. Just a few days later, they won 5-1 over Irish Sligo Rovers, also at home. Tonight, the stadium at Jåttåvågen in Stavanger was long sold out. 14,000 people followed Viking from the stands, which is a new audience record for a European Cup match. Viking player Sondre Bjørshol in action at SR-Bank Arena in Jåttåvågen in Stavanger. Photo: Carina Johansen / NTB



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