Norwegian side Viking FK staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Azerbaijani club Sabah FK 4-1 in their UEFA Champions League league-phase encounter at the Lyse Arena on Wednesday.
Sabah initially took the lead in the 11th minute through Orphe Mbina, who finished from close range after Umarali Rakhmonaliev set him up with a precise pass on the counter-attack.
Viking responded in the 27th minute as Erik Botheim converted a well-delivered cross to restore parity, ensuring both teams went into the break level at 1-1.
The hosts completed their comeback in the 69th minute after Sabah conceded a penalty for handball.
Zlatko Tripic scored from the rebound after his initial spot-kick was saved by the goalkeeper.
Sabah’s chances of recovering from the deficit suffered a major setback in the 77th minute when Aden McCarthy was sent off with a straight red card for a dangerous studs-up challenge.
Viking capitalised on their numerical advantage four minutes later, with Henrik Falchener rising above the defence to head home from a corner kick and extend the lead to 3-1.
Botheim sealed the emphatic victory in stoppage time, scoring his second goal of the night in the 90th minute plus four after Sabah’s defence failed to deal with an attempt to play out from the back.
The victory handed Viking their first win in the Champions League league phase, marking a significant achievement for the club, which is making its first appearance in the competition since the 1992-93 season.
Viking will next travel to face Atletico Madrid on November 25, while Sabah FK are scheduled to host Barcelona on the same day.
