Kristiansund hit Sarpsborg 08 hard early and win 4-2 at the stadium

Sarpsborg 08 FF lost 2-4 to Kristiansund BK at Sarpsborg Stadion on Sunday after conceding three goals in the first half. The hosts came back strongly after the break but could not complete the fightback, and the visitors added a fourth in stoppage time. A crowd of 3,404 watched the game.

A first half to forget

Kristiansund BK took charge in the opening 45 minutes at Sarpsborg Stadion on Sunday. Match data shows Elvius scored after only three minutes. Zymer Bytyqi added a second in the sixth minute, and Gustav Christensen made it 3-0 in the 31st. The home side went in at the break three goals down and with a mountain to climb.

The early goals changed the afternoon. Sarpsborg had come into the game on the back of two home wins in a week. They beat Aalesund 2-1 in the league on October 25 and Vålerenga 3-2 in the cup on October 28. The mood around the ground was upbeat before kick-off, and the first six minutes took much of it away.

Second-half fightback falls short

Sarpsborg came out of the interval with far more purpose. Halvorsen pulled one back in the 49th minute to make it 1-3, and a second Sarpsborg goal followed on the hour mark. That made it 2-3 and gave the home crowd something to cheer.

The home side dominated the ball after the break. Match statistics show Sarpsborg finished with 71 percent possession and 23 shots, against 10 for the visitors. The equaliser never came, though. Deep into stoppage time, Haakon Haugen struck from a Adrian Rønning assist in the 96th minute to make it 4-2 and settle the contest.

The match was played in front of 3,404 spectators. Referee Mathias Stofringshaug took charge, and several players from both sides were booked as the game became more stretched late on.

What it means in the table

The defeat leaves Sarpsborg 08 ninth in the Eliteserien with 31 points from 25 games. KFUM Oslo are one place below on the same 31 points. Fredrikstad are eleventh on 29, and Sandefjord and Ham-Kam are on 27 each.

The win lifts Kristiansund BK to 23 points, though they stay fifteenth. Aalesund are fourteenth on 24 and Start are bottom on 19.

For Sarpsborg, the result is a disappointing way to end a home run that had started so well. There is no upcoming home fixture on the schedule yet. The visit of Kristiansund will be remembered for a three-goal deficit before half-time and a second-half response that came too late.

Sources: flashscore.com, statsbet.org, bbc.com