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Viking are looking to make history by becoming the first Norwegian team to beat Azerbaijani opposition in major European competition when they host Sabah FK in the Champions League on Wednesday, November 4.
The visitors can take heart from the fact that there have been three prior meetings between teams from their respective countries, of which one was drawn, and two were won by the Azerbaijani team.
The truth is that both these teams are in precarious positions in this competition, and looking as if their campaigns could end prematurely, highlighting the need for three points on matchday four.
Read our prediction, preview and betting tips for the game below, and make sure to check out our today's betting tips page for more of our expert predictions.
Viking vs Sabah FK key stats
- Viking have either scored three goals or conceded three goals in each of their last five matches in all competitions.
- At home, the Dark Blues are on an unbeaten run of 15 games in a row in all competitions.
- Sabah have conceded an average of two goals per game in this season's Champions League.
- The visitors saw their only away game in this competition finish in a defeat at both half time and full time.
- The hosts were winning in their solitary home game in the UCL at half time.
Viking vs Sabah FK preview: History beckons for the hosts
Viking vs Sabah FK — Tale of the Tape
| Viking | vs | Sabah FK |
|---|---|---|
| 33rd | Position | 25th |
| 1 | Points | 3 |
| 5 | Goals For | 3 |
| 9 | Goals Against | 6 |
| 0 | Clean Sheets | 1 |
| 28th (H) | Home / Away Rank | 29th (A) |
Making their first-ever appearance in the Champions League group or league phase, Viking would have expected it to go better than it has.
The Norwegian outfit have only collected one point from three matches, but that point should not be underestimated, as it came from an exciting, hard-fought clash with Bayern Munich.
The Dark Blues have also had tough opponents from Europe's top five leagues in their other games, in which they lost to Aston Villa and Stuttgart on the opening day.
Joint coaches Bjarte Lunde Aarsheim and Morten Jensen would have been proud of how their team competed with Bayern in their first-ever Champions League league-phase fixture in front of their home fans, and they will require the same kind of commitment from their players in this upcoming match.
Viking enter this game on the back of a defeat to Bodo/Glimt in what was a top-of-the-table clash in the Eliteserien over the weekend.
The home side are also looking to avoid some negative history by becoming just the second team in this competition's history to concede at least three goals in their opening four matches of the Champions League proper.
Meanwhile, Sabah FK lost 2-1 to Borussia Dortmund in the previous matchday, leaving them with three points from their first three matches in the league phase.
The travelling party did manage a win on matchday two, when they beat Slavia Prague 2-0 on home soil, but it is their away form that leaves a lot to be desired.
The Owls have still not recovered from that BVB defeat, as it set them on a three-game winless streak, including a 3-2 defeat to Turan in the Azerbaijan Premier League last weekend.
Still, the visitors have a game in hand in that competition, but they will be hoping to climb up the Champions League standings with a win on this trip to Norway.
It is worth highlighting that Valdas Dambrauskas's men have lost their recent three away European matches, and their last 15 continental matches produced a winner one way or the other, with them losing six and winning nine.
Either way, it feels as if there is enough from both sides to produce a winner come the end of 90 minutes on Wednesday.
Viking vs Sabah FK form guide & betting tips
| Viking | vs | Sabah FK |
|---|---|---|
DWLWL |
Form | WWLDL |
| 12 | Goals For | 9 |
| 12 | Goals Against | 5 |
LDL |
UEFA Champions League | LWL |
Whispers predicts: Viking 3-1 Sabah FK
Considering that Viking are at home, they are most likely to get over the line, despite a Norwegian side having never beaten an Azerbaijani team in major European competition, but backing them offers little value at 1.45 odds for a home win.
It may be worth exploring the goals markets, where the totals of over 3.5 goals at 2.00 odds could be the smart pick, given that all three of Viking's Champions League league-phase matches produced the same outcome.
Having conceded nine goals in three games, Sabah will be backing themselves to breach the home defence on the night, more so because the Owls are averaging a goal per game in this competition, which makes the BTTS – Yes at 1.55 a pick to consider.
Alternatively, combining the home win and BTTS – Yes at 2.44 odds could be the better option to add value to your bet.
Kristoffer Haugen could be the home side's best route to goal, as he contributed to six goals in his last six appearances for the club with three goals and three assists, so backing him as an anytime goalscorer at 5.80 odds offers incredible value.
> Both teams to score – Yes at 1.55 | Likelihood: High
> Over 2.5 goals at 2.00 | Likelihood: Medium
> 1×2 & BTTS – Viking & BTTS – Yes at 2.44 | Likelihood: High
> Anytime goalscorer – Kristoffer Haugen at 5.80 | Likelihood: Low