DRAMMEN, Norway (Interstat) — Viking opened its Eliteserien campaign with a 2-1 victory over Stromsgodset on Sunday, overcoming an early deficit with two goals before halftime at Marienlyst Stadion.

The visitors, heavily favored to win, secured the three points behind a decisive performance from forward Marcus Mehnert, who factored in both of his team’s scores.

Stromsgodset, playing at home, stunned the title contenders by taking an early lead. In the 13th minute, Marcus Mehnert found the net for Viking, capitalizing on a swift counter-attack to silence the home supporters.

The home side’s advantage was short-lived. Viking’s pressure paid off in the 38th minute when substitute Peter Christiansen, who had just entered the match, leveled the score with a well-placed finish. The assist on the equalizing goal came from Henrik Heggheim, another substitute who made an immediate impact.

Viking completed the comeback just before the halftime whistle. In the second minute of first-half stoppage time, midfielder Herman Stengel scored what proved to be the game-winning goal, assisted by Mehnert, who completed his productive outing with a goal and an assist.

The match was a physical affair, with three yellow cards issued by the officiating crew. Viking’s Marko Farji was booked in the 30th minute for a tactical foul. Just before halftime, Viking’s Henrik Heggheim received a yellow card, and Stromsgodset’s Marcus Mehnert was cautioned in the 89th minute as the home side pushed unsuccessfully for a late equalizer.

The result aligns with pregame projections, though the final score was tighter than some forecasts. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a 3-1 victory for Viking, and the same service’s ELO system gave Viking a 97.60 percent probability of winning.

With the win, Viking begins its Norwegian top-flight season with a perfect record of one win and zero losses. Stromsgodset starts its campaign with zero wins and one loss. The records for both clubs across all competitions mirror their new Eliteserien standings.

The victory provides momentum for Viking as it immediately turns its attention to European competition. The team is scheduled to play again later Sunday, traveling to face Sparta Prague in a UEFA Europa Conference League group stage match.

The loss extends a challenging start to the season for Stromsgodset, which will look to regroup before its next domestic fixture.