SOGNDAL, Norway (Interstat) — Kparobo Ariehri scored in the 79th minute to lift Sogndal to a 2-1 victory over Raufoss at Fosshaugane Campus in a match decided by a three-goal burst after halftime. Sogndal secured its first win in this competition and improved to 1-2-1 in the competition and 2-3-2 across all competitions. Raufoss fell to 0-3-1 in the competition and 2-4-1 across all competitions. The home side trailed none of the match after Rooney Onyango’s 57th-minute opener, though Raufoss briefly leveled through Adrian Rogulj.

The first half passed without a goal, but Sogndal found the opener in the 57th minute when Onyango scored. Onyango was credited with 44 minutes in the match. Kasper Skaanes was central to Sogndal’s attacking play and finished with two assists over 90 minutes, repeatedly finding space between Raufoss’s midfield and defense. Raufoss’s midfield tried to close the gaps, but Sogndal’s passing in the final third created the clearer chances. Sogndal’s best spells came when Skaanes and Ariehri combined through the middle, though Raufoss stayed within reach and defended with enough discipline to keep the match tight into the break.

Raufoss responded in the 73rd minute through Rogulj, who scored after coming off the bench and was credited with 19 minutes. Kristian Onsrud supplied the assist and played the full match, giving Raufoss a steady presence in midfield. The goal briefly shifted the momentum and forced Sogndal to reorganize in the final quarter. Raufoss’s equalizer came against the run of the second half, but it set up a tense closing stretch with both teams pushing for the next goal.

Sogndal reclaimed the lead in the 79th minute when Ariehri scored from Skaanes’s second assist. Ariehri played the full 90 minutes and his goal proved decisive. The goal gave Sogndal a lead it did not surrender. Skaanes’s ability to create chances from midfield made him one of the match’s most influential figures. Raufoss pushed for another equalizer but could not break through again. Sogndal managed the final stages with composure and kept Raufoss from finding a clean look at goal.

Both benches were active as the second half developed. Sogndal made two changes at the start of the half, bringing on Asp and Woxen. Raufoss introduced Sildnes in the 60th minute, then brought on Sjol in the 71st. Sogndal added Haruna in the 71st minute and Hagen in the 83rd, while Raufoss used Froysa in the 83rd. The changes altered the rhythm of the contest, but Sogndal protected its advantage through the closing stages. Raufoss’s late substitutions gave the visitors fresh legs, though Sogndal’s defense held after Ariehri’s winner. Raufoss could not convert its late pressure into a second goal.

Sogndal entered the match after a 3-3 draw at Egersund and a 1-0 home loss to Odd, while Raufoss arrived following a 5-1 loss at Hodd and a 1-1 draw at Bryne. The win gave Sogndal a needed boost in the competition, while Raufoss remained without a victory in this season’s competition. Sogndal also improved its overall record in all competitions to 2-3-2. Raufoss’s overall mark stands at 2-4-1 after the defeat. Raufoss had also lost to Moss and Start earlier this season, while Sogndal had beaten Fjora FK 8-0. Sogndal’s next scheduled match comes against UD Oliveirense at home, while Raufoss is set to host Ranheim. Both sides will look to carry lessons from a match that changed quickly after halftime.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Sogndal 2, Raufoss 2. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Sogndal with an 84.8 percent probability to win. Sogndal had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -1.5. The total score of 3 went over the over-under line of 3.5.