STAVANGER (VG) (Viking – Bod / Glimt 2-0) A nearly full SR-Bank Arena saw the Vikings inflict the first defeat for the reigning league champions since 30 June last year.

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For rare occasions, players in yellow from the north are unable to dominate matches in the Elite Series.

A struggling Vikings team created major problems for Glimt, who had to watch Zlatko Tripic poke 1-0 after Veton Berisha swept the ball in front of goal in the 26th minute.

– I thought we were good today. We followed the battle plan for ninety minutes. That’s why we fled in victory, Berisha told VG.

– It’s delicious. It’s fun to get them cranked up a bit. They need that, Berisha said of Sunday’s revenge for the cup semi-final loss.

Bodø / Glimt were sensationally sloppy in their passing game and squandered several chances in the spring sunshine at Stavanger.

Kjetil Knutsen took action during the break and substituted for both Victor Boniface and Amahl Pellegrino to speed up, but it was the Vikings who could cheer again.

Sebastian Sebulonsen clinked and the ball slipped into the corner behind Nikita Haikin.

The pain was exacerbated for Bodø / Glimt when Victor Boniface stuck his hand in David Brekalo’s face – and received his second yellow card of the night.

Bod/Glimt was thus reduced to ten men in the final quarter.

The red card to be given is perhaps not so surprising given the ignition in the match.

The visitors were very unhappy with the treatment they received from opponents and the referee, and coach Glimt Kjetil Knutsen was shown a yellow card before half-time.

This was ignited several times in the second half, including when David Brekalo caught up in a suit at Boniface and stopped a dangerous transition.

Shortly before Boniface was sent off, there was also a situation right in front of the coaching staff where Ulrik Saltnes apparently got his knee behind Kevin Kabran.

– Very ugly. “I almost got a little angry when I saw it, because it was done so unsympathetic,” said former Mjøndalen player Christian Gauseth at Fotball Direkte.

– What I’m sitting and wondering is how many games he’s going to get, because there’s such a terrible and cruel act with a knee on the back of a player who is lying down and trying to get up. “That’s not something I would see from Ulrik Saltnes,” said football pundit and commentator Petter Bø Tosterud.

– That kind of thing shouldn’t happen on a soccer field. We’ll see what happens next, said Odd’s Flamur Kastrati.

Shortly after, Boniface was sent off and the Vikings rowed ashore in a very strong 2-0 win.

In doing so, they took revenge for Thursday’s cup exit, where they lost in the semifinals at Aspmyra.

Vikings coach Morten Jensen thinks they still have a long way to go before they can challenge Glimt for league gold.

– We need three or four levels to reach their level. We continue the work. We lost in the cup, but beat them in the draw. This may be bitter for them. Then we’ll see how it goes when we head to Aspmyra in November, Jensen told VG.

– For us, it is very important and nice to see that we can beat the best team in Norway, he continued.

Veton Berisha won’t talk about gold either.

– We said before the season that the goal is the top three. We have to fight all season, said Berisha.

Sunday’s loss was Bodø / Glimt’s first in this series since Sandefjord won 1-0 on 30 June last year.