Bjarg (home)
- The hosts are an interesting side that play compact and disciplined soccer, but can hit hard in transition if they win the ball back in the right areas.
- Torbjørn Birkelund’s team were dominant in their division in 2025 and the momentum gained from that 24 - 1 - 1 season and promotion has not been lost.
- Axel Ahlander provides a focal point and is Bjarg’s talisman up front, but Sander Hopsdal is the engine in the middle of the park and is an important weapon on set pieces.
- Captain Simen Hopsdal is a ball-playing centre-back who may make his 100th appearance for the club on Saturday and could be a key figure for Bjarg on a day when the stadium will be rocked by the 1,600 fans in attendance.
Viking (away)
- Bjarg’s form this year has been good and they are a team to watch in 2026, but Viking are the reigning champions of Norway’s Eliteserien and entered 2026 with 71 points in the bank from their title-winning 2025 season.
- The co-head coaches, Bjarte Lunde Aarsheim and Morten Jensen, were organised, quick in transition and rotated their squad well to take the title in the Norwegian campaign.
- Peter Christiansen was the top scorer in 2025, but there is a host of talented players around him to maintain their tempo and control games.
- Viking have played two friendly matches in 2026, beating Sarpsborg 2-0 and tying 2-2 with Molde.
- Henrik Falchener is a rising defensive force at the back and chipped in with some goals in 2025 while Zlatko Tripic provides the creativity on the wing and Edvin Austbø can run at defenders with his pace and score goals.
Head-to-Head
Bjarg have no recent head-to-head meetings with Viking, so their NM Cup fourth-round match is a true David vs Goliath encounter.
Bjarg
- Axel Ahlander provides a focal point and is Bjarg’s talisman up front, but Sander Hopsdal is the engine in the middle of the park and is an important weapon on set pieces.
- Captain Simen Hopsdal is a ball-playing centre-back who may make his 100th appearance for the club on Saturday.
Viking
- Peter Christiansen was the top scorer in 2025, but there is a host of talented players around him to maintain their tempo and control games.
- Henrik Falchener is a rising defensive force at the back and chipped in with some goals in 2025 while Zlatko Tripic provides the creativity on the wing and Edvin Austbø can run at defenders with his pace and score goals.
Betting Insights
- The odds on this game are 1.18 for the Eliteserien champions, who are much shorter than Bjarg at 9.75, with the draw at 6.5.
- Bjarg play a high-intensity, high-pressing game and can get at the best teams in the country when they get it right, as Stabæk found out on their last trip to Stavollen.
- Viking play a structured, possession-based style in which their wide players get the ball wide and high up the pitch while they press high when they do not have possession.
- The contrast between the two styles should make for an interesting match and the dimensions of the artificial pitch could make it tough for Viking to play their normal game.
- The hosts have some quality and can score goals, so we are taking the bet on more than 2.5 goals at 1.22 and both teams to score at 1.65 for this encounter.
Prediction
Viking are rightful favorites, but Bjarg’s home form and ability to pull off giant-killings in knockout ties suggest they can make life difficult for them, particularly if Viking rotate their squad.
