Viking, a club from the port city of Stavanger in southwestern Norway, made its first appearance in the Champions League qualifying rounds. In 2018, the team competed in the second division before returning to the top tier by winning the Norwegian championship in 2025, their first national title in 34 years. They secured their Champions League spot by defeating Dinamo Zagreb with a 5-3 aggregate score in the play-off round, though they lost 1-3 to Stuttgart in their opening match.

On the UEFA club coefficient rankings, Viking sits at 202nd, considered significantly weaker than Bayern, a six-time European champion boasting a world-class squad. Before the match in Stavanger, even a draw was seen as an encouraging result for the Norwegian side.

Harry Kane and teammates were disappointed after a three-three draw with Viking at Stavanger, Norway in the second leg of the Champions League qualifying round on 13/10. Photo: AFP

Bayern's away trip to Stavanger began with nighttime fireworks and concluded with frustration. According to German media, around 1:15 am the night before the match, a group of people set off fireworks near the hotel where Vincent Kompany's team was staying, threatening the players' sleep.

What awaited Bayern at Lyse Arena proved even tougher. On the unfamiliar artificial turf, before nearly 16,000 passionate home spectators, the German champions endured a volatile match. They found themselves two goals down, then surged to score three consecutive goals in the second half, only to lose the victory while playing with ten men for the final 20 minutes.

From the opening whistle, Viking showed no intention of being a pushover. The home side started aggressively, playing at a high tempo and exploiting lapses in Bayern's defense. After just 71 seconds, Gianni Stensness headed in the opening goal, causing the Lyse Arena stands to erupt.

The early goal forced Bayern to push forward. However, instead of dominating as usual, the visitors repeatedly encountered Viking's tight defensive system and physical play. Every successful tackle, even a counter-attack leading to a throw-in, was met with loud applause from the home crowd. This support grew more fervent in the 38th minute when Christiansen sprinted into the penalty area and scored with a left-footed diagonal shot, extending the lead to two-nil.

Bayern went into halftime two goals down, having failed to demonstrate their status as title contenders. The situation forced Kompany to make changes after the break. Bayern accelerated, pushed their formation high, and applied constant pressure.

In the 54th minute, Harry Kane reduced the deficit from the penalty spot, rekindling hope for the visitors. Just six minutes later, the English striker scored again with a high header to the near post, leveling the score at two-two.

Kane has now scored in nine consecutive Champions League matches and is approaching Cristiano Ronaldo's record of 11 consecutive matches. According to the German newspaper Welt, the English striker almost joined Viking in 2012 while on loan at Millwall. The deal fell through, and 14 years later, he returned to Stavanger as one of the world's best strikers.

Bayern increased their pressure and took the lead for the first time in the 71st minute, thanks to a close-range tap-in by Luis Diaz. But just as victory seemed within reach, Michael Olise put the Bavarians in trouble. Following a collision, the French midfielder threw the ball at Zlatko Tripic's face, receiving a second yellow card and being sent off in the 74th minute.

Bayern striker Michael Olise (second from right) was sent off after throwing the ball at an opponent's face. Photo: AFP

The red card reversed the situation. Bayern shifted from attacking to defending a fragile lead, while Viking pressed forward with unrelenting support from all sides of the stadium. The home team's efforts were rewarded in the 90th minute. Herman Haugen headed in the equalizer, making the score three-three, causing Lyse Arena to erupt once more.

The three-three result earned Viking its first point in the Champions League qualifying round, marking a new milestone in the Norwegian team's ascent. Under the guidance of coaching duo Morten Jensen and Bjarte Lunde Aarsheim, Viking gradually returned to domestic football's top, winning the Norwegian championship in 2025 after a 34-year wait, before making their first Champions League qualifying appearance this season.

For Bayern, one point in Stavanger is a difficult result to accept. After a two-two draw with Augsburg in the fifth Bundesliga round last weekend, Kompany's team continues to exhibit defensive issues. They face a greater challenge in the third Champions League round, hosting Arsenal on 21/10.

Hong Duy