Sanness beat Vålerenga 3-2 in the first round of the Norwegian Cup on Wednesday evening. The away side came from behind to secure a result that keeps them in the competition while leaving the hosts to reflect on what might have been. The match took place at Vålerenga's home ground on 26 August 2026, with the final whistle confirming a narrow victory for the visitors.
A. Memed opened the scoring in the fifth minute, catching Vålerenga's defence before they could settle. By then the hosts had been pushing forward, but Sanness had the edge in a tight opening spell. E. Shatri doubled the visitors' advantage just before half-time, and T. Dalbye added a third shortly after to put the game beyond doubt. Three goals in twenty-six minutes gave Sanness a comfortable cushion.
Vålerenga refused to lie down. A. Nyhagen pulled one back in the sixty-sixth minute to breathe life into the home side's hopes. J. Aune completed the comeback in the seventy-fifth minute, and suddenly the cup tie was wide open. By then the crowd had started to believe, and Vålerenga pushed forward in search of an equaliser.
The statistics tell an uneven story. Sanness controlled 62 per cent of possession and registered 113 attacks compared to 74 for the hosts. Yet Vålerenga managed five shots on target to Sanness's three, and their two goals came with less possession. And here's the thing — cup football often rewards efficiency over dominance.
Recent form does not look kind to either side. Vålerenga had lost 4-0 at Brønne and 5-0 against Viking in their previous outings. Sanness were coming off a 1-0 defeat to Brønne on 22 August, but their 3-4 win over Hødd earlier in the month showed they could score freely. To be fair, both teams have been finding results elusive.
The result means Sanness advance to the next round while Vålerenga's cup campaign ends prematurely. For a hosts side that had lost heavily in their last two matches, this defeat adds another chapter to a difficult period. The guests will now travel for their next tie, knowing they can compete away from home.