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Consto Arena (Mjøndalen, Norway). Mjøndalen IF defeated Stabæk Fotball by the final score of 3-2 by scoring twice in the extra-time. With this vital win, the home team’s hope to secure its place in the Norwegian 2nd tier is still alive.

Matchday 24 in the Norwegian 1. divisjon season 2025. Mjøndalen IF faced Stabæk Fotball three games before the end of the competition (this clash was postponed from earlier), and the home side had to play for survival, as they were in the 15th place (of 16) in the league table, eight points behind the 14th place, which would give the right for participation in the relegation play-offs. In the opposition, the guest team Stabæk was in a good run, as they collected thirteen points in the last five league games (4 W and 1 D) and stood in the 10th place before the match, so they clearly promised to be a tough opponent.

Mjøndalen IF, led by Scotsman Kevin Nicol, started this vital clash in 4-2-3-1 formation, which was 4-4-2 shape in defending / out of possession. They demonstrated a quite intensive play from the kick-off; the focus was on to practice dominance on the opposition team with taking the control, and also on to keep the possession. After losing the balls, they attempted to recover them with immediate effect, even on Stabæk’s half. The strong team mentality definitely should be highlighted, as they fought until the last minutes — which led to the comeback win from one goal down, by scoring twice in the extra-time.

(Mjøndalen IF, in its 4-4-2 off-ball system)

Stabæk Fotball, under the guidance of its Swedish coach Mikael Stahre, opted for a 3-4-2-1 reminiscent shape (with Malian Bassekou Diabaté as alone striker), which was 5-4-1 in defending / when they were off the ball. The attacking midfielders (the young talent Sebastian Olderheim and Rasmus Eggen Vinge) represented speed and excellent technique; Serbian central midfielder Aleksa Matić (switching his positions/roles between the Number 6 and Number 8) came up as key playmaker, with also offering stability for the team. Despite Stabæk lost in this encounter, their play was convincing enough, and proved the team’s recent good form.

(Stabæk Fotball out of possession, defending in 5-4-1)

Stabæk Fotball took the lead in the 9th minute of play, by a fantastic right-footed strike of Bassekou Diabaté (0-1). Five minutes later (14th minute), Jonas Bruusgaard made a wonderful backheel pass to winger Ebrima Sawaneh, whose left-footed hit equalized the score (1-1). In the last minutes of the first half, the away team got the lead again: Sebastian Olderheim also found the opposition net, after a brilliant one-touch pass from Rasmus Eggen Vinge (1-2). The guests kept the one-goal difference and the lead until the extra-time, when everything changed: first, Jonas Bruusgaard rattled the net by his free-kick (2-2), then in the 96th minute, right-back Fabian Holst-Larsen (who came on to the pitch at the break) scored the decisive goal by header (3-2) — with which keeps Mjøndalen IF‘s hope alive.

(Fabian Holst-Larsen of Mjøndalen IF, with the decisive header — 3-2)

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As IK Start defeated Moss FK in Matchday 29 (1 Nov, 2025) by the final score of 2-1, Mjøndalen IF still has the chance to secure its place in the Norwegian second tier for season 2026.

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