Norwegian champions Viking FK marked their UEFA Champions League debut in memorable fashion, coming from behind to secure a 3-1 victory over fellow first-timers Sabah FK and claim their first-ever win in Europe's premier club competition.

The visitors struck first through Orphé Mbina, who finished off a swift counterattack to stun the home crowd. But Viking responded before the break when Kristoffer Haugen picked out Erik Botheim, whose instinctive finish brought the Norwegians level.

The turning point arrived after the interval. Sabah goalkeeper Stas Pokatilov initially kept his side in the contest by saving a penalty from Viking skipper Zlatko Tripić, but the captain reacted quickest to convert the rebound and complete the turnaround.

Things went from bad to worse for Sabah when South African defender Aden McCarthy, who was recently named in Bafana Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane's preliminary squad for this month's back-to-back AFCON 2027 qualifiers against Kenya, was shown a red card, leaving the visitors to battle the closing stages with ten men.

Viking made the numerical advantage count as Henrik Falchener rose highest to head home from a Tripić corner, before Botheim's deflected second goal sealed a famous victory and capped a historic night for the Norwegian outfit.

For South African football followers, McCarthy's dismissal will be an unwanted setback ahead of the upcoming national team camp.