2023 Sandefjord Fotball season

The 2023 season was Sandefjord Fotball's 25th season in existence and the club's fourth consecutive season in the top flight of Norwegian football. In addition to the domestic league, Sandefjord Fotball participated in this season's edition of the Norwegian Football Cup.

Sandefjord

2023 season
Chairman	Gunnar Bjønness
Head coaches	Hans Erik Ødegaard Andreas Tegström
Stadium	Release Arena
Eliteserien	13th
2022 Norwegian Cup	Quarter-finals
2023 Norwegian Cup	First round
Top goalscorer	League: Danilo Al-Saed (11) All: Danilo Al-Saed (11)
Home colours Away colours
← 2022 2024 →

Players

First team squad

As of 29 August 2023^[1]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  FIN Hugo Keto 2 DF  NOR Fredrik Pålerud 3 DF  NOR Vetle Walle Egeli 4 DF  NOR Fredrik Carson Pedersen 6 MF  NOR Sander Risan Mørk 7 FW  GHA Gilbert Koomson 8 MF  SWE Aleksander Damnjanovic Nilsson 9 FW  NOR Alexander Ruud Tveter 10 MF  DEN Jeppe Kjær (on loan from Bodø/Glimt) 11 FW  NOR Youssef Chaib 12 GK  NOR Mats Viken 14 FW  IRQ Danilo Al-Saed

No. Pos. Nation Player 15 DF  NOR Jesper Taaje (vice-captain) 16 FW  NOR Wally Njie 17 DF  NOR Sander Moen Foss (captain) 18 MF  SWE Filip Ottosson 19 DF  NOR Fredrik Berglie 20 FW  NOR Franklin Nyenetue 21 MF  SYR Simon Amin 23 MF  RSA Keanin Ayer 26 DF  NOR Filip Loftesnes-Bjune 27 FW  NOR Jakob Dunsby 30 GK  NOR Alf Lukas Noel Grønneberg

For season transfers, see List of Norwegian football transfers winter 2022–23 and List of Norwegian football transfers summer 2023.

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 13 DF  NOR Lars Markmanrud (at Egersund until 31 December 2023) 22 DF  NOR Jørgen Kili Fjeldskår (at Fram until 31 December 2023)

Transfers

Winter

Main article: List of Norwegian football transfers winter 2022–23

In: Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. No. Pos. Nation Player 7 FW  GHA Gilbert Koomson (from Bodø/Glimt)[2] 12 GK  NOR Mats Gulbrandsen Viken (from KFUM)[3] 14 MF  SWE Danilo Al-Saed (from Sandviken)[4] 18 MF  SWE Filip Ottosson (from Landskrona)[5] 21 MF  SYR Simon Amin (from Trelleborg)[6] 24 DF  NOR Fredrik Berglie (from Skeid)[7] 27 MF  NOR Jakob Maslø Dunsby (from Egersund)[8] 30 GK  NOR Alf Lukas Noel Grønneberg (from Eik Tønsberg) 54 GK  NOR Andreas Albertsen (loan return from Halsen)

Out: Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  NOR Jacob Storevik (to Vålerenga)[9] 2 DF  NOR Mats Haakenstad (to Kongsvinger)[10] 3 DF  NED Quint Jansen (to Mjøndalen)[11] 7 MF  NOR Mohamed Ofkir (to Vålerenga)[12] 8 MF  SWE William Kurtovic (to Hamkam)[13] 9 FW  NOR Sivert Gussiås (to KÍ Klaksvík)[14] 10 FW  CRC Deyver Vega (released)[15] 16 MF  NOR André Sødlund (retired)[16] 19 MF  BIH Amer Ordagić (released)[17] 21 DF  NOR Fredrik Flo (to Skeid)[18] 22 DF  NOR Jørgen Kili Fjeldskår (on loan to Fram) 24 MF  NOR Harmeet Singh (released)[15] 27 MF  SWE Albin Winbo (loan return to Varberg)[19] 28 FW  ESP Rufo (to Logroñés)[20]

Summer

Main article: List of Norwegian football transfers summer 2023

In: Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. No. Pos. Nation Player 4 DF  NOR Fredrik Carson Pedersen (from Grorud)[21] 10 FW  DEN Jeppe Kjær (on loan to Sandefjord)[22] 32 DF  NOR Martin Gjone (promoted from junior squad)[23] 34 FW  NOR Storm Bugge Pettersen (promoted from junior squad)[23]

Out: Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. No. Pos. Nation Player 4 DF  NED Ian Smeulers (to Excelsior)[24] 5 MF  EQG Federico Bikoro (released)[25] 13 DF  NOR Lars Markmanrud (on loan to Egersund)[26] 18 FW  NOR Wally Njie (on loan to Ørn Horten) 54 GK  NOR Andreas Albertsen (to Halsen)[27] – DF  NED Quint Jansen (to Othellos Athienou, previously on loan at Mjøndalen)[28]

Pre-season and friendlies

  Win   Draw   Loss   Fixtures

Strømsgodset v Sandefjord

2 April 2023 Friendly	Strømsgodset	2–2	Sandefjord	Drammen
17:00 CEST (UTC+2)				Stadium: Marienlyst Stadion

Competitions

Overview

Competition	First match	Last match	Starting round	Final position	Record
					Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Win %
Eliteserien	10 April 2023	3 December 2023	Matchday 1		30	8	7	15	47	55	−8	026.67
2022 Norwegian Cup	12 March 2023	19 March 2023	Fourth round	Quarter-finals	2	1	0	1	4	4	+0	050.00
2023 Norwegian Cup	24 May 2023		First round	First round	1	0	1	0	2	2	+0	000.00
Total					33	9	8	16	53	61	−8	027.27

Last updated: 3 December 2023
Source: Soccerway

Eliteserien

Main article: 2023 Eliteserien

League table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
11	HamKam	30	10	4	16	39	59	−20	34
12	Haugesund	30	9	6	15	34	40	−6	33
13	Sandefjord	30	8	7	15	47	55	−8	31
14	Vålerenga (R)	30	7	8	15	39	50	−11	29	Qualification for the relegation play-offs
15	Stabæk (R)	30	7	8	15	30	48	−18	29	Relegation to First Division

Source: Football Association of Norway (in Norwegian)
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Head-to-head points; 5) Head-to-head goal difference; 6) Head-to-head goals scored.^[29]
(R) Relegated

Results summary

Overall								Home						Away
Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
30	8	7	15	47	55	−8	31	6	5	4	26	17	+9	2	2	11	21	38	−17

Last updated: 3 December 2023.
Source: ^{[citation needed]}

Results by round

Round	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30
Ground	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H
Result	L	D	D	W	D	L	L	L	W	L	L	L	D	L	L	W	W	D	L	D	L	W	L	L	L	D	W	W	L	W
Position	14	14	14	10	8	11	13	14	12	14	14	14	14	15	15	15	13	14	14	15	15	13	13	15	15	15	13	13	14	13

Source: ^{[citation needed]}
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Matches

The league fixtures were announced on 9 December 2022.^[30]

HamKam v Sandefjord

10 April 2023 1	HamKam	2–0	Sandefjord	Hamar
17:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Udahl 29' (pen.), 45+3' Hernandez-Foster  62'	Report	Taaje  47'	Stadium: Briskeby Stadion Attendance: 3,715 Referee: Sivert Øksnes Amland

Sandefjord v Tromsø

16 April 2023 2	Sandefjord	0–0	Tromsø	Sandefjord
17:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Amin  22' Ottosson  90+5'	Report		Stadium: Release Arena Attendance: 3,313 Referee: Sigurd Smehus Kringstad

Rosenborg v Sandefjord

23 April 2023 3	Rosenborg	1–1	Sandefjord	Trondheim
17:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Henriksen  23' Tagseth  80' Holse 90+4'	Report	Loftesnes-Bjune  18' Walle Egeli  19' Ayer  31' Bikoro 31' Ottosson  44' Smeulers  76'	Stadium: Lerkendal Stadion Attendance: 11,256 Referee: Kristoffer Hagenes

Sandefjord v Aalesund

30 April 2023 4	Sandefjord	4–0	Aalesund	Sandefjord
17:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Al-Saed 6' Fällman 43' (o.g.) Taaje 61' Nyenetue  90' Chaib 90'	Report	Munksgaard  47' Segberg  62'	Stadium: Release Arena Attendance: 3,086 Referee: Ajdin Medic

Brann v Sandefjord

8 May 2023 5	Brann	0–0	Sandefjord	Bergen
19:00 CEST (UTC+2)		Report	Dunsby  41' Bikoro  65' Keto  82'	Stadium: Brann Stadion Attendance: 14,720 Referee: Mohammad Usman Aslam

Sandefjord v Viking

13 May 2023 6	Sandefjord	1–2	Viking	Sandefjord
17:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Tveter 11' Loftesne-Bjune  80'	Report	D'Agostino 14' Pattynama  38' Løkberg 90'	Stadium: Release Arena Attendance: 3,463 Referee: Steinar Hauge

Strømsgodset v Sandefjord

16 May 2023 7	Strømsgodset	1–0	Sandefjord	Drammen
18:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Hanssen 42' Stengel  65' Stenevik  87' Dahl  90+1'	Report		Stadium: Marienlyst Stadion Attendance: 5,827 Referee: Marius Hansen Grøtta

Molde v Sandefjord

29 May 2023 8	Molde	5–0	Sandefjord	Molde
17:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Breivik 18' Linnes 27' Grødem 49' Brynhildsen 56', 66'	Report	Bikoro  33' Foss  38' Smeulers  51'	Stadium: Aker Stadion Attendance: 5,617 Referee: Marius Lien

Sandefjord v Odd

4 June 2023 9	Sandefjord	4–1	Odd	Sandefjord
17:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Al-Saed 11', 65' Koomson 53' Hagen 56' (o.g.) Taaje  78'	Report	S. Owusu  15' Bang-Kittilsen  45' Tomas  67' Tewelde 90+2'	Stadium: Release Arena Attendance: 4,342 Referee: Mohammad Usman Aslam

Haugesund v Sandefjord

11 June 2023 10	Haugesund	3–2	Sandefjord	Haugesund
17:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Njie 10' Taaje 13' (o.g.) Diarra 20' Therkildsen  67' Samuelsen  81'	Report	Al-Saed 55' Nyenetue 90+3'	Stadium: Haugesund Stadion Attendance: 3,709 Referee: Espen Eskås

Sarpsborg 08 v Sandefjord

2 July 2023 12	Sarpsborg 08	6–1	Sandefjord	Sarpsborg
17:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Opseth 10', 20' Torp 11' Soltvedt 51' Lundqvist 67' Wichne 79'	Report	Smeulers  32' Taaje 45+1'	Stadium: Sarpsborg Stadion Attendance: 4,494 Referee: Rohit Saggi

Sandefjord v Stabæk

9 July 2023 13	Sandefjord	0–0	Stabæk	Sandefjord
17:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Ayer  42' Ottosson  82'	Report	Bakenga 35' Geelmuyden  88'	Stadium: Release Arena Attendance: 2,994 Referee: Marius Hansen Grøtta

Lillestrøm v Sandefjord

16 July 2023 14	Lillestrøm	4–2	Sandefjord	Lillestrøm
17:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Lehne Olsen 9', 68' Adams 18', 38' Skjærvik  85'	Report	Ayer 11' Taaje 70' Smeulers  80' Dunsby  90+2'	Stadium: Åråsen Stadion Attendance: 5,835 Referee: Sigurd Smehus Kringstad

Sandefjord v Bodø/Glimt

23 July 2023 15	Sandefjord	2–5	Bodø/Glimt	Sandefjord
17:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Nilsson 13' Smeulers  15'  63' Ayer 21' Taaje  34'	Report	Grønbæk 11', 41' Pellegrino 34' (pen.) Pemi  53' 76' Saltnes 88'	Stadium: Release Arena Attendance: 4,391 Referee: Ajdin Medic

Vålerenga v Sandefjord

29 July 2023 16	Vålerenga	2–3	Sandefjord	Oslo
15:30 CEST (UTC+2)	Jatta 52' Bjørdal  62' Strand 90' Borchgrevink  90+2'	Report	Ottosson 63' Al-Saed 72' Nyenetue  76' 90+4' Nilsson  90+3'	Stadium: Intility Arena Attendance: 9,902 Referee: Rohit Saggi

Sandefjord v Sarpsborg 08

6 August 2023 17	Sandefjord	5–1	Sarpsborg 08	Sandefjord
17:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Nilsson 32', 80' Nyenetue 45+2' Al-Saed 74' Taaje 90'	Report	Torp 1' Ngouali  24'	Stadium: Release Arena Attendance: 3,082 Referee: Marius Lien

Sandefjord v Molde

12 August 2023 18	Sandefjord	2–2	Molde	Sandefjord
16:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Nilsson 39' (pen.) Smeulers  72' Tveter 90+4'	Report	Hansen  45+2' Grødem 51' Bjørnbak  75' Linnes 85'	Stadium: Release Arena Attendance: 4,754 Referee: Kristoffer Hagenes

Tromsø v Sandefjord

20 August 2023 19	Tromsø	1–0	Sandefjord	Tromsø
17:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Romsaas 85' Gundersen  90'	Report		Stadium: Romssa Arena Attendance: 5,411 Referee: Daniel Higraff

Sandefjord v Haugesund

27 August 2023 20	Sandefjord	0–0	Haugesund	Sandefjord
19:15 CEST (UTC+2)	Mørk  57' Egeli  90+7'	Report	Søderlund  15'  89' Solheim  58'	Stadium: Release Arena Attendance: 2,845 Referee: Rohit Saggi

Odd v Sandefjord

3 September 2023 21	Odd	3–2	Sandefjord	Skien
17:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Jørgensen  20' 43' Tewelde 33' S. Owusu 86' L. Owusu  90+1' Hien  90+2'	Report	Nyenetue 16' Al-Saed 45'  58'	Stadium: Skagerak Arena Attendance: 4,981 Referee: Ola Hobber Nilsen

Sandefjord v Strømsgodset

16 September 2023 22	Sandefjord	2–0	Strømsgodset	Sandefjord
18:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Nilsson 59' Ottosson 89'	Report	Dahl  88'	Stadium: Release Arena Attendance: 3,733 Referee: Sivert Øksnes Amland

Viking v Sandefjord

24 September 2023 23	Viking	4–3	Sandefjord	Stavanger
17:00 CEST (UTC+2)	de Lanlay 12' Salvesen 17', 53' Adegbenro 85'	Report	Nyenetue 29' Al-Saed 41'  45+1' Ayer  89' Ruud Tveter 90' (pen.)	Stadium: Viking Stadion Attendance: 13,022 Referee: Sigurd Smehus Kringstad

Sandefjord v Vålerenga

1 October 2023 11	Sandefjord	1–2	Vålerenga	Sandefjord
17:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Al-Saed 68'	Report	Ilić 40' Borchgrevink  52' Strandberg 56' (pen.) Juklerød  72'	Stadium: Release Arena Attendance: 4,905 Referee: Marius Hansen Grøtta

Sandefjord v HamKam

8 October 2023 24	Sandefjord	0–1	HamKam	Sandefjord
17:00	Nyenetue  56'	Report	Udahl  53' 61' (pen.) Bjørlo  54' Sandberg  76'	Stadium: Release Arena Attendance: 2,689 Referee: Rohit Saggi

Bodø/Glimt v Sandefjord

21 October 2023 25	Bodø/Glimt	4–3	Sandefjord	Bodø
15:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Pemi 22'  45+1' Žugelj 24' Grønbæk 27' Saltnes 45+2' Haikin  90+2'	Report	Kjær 13' Al-Saed 36' Mørk  49' Dunsby 53'	Stadium: Aspmyra Stadion Attendance: 6,401 Referee: Daniel Higraff

Sandefjord v Brann

29 October 2023 26	Sandefjord	1–1	Brann	Sandefjord
17:00 CET (UTC+1)	Dunsby  48' Nyenetue 90'	Report	Myhre  14' Børsting  31' Soltvedt  48' Knudsen 85' Larsen  89'	Stadium: Release Arena Attendance: 6,598 Referee: Christian Moen

Aalesund v Sandefjord

6 November 2023 27	Aalesund	0–3	Sandefjord	Ålesund
19:00 CET (UTC+1)	Segberg  38' Ebiye  68'	Report	Kjær  16' Egeli  45+1' Dunsby 49' Al-Saed 72' Ruud Tveter 81'	Stadium: Color Line Stadion Attendance: 4,720 Referee: Kristoffer Hagenes

Sandefjord v Rosenborg

12 November 2023 28	Sandefjord	3–2	Rosenborg	Sandefjord
17:00 CET (UTC+1)	Damnjanovic Nilsson  2' Walle Egeli 5' Dunsby 36' Ruud Tveter 45+4' (pen.) Keto  82'	Report	Selnæs  17' Wiedesheim-Paul 49' Røsten 72'	Stadium: Release Arena Attendance: 4,063 Referee: Kai Erik Steen

Stabæk v Sandefjord

26 November 2023 29	Stabæk	2–1	Sandefjord	Bærum
17:00 CET (UTC+1)	Bakenga 8' Næss  62' Kabran 90+6' 90+6'	Report	Al-Saed  50' Ruud Tveter 63' (pen.) Moen Foss  90+4'	Stadium: Nadderud Stadion Attendance: 3,615 Referee: Rohit Saggi

Sandefjord v Lillestrøm

3 December 2023 30	Sandefjord	1–0	Lillestrøm	Sandefjord
17:00 CET (UTC+1)	Tveter 43' (pen.)	Report		Stadium: Release Arena Attendance: 3,757 Referee: Svein Oddvar Moen

Norwegian Football Cup

2022

Main article: 2022 Norwegian Football Cup

Sandefjord v Odd

12 March 2023 Fourth round	Sandefjord	4–1	Odd	Mjøndalen
17:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Tveter 4' Dunsby 10', 26' Al-Saed 24'  64' Pålerud  52'	Report	Wallem 81' Aas  90+2'	Stadium: Consto Arena Attendance: 397 Referee: Daniel Higraff

Brann v Sandefjord

19 March 2023 Quarter-finals	Brann	3–0	Sandefjord	Åsane
20:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Myhre 21' Wolfe 25' Rasmussen 37'	Report	Pålerud  41' Berglie  55'	Stadium: Åsane Arena Attendance: 2,243 Referee: Tom Harald Hagen

2023

Main article: 2023 Norwegian Football Cup

Eik Tønsberg v Sandefjord

24 May 2023 First round	Eik Tønsberg	2–2 (a.e.t.) (4–3 p)	Sandefjord	Tønsberg
18:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Danielsen  63' Rygel 69' Nygaard 90+6' Engseth  94' Andersen  116' Midtlyng  120+3'	Report	Nilsson 32', 48' Bikoro  74' Al-Saed  90+2'	Stadium: Tønsberg Gressbane Attendance: 1,523 Referee: Håvard Bjerkelund
	Penalties
	Midtgarden Nygaard Roberg Myrbakk Mathisen		Nilsson Dunsby Ayer Al-Saed Tveter