Former Hearts and Rangers striker Kyle Lafferty recently completed his bizarre move to Norway and his debut couldn’t have gone any worse.
The Northern Irishman has linked up with Sarpsborg. What makes this move seem so strange is that they are over halfway through their season and sit joint-bottom of the Eliteserien after just two wins from 20 games.
Sarpsborg have struggled in recent weeks. (Photo by Abdulhamid Hosbas/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
Making his debut from the start, Lafferty was booked within 120 seconds. It wasn’t too bad for him though, as his new side had raced into a rare two goal lead.
Things soon unravelled for the 32-year-old.
Lafferty signalled a Sarpsborg collapse
He picked up his second booking on the 69th minute and that was the start of a Sarpsborg collapse. They conceded twice in the final five minutes, drawing the match with Viking 2-2.
Lafferty was sent off. (Photo by Alan Rennie/Action Plus via Getty Images)
It would’ve been a vital three points and it’s hard to argue that Lafferty’s red card didn’t play a part in their collapse.
This wasn’t exactly the ideal start to life in Norway for the striker. After playing little football during the second half of last season with Rangers, his move was supposed to give him a chance to play regularly again.
He’ll not play for a few weeks now, as he isn’t in the Northern Ireland squad for their upcoming matches (BBC). Lafferty will also not play in Sarpsborg’s next fixture against Valrenga following this dismissal.
Ex-Jambo Lafferty has had a horror start to life in Sarpsborg. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Lafferty’s life in Norway has got off to a less than ideal start.