Sportsklubben Brann took a significant step towards the Women's Champions League group stage with a 2-1 home victory over Austria Wien on Tuesday. The win featured a bizarre goal directly from a corner kick and a decisive contribution from Lauren Davidson after a missed penalty.
NRK Sport reported on the match, which gives Brann a one-goal advantage ahead of the return leg in Austria next week. The club currently sits sixth in the Eliteserien with 25 points from 17 games, having scored 36 goals so far this season.
How did the match against Austria Wien unfold?
Brann started with pressure and were rewarded in the first half. Finnish defender Nea Lehtola took a corner kick that curled directly into the goal, with the Austrian goalkeeper failing to gather the ball. This rare strike gave the home side the lead.
The joy was short-lived. Just a few minutes later, Austria Wien equalized through Elisa Pfattner, who finished from around ten meters out. The teams went into halftime at 1-1, and Brann player Cecilie Kvamme admitted afterwards they took time to gain control. "I would have liked to see us take hold of the match earlier. We use a bit of time to get it into our rhythm," Kvamme said.
How did Brann secure the win in the second half?
An improved Brann side emerged after the break. After about an hour of play, Lauren Davidson won a penalty for Brann. She took the spot-kick herself but missed. Fortunately for the Norwegian supporters, Davidson followed up the rebound and scored the 2-1 winner.
This decisive intervention secured a crucial home victory before the second leg. Karoline Haugland expressed relief after the final whistle. "It's incredibly nice to win the match." Haugland said.
What does this mean for Brann's season?
The victory gives Brann a clear advantage before the return leg in Vienna next Tuesday. The winner of this two-legged qualifier advances directly to the Women's Champions League group stage, which would be a historic achievement for the club.
Meanwhile, a hectic season with matches on multiple fronts continues. Brann is mid-table in the Eliteserien, 16 points behind league leaders Bodø/Glimt. The team's top scorer so far this season is K. Ingason with five goals in 15 appearances, according to our stats.
What's next for Brann?
Focus now immediately shifts to the return leg in Austria, which will decide if Brann reaches the Champions League group stage for the first time. After that, an important league match against Lillestrøm at home on September 5th awaits, a clash between two closely-ranked teams.
With a positive goal difference of +9 in the league and a winning run that includes this Champions League triumph, Brann has momentum on its side. You can follow the team's further journey towards the group stage and check upcoming matches on our fixtures page, as well as see the complete table on standings.
