Fucking joke!
Brann were rated to be massive underdogs against world-class Olympique Marseille wednesday evening. But it was Brann who started best with a big scoring chance for Erik Huseklepp. He ran the ball along the byline after passing a defender and had a great scoring chance with only the goalkeeper between him and the goal. The shot however was deflected by a lucky Steve Mandana and to a corner kick.
After shaking off the weak start, Marseille took over posession for most of the game. The home side came close in the first half with a shot from the left short distance shaking the post. The first half finished quite evenly with one scoring chance for each side.
The second half was not very different until a big defensive mistake by icelandic national defender Kristjan rn Sigurdsson. Brann goalkeeper Hkon Opdal came outside the box to clear the ball and Mamadou Niang ran by a passive Sigurdsson to steal the ball and ran it into the goal.
Sigurdsson however redeemed himself shortly after. Brann had a free kick from the right, and the cross from Jan Gunnar Solli found Sigurdsson who headed the ball to the right of the goalkeeper but inside the left post, giving hope to Branns players.
For a while Brann had the french side nervous and the home crowd started to show their unrest towards Marseille. Brann started to push the french side into their own half and mistakes were made in the Marseille defense. But the miracle in Brugge from last year was not repeated. One minute into stoppage-time Sigurdsson headed the ball towards goalkeeper Opdal. The header however was too weak allowing enough time for Mamadou Niang to steal the ball once more and put it into the net to make the final score 2-1.
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The cross from Solli was amazing and Kristjan (Sigurdsson) is always strong inside the box. He did well to score, said winger Erik Huseklepp to Viasat 4 after the game.
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We had them nervous there for a while, and it was a good team-effort. It is unfortunate that we made the second mistake. A draw would have been a strong result. Now we hope to qualify for the group-stage of the UEFA-cup. It was great fun last year, said the always optimistic Brann-player.
Marseille - Brann 2-1 ( 0-0 ) (3-1 aggregate)
Goals: 1-0 Mamadou Niang (67’), 1-1 Kristjan rn Sigurdsson (75’), 2-1 Mamadou Niang (91’)
Yellow cards: Vitorini Hilton, Taye Taiwo (Marseille). Hassan El Fakiri, Gylfi Einarsson, Erlend Hanstveit, Birkir Mr Svarsson (Brann).
Red cards: -
Referee: Eric Braamhaar (Netherlands)
Attencande: 40 000
Marseille: Steve Mandana, Laurent Bonnart, Bostjan Cesar, Vitorino Hilton, Taye Taiwo, Modeste M’Bani, Lorik Cana, Karim Ziani, Mamadou Niang, Elliot Grandin, Hatem Ben Arfa.
Marseilles substitutes: Rudy Riou, Renato Civelli, Benoit Cheyrou, Boudewijn Zenden, Charles Kabore, Bakari Kone, Gal Givet.
Brann (4-4-2): Hkon Opdal - Bjrn Dahl, Kristjan rn Sigurdsson, Olafur rn Bjarnason, Erlend Hanstveit - Jan Gunnar Solli, Hassan El Fakiri, Gylfi Einarsson (Tijan Jaiteh from 65’), Erik Huseklepp - Azar Karadas (Trond Fredrik Ludvigsen from 72’), Njogu Demba-Nyrn (Birkir Mr Svarsson from 69’).
Brann substitutes: Kenneth Udjus, Armann Bjrnsson, Birkir Mr Svarsson, Petter Vaagan Moen, Tijan Jaiteh, Robbie Winters, Trond Fredrik Ludvigsen.