Brave St Mirren Fall Short in European Quest Despite Heroic Display Against Brann

St Mirren’s European journey came to an agonizing end as they bowed out of the UEFA Conference League in a 3-2 aggregate defeat to Norwegian side Brann, despite a valiant effort in Bergen. The Saints, seeking their first continental win in 44 years, pushed Brann to the brink but were ultimately undone by a late goal that dashed their hopes of progression.

Joachim Soltvedt’s early goal gave Brann the lead on the night and put the hosts 2-1 ahead on aggregate, leaving St Mirren needing a goal to stay in the tie. But Stephen Robinson’s side refused to go down without a fight, launching wave after wave of attacks in relentless rain as they sought an equalizer.

The Scottish side’s threat grew as the match wore on, with set-pieces proving to be a potent weapon. Substitute Alex Iacovitti’s powerful header from a well-delivered Fraser Taylor corner leveled the score with just over 15 minutes remaining, sparking hopes of a famous comeback. With momentum swinging in their favor, St Mirren looked the more likely to score next as they pressed for a winner.

However, a golden opportunity slipped away—literally—as Toyosi Olusanya lost his footing at a crucial moment when it appeared he was poised to fire St Mirren into the lead. It was a miss that would prove costly.

As the clock ticked down, Brann capitalized on St Mirren’s misfortune, with Felix Myhre rising to nod home a crushing header past goalkeeper Ellery Balcombe. The visitors’ hopes were further extinguished when Aune Heggebo added a third, punishing the Scots on the break in the dying moments.

Despite the heartbreaking exit, manager Stephen Robinson was full of praise for his players. "We had them rocking," he said. "For 10 minutes after we scored, we had them under serious pressure. Toy [Olusanya] slipping when he had a clear chance could’ve changed everything. It’s a tough one to take because I felt we were the better side in spells, but that’s football at this level."

Reflecting on the campaign, Robinson added: "We’ve had a taste of European football, and now we want more. The belief we showed tonight is what we need to build on. If we’d played with that same confidence in the first leg, who knows what might have happened?"

For St Mirren, it’s a painful end to a promising European adventure, but they leave with heads held high, knowing they pushed a strong Brann side to the limit. As the focus shifts back to domestic duties, there’s a sense that this team, emboldened by their continental experience, is capable of achieving even greater things in the future.