St Mirren’s first European campaign in 37 years came to a heartbreaking conclusion in Bergen, where they faced a tough 3-1 defeat against Brann SK in the Europa Conference League. Despite the challenging conditions in one of Europe’s rainiest cities, Stephen Robinson’s team showed remarkable resilience.
The Buddies had a daunting task after being outplayed in the first leg at home but managed to secure a late draw, keeping their hopes alive. In Norway, they put up a much-improved performance, battling Brann toe-to-toe. However, the match got off to a shaky start when they conceded a goal within the first five minutes.
St Mirren’s hope was reignited in the second half when substitute Alex Iacovitti headed in a goal, bringing the match to a 1-1 draw and pushing the tie towards extra time. Unfortunately, their efforts were undone in the final moments as Brann’s Felix Myhre struck, followed by another quick goal, sealing the Scottish side’s fate. Brann now advances to face FC Astana in Kazakhstan.
Robinson, reflecting on the match, expressed pride in his players despite the disappointment. “We believed even after going down early, and we had our chances,” he said. “Our defending needs improvement, but the experience has been invaluable. We’ve had a taste of European football, and we want more of it. The club as a whole will benefit from this experience, and we aim to build the infrastructure necessary to compete at this level consistently.”
Though their European adventure was brief, St Mirren’s performance hinted at a promising future. The team now looks forward to returning stronger and making European competition a regular achievement.
