Brann's poor start: 'The very worst that could have happened'

Brann faces an uphill battle in their Conference League qualification campaign after a disappointing 1-0 home loss to Cypriot club Apollon Limassol. The Norwegian side struggled to create clear chances and conceded a crucial away goal in the first leg.

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It is disappointing. Brann did not reach the level we expected them to reach. After halftime there are several tendencies forward, but I don't know if they had a shot that the keeper had to save.

Alen Ožbolt scored the decisive goal midway through the first half, capitalizing on a mistake by Brann's Kristall Máni Ingason. The Cypriot team had several other opportunities to extend their lead, while Brann's best chance came from Kristian Eriksen, whose shot was saved.

The home crowd expressed their frustration with boos and whistles at halftime. The second half saw more pressure from Brann, but they failed to find the equalizer. The match ended with tensions high, as stadium officials had to warn fans against throwing objects onto the pitch.

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Brann gets rolled over and goes down at home in Europe. It is the very worst that could have happened.

Brann now must travel to Cyprus for the second leg, needing to overturn the deficit to advance in the competition. The team's performance has drawn criticism, with experts noting their failure to reach expected levels.

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It is a deserved lead for Apollon Limassol, who have made life difficult for Brann.