St Mirren will welcome SK Brann to the SMISA Stadium on Thursday for the first leg of their Europa Conference League third-qualifying-round tie.
The hosts got past Valur Reykjavik in the previous round, while their visitors got the better of Go Ahead Eagles to move within two stages of the league phase.
Match preview
![Stephen Robinson of St Mirren during the UEFA Europa Conference League Second Qualifying Round Second Leg match at the SMISA Stadium, Paisley, on August 1, 2024 [on August 2, 2024]](https://sm.imgix.net/24/31/stephen-robinson.jpg?w=640&h=480&auto=compress,format&fit=clip "Stephen Robinson of St Mirren during the UEFA Europa Conference League Second Qualifying Round Second Leg match at the SMISA Stadium, Paisley, on August 1, 2024 [on August 2, 2024]")
© Imago
St Mirren return to action on Thursday in the midst of their first continental campaign since turning out in the 1988 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, with their sights set on the Europa Conference League league phase this term.
The Saints sealed that return to European competition with a fifth-placed finish in the Scottish Premiership last time around, their highest top-flight finish since also ending fifth in 1985, having earned 47 points, five more than Dundee in the fight for the final European spot.
That meant Stephen Robinson's side entered qualifying in the second round in July and met Valur Reykjavik, and after seeing the away leg end goalless in Iceland, they progressed with a dominant 4-1 victory on home turf thanks to goals from Shaun Rooney, Toyosi Olusanya, Mark O'Hara and Alex Iacovitti.
Following that triumph, the Saints kicked off their latest domestic campaign in style at the weekend, hosting Hibernian in their Scottish Premiership curtain-raiser and taking all three points in a 3-0 beating as Roland Idowu opened the scoring at the beginning of the second half and Oisin Smyth put the game out of sight with a brace off the bench.
With momentum behind them following a strong start to their competitive term on both fronts, St Mirren will now look to gain an edge in their third-qualifying-round tie with home advantage and take a lead into next week's away leg.
© Imago
Their visitors, meanwhile, make the trip to Scotland aiming to take a step closer to qualifying for a European competition for the first time since the 2008-09 UEFA Cup campaign, having fallen short in their three attempts since.
After falling at the final hurdle in Europa Conference League qualifying last year, suffering a penalty shootout defeat after a 4-4 aggregate draw with AZ Alkmaar in the playoff round, Brann sealed a return with a second-placed Eliteserien finish in the 2023 campaign, beating Tromso on goal difference and trailing winners Bodo/Glimt by nine points.
Their continental campaign also began in the second round against Dutch outfit Go Ahead Eagles, and after playing out a goalless draw in the away leg, Eirik Horneland's side punched their ticket to the next stage with a comeback 2-1 victory at Brann Stadion thanks to goals from Bard Finne and Fredrik Pallesen Knudsen.
The Bergens stolthet were then also back in action at the weekend, as they remained second in the Eliteserien after 18 outings with a 3-2 victory away at Stromsgodset on Sunday, with Finne again on the scoresheet alongside a Sander Kartum finish and a Gustav Valsvik own goal.
Now turning their focus back to their continental bid with two ties to navigate through if they are to reach the league phase, Brann will again aim to start positively on Thursday before welcoming St Mirren to Norway for the reverse fixture next week.
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Team News
![Shaun Rooney of St Mirren during the UEFA Europa Conference League Second Qualifying Round Second Leg match at the SMISA Stadium, Paisley UK on August 1, 2024 [on August 2, 2024]](https://sm.imgix.net/24/31/shaun-rooney.jpg?w=640&h=480&auto=compress,format&fit=clip "Shaun Rooney of St Mirren during the UEFA Europa Conference League Second Qualifying Round Second Leg match at the SMISA Stadium, Paisley UK on August 1, 2024 [on August 2, 2024]")
© Imago
St Mirren should field a similar starting XI to their triumphant second leg against Valur Reykjavik in the last round and the side that beat Hibernian 3-0 on Sunday, although Oisin Smyth does have a strong claim to come in from the outset after netting a brace off the bench in the latter.
Mikael Mandron, who led their scoring charts with 12 goals last season, will fight to come into the attack from the outset, although Stephen Robinson may stick with the pairing of Jonah Ayunga and Toyosi Olusanya.
Summer arrivals Roland Idowu and Dennis Adeniran will hope to continue playing key roles in the midfield, while Marcus Fraser, Alex Gogic and Richard Taylor should again line up in a back three despite competition from Alex Iacovitti.
SK Brann should field a similar starting side to the one that prevailed over Go Ahead Eagles in the second leg of their second-round tie last time out, although Aune Heggebo does have a claim to come into the attack from the outset having netted a team-high tally of nine goals so far this season.
Bard Finne will hope to keep his place up front in their 4-3-3 shape, meanwhile, having netted five of his own including one in that continental victory and their opener against Stromsgodset at the weekend, while Niklas Castro, Magnus Warming and Ole Didrik Blomberg will also fight for attacking spots.
Key defender Svenn Crone will likely remain sidelined by an injury, meaning Fredrik Pallesen Knudsen and Ruben Kristiansen should again partner up at the heart of a back four.
St Mirren possible starting lineup:
Balcombe; Fraser, Gogic, Taylor; Rooney, Adeniran, Boyd-Munce, Idowu, Tanser; Ayunga, Olusanya
SK Brann possible starting lineup:
Dyngeland; Pedersen, Knudsen, Kristiansen, Soltvedt; Kartum, Kornvig, Myhre; Heggebo, Finne, Castro
We say: St Mirren 1-3 SK Brann
While St Mirren will be desperate to make home advantage count and take a lead into next week's away trip, we do not see them having the quality to match their Norwegian visitors and anticipate an away victory in Paisley.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Sam Varley
