Brann's seventh-minute penalty began a four-goal win

Brann beat Kauno Žalgiris 4-1 in the UEFA Europa Conference League, with more of the ball, more shots and better chances than they usually manage on the road.

Brann were ahead before the match was ten minutes old. N. Castro converted a penalty in the seventh minute, and Renan Oliveira answered for Kauno Žalgiris five minutes later. N. Holm then put Brann back in front at 25 and again at 40, so the home side trailed by two goals at the interval, and Kauno Žalgiris spent the second half chasing a deficit they never closed.

Brann finished with 68% of the ball, a long way from the 42.6% they average on the road this season, which left Kauno Žalgiris with 32%. Brann also took 19 shots, close to double their away average of 10, and 15 of them came from inside the box. Kauno Žalgiris managed 11 shots, and the shots tell the same story as the ball: most of the chances came close to goal, where they are most likely to go in.

Kauno Žalgiris had their moments. Their 1.50 expected goals, a figure that adds up the quality of each chance on a scale from zero to one, sits above the league average of 1.32 per side in a match. Over their five away games this season, Brann have typically conceded only 0.19 expected goals, so the chances they let in here were unusually good for a side in their position. Only one of Kauno Žalgiris's chances went in, and it came from Renan Oliveira at 12 minutes.

Brann's goals came from more than one source. N. Holm's final strike arrived in the 85th minute, set up by K. Eriksen, and it followed a finish at 25 minutes assisted by J. Soltvedt and another at 40 minutes assisted by E. Gudmundsson. The early penalty, taken by N. Castro, was the goal that first changed the shape of the match.

N. Castro had four key passes and three shots on target, and his penalty was the opener that set the tone. Eggert Aron Guðmundsson supplied five key passes and an assist, which says as much about who created Brann's chances as the goal count does. Renan Oliveira, who scored for Kauno Žalgiris, had two shots and got one on target, while the rest of the home side's 11 efforts either missed the target or were blocked.

Form adds weight to the result. Brann have won four of their last six games. Kauno Žalgiris have lost all three of their recent away matches, conceding 12 goals in them, and have won two of their last six overall.

Brann are 12th in the table after one game, with three points. Kauno Žalgiris are 36th, still without a point.

Player of the matchNoah Jean Holm2 goals8.6

Niklas Castro1 goal8.3

Eggert Aron Guðmundsson1 assist7.5

Renan Oliveira1 goal7.3