Five things we noticed from the press box at Brann

Friday 12 September 2025 12:05

Manchester United Women boarded the plane home from Bergen on Thursday evening with the goal of making next week’s second leg against Brann a night to remember in Leigh.

The Reds will need to win it to have a chance of advancing to the UEFA Champions League’s main stage for the first time in club history, after a 1-0 loss in the first half of our final qualifier’s two-legged tie.

That result in Norway hasn’t dampened the spirits of head coach Marc Skinner or his team though, who captain Maya Le Tissier says have an exciting opportunity ahead in front of our home fans.

Before then and Sunday’s next outing for the team away to London City Lionesses in the Barclays WSL, here are five things we noticed from Brann Stadion’s press box during Thursday’s game in the mountainous city…

RECORD-BREAKING SUPPORT

While United’s focus has already turned to next week’s second leg at Leigh Sports Village, Thursday’s game will be remembered for some time to come in Norway, whatever happens in the return fixture. The 16,019 attendance was a new record for a women’s football match in the Nordic nation, beating the previous count set 25 years ago for an international clash in Oslo.

All four sides of the intimate 17,500-seater Brann Stadion were packed out in the red-and-white colours of the Norwegian club and, although Skinner’s team were on top for much of the game, we never quite managed to silence a boisterous home crowd that was fitting for a game of such magnitude.

Brann staff spoke excitedly to our club-media crew beforehand about the atmosphere that was expected inside the arena, and that surrounding noise looked to be something that Skinner gestured to his players about in the post-match huddle. The boss later told MUTV that we can use that energy against Brann during the return match on our own patch.

MORE COMPETITIVE INTENSITY

The Reds are only just over a fortnight into the new campaign but are showing signs of a team that have benefited from this term’s early-season Champions League fixtures.

United came through two must-win second-round qualifiers in Stockholm last month before impressively beating Leicester in our WSL opener at the weekend, and now have more reason to be encouraged by the latest performance on Thursday.

Skinner’s side particularly hit a stride in the first half, creating a series of promising chances and limiting our hosts to few at the other end. Clear-cut opportunities were harder to come by after the break and, while we were ultimately made to pay by Brann’s late goal, there were signs that the Reds are not far from firing on all cylinders and capable of turning around the deficit next week.

90 in 20: Brann v United Video

90 in 20: Brann v United

EXTENDED HIGHLIGHTS | Watch 20 minutes of action from United Women’s trip to Norway…

PARK’S PERFORMANCE

New signing Jess Park’s performance was a real positive. Last Thursday, the England international was a City player formalising a move across Manchester on WSL deadline day. Fast forward a week, and she was arguably United’s standout performer on her first start for the club in a massive Champions League clash.

Having made her debut off the bench at the weekend, Park started on the right wing in Bergen and, despite that position, was seemingly afforded the freedom to drift into areas of the pitch where her technical quality could really shine. The 23-year-old is learning our way of play on the job – there was a moment in the first half where she came to the sideline for tactical instructions from assistant coach Dan Bale – but already the attacking midfielder is showing her ability.

A particularly brilliant, evasive, silky dribble to move away from three defenders and get United on the attack was a highlight that you can watch below.

Wow, what a dribble by Park! Video

Wow, what a dribble by Park!

MATCH CLIP | New signing Jess Park showed her ability with this incredible dribble…

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FOR REDS DUO

It was also a big night for Lisa Naalsund and Elisabeth Terland, who both played for Brann before joining United and returned to their old stomping ground as visiting players on Thursday night.

Despite wanting to get the better of their old side, the pair explained in a short interview before the match what it meant to them to be going “home”, and that cross-club video also featured words from Brann goalkeeper Selma Panengstuen and midfielder Signe Gaupset, making their return feel like a real event.

They received a warm welcome back, although it may not have been as toasty had Terland netted the two headers she went close with in the first half. There was a nice moment after the break too, when the stadium announcer referenced Naalsund’s time at Brann – drawing an embracing reaction from the fans – as she was substituted.

Both players would have appreciated the welcome back, and the support from our healthy contingent of travelling fans.

A NEW KIT

United’s popular black third kit for this season got its maiden first-team outing on Thursday and, as expected, looked the part under the lights. Maya Le Tissier and Jayde Riviere are fans of the classy, retro-inspired look, showing their appreciation for it with posts on social media in the last 24 hours.

Here’s hoping that we get to see plenty more of it in the Women’s Champions League this term, on the back of the Reds securing a result at Leigh next week that would see us through to the tournament’s main stage.

Five things we noticed from the press box at Brann