Motherwell will take a two-goal advantage to the Faroe Islands next week, as they registered a 2-0 win over Havnar Bóltfelag in the first leg of the UEFA Conference League second qualifying round tie.
Martin Moormann scored a peach from 25-yards after 15 minutes to open the scoring before Lukas Fadinger added a spectacular second in the second half.
In his first competitive match in the charge, the stakes couldn’t have been much higher for Alfred Johansson. All five summer signings for the Steelmen made their first starts, including Alex Paulsen, Jake Girdwood-Reich, Martin Moormann, Dylan Williams and Willy Vogt. Tom Sparrow took the armband, with Mikey Booth making his professional debut for the club also.
On the bench, first-team options were light, with ten academy graduates named amongst the substitutes, with only three of the 12 subs having played for the Motherwell first-team. But as the players emerged from the tunnel to 7,700 Motherwell supporters, the energy within the stadium rose to optimum as the hosts started the match firmly on the front foot.
The first opportunity came within two minutes. Moormann peeled off at the back post to get free from his marker as Fadinger’s free kick found the Austrian. The defender’s header was on target but was saved by Havnar Bóltfelag keeper Bjarti Mork.
Alfred Johansson’s side continued to push forward, and when Ewan Wilson found himself in behind the Havnar defence, Fir Park rose to its feet, but the full-back’s cross was cleared before anyone had a chance to create.
But on 15 minutes, the deadlock was broken. The visitors cleared a cross into their penalty area, and Moormann, who was making his debut, stepped forward and smashed a left-footed strike into the net from 25-yards. The goal was just as good as the celebrations, as all 11 players, including goalkeeper Paulsen, were sprinting the length of the pitch to join in the celebrations.
Motherwell looked to continue the pressure on the Havnar goal, having large spells of possession and pushing the opposition back closer to their penalty box. Ibrahim Said saw his header come crashing off the bar on 34 minutes following Sparrow’s cross into the area, with the Nigerian left frustrated at not converting the big opportunity.
Moormann’s header was gathered by the keeper two minutes later, before Said again tried to get on the scoresheet but failed to get the desired connection with the ball. There would be one more chance for Said before the half was out; this time the forward connected well with the ball, but the effort was wayward, and the teams would go into the break with just one goal between them.
The second-half began with the Steelmen once again probing. Wilson had a deflected effort gathered, but on 56 minutes, Motherwell extended their lead. Fadinger set the ball outside the penalty area, and the Austrian used the side of his foot to smash the ball high into the net, leaving the keeper with no chance. 2-0.
Just after the hour mark, the visitors had their best chance of the evening, with Jakup Thomsen trying to find the bottom corner with an acrobatic effort inside the right edge of the penalty box, but to Paulsen’s relief, the shot went wide.
That chance seemed to spark Motherwell back into life. Captain Sparrow burst past the full-back on the right-hand side of the pitch and sped up the line before driving into the box; he squared the ball to Said, who laid it off to Vogt, who saw his strike palmed away by the goalkeeper.
But Havnar kept fighting, and Asi Dam forced Paulsen into a strong save in the 73rd minute before the Kiwi keeper had to be strong to get behind Noah Mneney’s powerful volley from the edge of the box. Hedin Hansen had his head in his hands when he couldn’t convert from inside the six-yard box after the midfielder latched onto a flick-on from a corner.
The night was rounded off with both Lucas Weir and Olly Whyte, two academy graduates, coming on to make their debut for the first-team as the Motherwell squad took a well-deserved lap of honour after sealing Motherwell’s first win in European competition since 2020.
Motherwell Team: Paulsen, Sparrow, Girdwood-Reich, Moormann, Wilson, Priestman, Fadinger, Booth, Williams, Vogt, Said.
Motherwell Subs: Connelly, McConnell, Longelo, Thomson, Dalziel, Ngandu, Whyte, Ross, Weir, Buchanan, Hunter, Charles-Cook.
