Bologna extended their unbeaten streak in European knockout matches at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara to 28 games, edging past SK Brann 1-0 to secure a place in the UEFA Europa League Round of 16.
The Italian side arrived in Italy buoyed by a 1-0 victory in Norway last week, marking the second win in a three-game European run that has reignited their confidence as the tournament reaches its business end.
Brann, despite a winless streak of six games across all competitions, put up a spirited fight in the first half.
The visitors arguably had the better early chances, with goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski producing a stunning stop to deny Jón Thorsteinsson and quickly rushing out to block Noah Holm’s follow-up effort, while Remo Freuler cleared off the line.
Ulrik Mathisen also came close, but his shot drifted wide after some clever footwork in the box.
Bologna struggled to break through despite controlling possession, but the tie turned in their favour just before halftime when Jacob Sorensen was sent off for a high boot on Freuler, reducing Brann to ten men.
Even so, the Pride of Bergen remained dangerous, with Þorsteinsson forcing another acrobatic save from Skorupski before the break.
The second half saw a familiar pattern: Bologna dominated possession while Brann looked to counterattack.
Yet the visitors rarely threatened, and the home side began to create real danger. Mathias Dyngeland tipped a header from Jhon Lucumí over the crossbar, but Bologna soon opened the scoring.
A poorly cleared cross from Rowe found Joao Mario, who volleyed neatly into the corner to give the Italians full control of the tie.
Brann continued to search for an equaliser, but momentum was firmly with Bologna. Riccardo Orsolini, introduced from the bench, tested the opposition but couldn’t seal the win with a second goal.
Nevertheless, Bologna’s aggregate two-goal advantage ensured they comfortably saw out the match. They will now face either Serie A rivals AS Roma or Bundesliga side SC Freiburg in the last 16.
For Brann, European woes persist, they have won just one of their 13 knockout ties—and attention now shifts back to the Norwegian top flight, kicking off in March.
