Brann’s Early Season Struggles Deepen Following Home Defeat to Sandefjord
The early-season turmoil for SK Brann continued on Sunday, April 12, 2026, as the club suffered a frustrating 0-1 loss to Sandefjord at Brann Stadion. The result leaves the home side with a meager three points after four matches, extending a worrying trend of inconsistency in the Eliteserien.
The match was decided early when Sandefjord’s Sander Risan Mørk found the back of the net after 15 minutes, firing a powerful shot into the right corner past goalkeeper Mathias Dyngeland. Despite controlling portions of the game, Brann struggled to break through a disciplined Sandefjord defense, anchored by a standout performance from Bosnian defender Zinedin Smajlovic.
Brann pushed for an equalizer late in the second half. In the 79th minute, Noah Holm came agonizingly close to leveling the score, but he failed to connect with a rebound from Elias Hadaya, sending the ball wide. In stoppage time, Felix Horn Myhre nearly rescued a point, but his effort was denied by a critical save from Hadaya.
“We have not been good enough. The performances have been up and down,” Brann head coach Freyr Alexandersson told TV 2. “We are making far too many technical errors. It is difficult to play the combination game we want and we are conceding too many chances. We are far from where we want to be.”
The defeat marks Brann’s third loss of the campaign, having fallen to Kristiansund, Tromsø, and now Sandefjord. Their only highlight thus far has been a dominant 5-1 victory over HamKam. Felix Horn Myhre acknowledged the gravity of the situation, admitting to bt.no that the team has seen a “very weak” point haul over the first four games.
The lack of cohesion has drawn sharp criticism from analysts. Jonas Grønner, a football expert for Bergensavisen, described the team’s problems as “enormous,” specifically citing a failure in interaction across the offensive and defensive lines. Grønner also questioned the tactical decision to leave mid-stopper Cheikh Mbacke Diop on the bench, noting that the player was recently signed from Lokomotiva Zagreb for nearly 30 million kroner.
While Alexandersson insisted the situation is not a “catastrophe,” he admitted to bt.no that the team is suffering from too many turnovers and a lack of flow in their play. The coach emphasized his intent to shield his players from external noise as the club prepares for the upcoming week.
For Sandefjord, the victory provides a significant boost, bringing their record to two wins and two losses. Brann now looks to turn their season around as they prepare to face Viking in their next fixture.
