Brattbakk settles Scandinavian showdown

Rosenborg BK 1-0 Brøndby IF 
Norwegian club Rosenborg BK edged Scandinavian neighbours Brøndby IF of Denmark by a single goal in their UEFA Champions League third qualifying round first-leg match at the Lerkendal stadium in Trondheim.

Brattbakk on target
Norwegian international striker Harald Brattbakk scored the only goal of a hard-fought encounter to give his side a slender advantage to take to the Brøndby stadium for the second leg on 28 August. The former Celtic FC and FC København forward struck in the eighth minute, as he pounced on a poor punched clearance from visiting goalkeeper Mogens Krogh to slot in from close range.

Golden opportunities
It was a genuine surprise that such an open game failed to produce any more goals, as both teams created and missed some golden opportunities. Brøndby midfield player Mads Jørgensen came close to scoring a vital away goal on two occasions, as he first struck the crossbar from long range in the first half and then found the angle of bar and post with a header on the hour mark.

Driving seat
Despite Brøndby's best efforts to find a way back in to the tie, it is Rosenborg, who clinched their tenth successive Norwegian Tippeligaen title last term, who find themselves in the driving seat.