St Mirren v SK Brann: Prediction, Tips and Odds

St Mirren have made an encouraging start to the new season but may struggle when SK Brann visit in the third qualfying round of the Conference League on Thursday.

After drawing 0-0 away against Valur, the Buddies beat the Icelandic side 4-1 at home and backed it by opening their new domestic season with a 3-0 win over Hibernian.  

Brann are midway through their Eliteserien campaign, currently sitting second to Bodo/Glimt and came through their second qualifying round tie against Dutch side Go Ahead Eagles 2-1 on aggregate.

They were 3-2 winners over Stromgodset on Sunday and could secure a similar result in Paisley.

St Mirren v SK Brann betting tips and predictions

SK Brann to win and both teams to score - 3/1

Stephen Robinson's side could have been handed with an easier Conference League opener than Valur, but they produced a solid showing in Reykjavik and stormed away on home soil.

They will be desperate for their first European campaign since 1987 to go beyond their second tie, but Brann are enjoying a fine season and have played significantly more match minutes due to the Eliteserien's March-December format.

The Pride of Bergen fell to AZ on penalties in last season's play-off round of this competition and will fancy themselves to get past St Mirren and then either Romania's Corvinul Hunedoara or Kazakhstan's Astana.

Boss Eirik Horneland will be aware his side is far from perfect, though, especially in defence. Their 22 conceded is more than any of the other side in the top five of the Norwegian top-flight.

Keeping just one clean sheet in their last six games in all competitions makes Brann vulnerable, but they look a level above the Buddies and should win an entertaining first leg.

Bard Finne anytime goalscorer - 15/8

Forward Bard Finne scored his team's equaliser in the second leg win over Go Ahead Eagles and netted again against Stromgodset, breaking the deadlock in Sunday's trip to Drammen.

He grabbed 16 league goals last year and an incredible 12 in nine appearances in the cup.

Finne is in fine form. He really is a headline writer's dream, with his first name, Bard, doing more heavy lifting for the wordsmiths and the scribes will be hoping he produces on Thursday.

There's every chance the 29-year-old will deliver and he may even justify his 5/1 to net the opening goal for the second game running.

Toyosi Olusanya to be booked - 11/4

Toyosi Olusanya scored St Mirren's second goal in last week's win over Valur and should start up front again alongside Jonah Ayunga.

Olusanya has looked the sharpest of the two, but is still to complete 90 minutes this season. 

That is an occupational hazard for a striker, with forwards usually replaced. However, fatigue may also be a factor so early in the campaign, while he often leaves Robinson with little choice.

The 26-year-old has been booked in two of his team's three games this season and his determination can get him into bother.

Robinson has experimented with a back four but seems to prefer a back three. A pitfall of this is that his forwards have to do more work, which puts them in unfamiliar areas and could lead to Olusanya collecting a third caution of the season.

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St Mirren v SK Brann odds

St Mirren - 5/2
Draw - 11/4
SK Brann - 17/20

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.