Motherwell surge in Conference League as HB thumped for perfect Johansen era lift off – 5 talking points
The Steelmen won 3-0 on the night to secure a 5-0 aggregate victory in the Faroe Islands
19:57, 30 Jul 2026Updated 19:58, 30 Jul 2026
(Image: Raymond Davies/ProSports/Shutterstock)
Alfred Johansson told his players to eat barbed wire going into this game.
The Motherwell players did that and more, bringing HB to their knees in the Europa Conference League.
They didn’t win the battle, they won the war. Home and away wins over the Faroese side mean the Steelmen can now look forward to a clash with HJK in the next round.
Motherwell had won 2-0 at Fir Park but surpassed that in the Torsvøllur.
It was meant to be a battle but it turned into a one-sided goal-fest, thanks to Lukas Fadinger’s penalty, Regan Charles-Cook’s effort and Dylan Williams’s first Motherwell strike.
(Image: Raymond Davies/ProSports/Shutterstock)
The newly-appointed Swede has a 100 per cent record.
It was also a much-needed boost with Motherwell adding two wins to the plummeting Scottish coefficient.
It is early doors and yes, it is only a couple of games against Faroese opposition, but it has been so far so good.
Motherwell can now turn their attention to their Premiership opener and Sunday’s trip to Hibs before focusing on the trip to Helsinki.
Can Johansson make a similar start in the domestic game at Easter Road?
Fadinger fires the Faroese apart again
HB came in looking to try and get an early goal. They got the ball forward and put the Motherwell backline under pressure. Fadinger made a brave block as the visitors stood firm. The Austrian was heavily involved in the first period.
Motherwell grew into the game and created chances of their own, although slackness in their own half gave HB hope. A slack Fadinger pass gave Heini Sorenson a chance but his shot was saved by Alex Paulsen.
Motherwell then got the break they needed. Willy Vogts got behind the HB defence and was clipped by Asi Dam. Estonian ref Joonas Jaanovits pointed to the spot.
Fadinger stepped up and although the keeper went the right way his 25th minute penalty had too much power on it. It was just the start Motherwell wanted and Fadinger’s second goal in two games against HB.
Charles-Cook finally brings some sizzle
Charles-Cook had come in for Ewan Smith in the only change from the first-leg starting XI. The switch made a massive impact on this leg. The Grenadian international was a constant threat for Motherwell. He could have had a first-half hat-trick. Ibrahim Said had put a ball over the top and although he raced clear his shot was blocked by the leg of Bjarti Mørk.
That was a big chance at 0-0. His second came when Motherwell were ahead. Oliver Priestman found Fadinger and his slide-rule pass sent Charles-Cook clear, but Mørk raced off to block with his body. It had the look of a frustrating night for the Motherwell winger but he turned that around in the 36th minute. He picked the ball up on the left, beat his man, cut inside and then finally beat Mørk at his near post.
Williams makes himself an early ‘Well hero
Motherwell had gone in 2-0 up at the interval but it didn’t really tell the whole story. Both teams had four shots each, but the Scots had been far more clinical than their hosts. It took the men in Claret and Amber just five minutes into the second half before they put this tie well and truly to bed. Said had tried to dribble and it had come off a defender and back to him. He put it out to the incoming Williams on the right and he swept a low drive under Mørk. It was only his second outing and he had just met some of his new teammates after his move from Burton Albion just before the first-leg.
Johansson proves he has a big voice
The tie was done but there was no taking the foot off the gas, Johansson was still as vocal on the sidelines. He was driving his side forward, looking for more. This is still the first steps of his journey and he wants to follow in Jens Berthel Askou’s massive footsteps. Said had the chance to make the final scoreline even more convincing but Mørk made a fine stop. Johansson was even able to give some of his academy graduates some much-needed minutes at the end of the game. The biggest things for the few hundred Motherwell fans, apart from the win was the return of top scorer Tawanda Maswanhise. He came off the bench wearing a protective mask. He didn’t really get much in the way of chances but he helped his team see out this tie with relative ease.
Motherwell end a six-year home run
The Lanarkshire had first HB back in 1994. Alex McLeish’s side had won 3-0 at home and then followed that up with a 4-1 win in the Faroes back in the UEFA Cup. That was in Toftir. This time it wasn’t expected to be as straight-forward, but it arguably was. The class of 2026 had opened with a 2-0 win at Fir Park and even then Johansson had insisted this tie wasn’t over. He had pointed to HB’s impressive home record.
They hadn’t lost in Europe at home in six years.
Brondby, Hajduk Split and Derry City had all drawn there and Maccabi Haifa, Newtown and Buducnost Podgorica had all come a cropper.
There was no such concerns for Motherwell, as they made a winning start after four years out of European competition.
