Motherwell march on in Europe after emphatic win in Faroe Islands

Alfred Johannson’s flying start as Motherwell manager continued as the Steelmen cruised into the next round of the Conference League qualifiers with a 3-0 victory in the Faroe Islands.

Goals from Lukas Fadinger, Regan Charles-Cook and Dylan Williams secured a 5-0 aggregate triumph against HB Torshavn.

Motherwell are due to face HJK Helsinki or Coleraine in the third qualifying round, with the Finns 5-0 up ahead of the second leg later on Thursday.

In his first two matches as Well manager, Johansson has comfortably navigated the loss of players such as Callum Slattery, Stephen Welsh, Calum Ward, Elliot Watt and Elijah Just, the introduction of five summer signings in varying levels of match fitness and a lengthy injury list.

HB had not lost at home in Europe in eight matches, having faced the likes of Brondby, Hajduk Split, Linfield and Maccabi Haifa during that 10-year period.

The home side showed their intent early on with a series of long throws, but Motherwell looked dangerous on the break and Charles-Cook got played in behind by Ibrahim Said’s ball over the top. The makeshift centre-forward hit the goalkeeper’s legs with his effort.

Well goalkeeper Alex Paulsen made a comfortable save after a loose pass from Fadinger, who opened the scoring from a 25th-minute penalty after Willy Vogt jinked his way between two opponents before having his heels clipped. The Austrian midfielder finished emphatically.

Charles-Cook got in behind again and forced a stop from a tighter angle than his earlier chance.

But the former Ross County winger made it third time lucky eight minutes before the interval. He ran on to left-back Williams’ ball down the left wing, beat a defender on the outside, ran into the box and slipped the ball inside the goalkeeper’s near post.

The Lanarkshire side moved further ahead five minutes after the interval when former Burton player Williams netted his first Motherwell goal.

Said kept a move alive before setting up the 22-year-old, who had started in midfield in the first leg. Williams had plenty to do but delivered a first-time angled finish low into the far corner from 15 yards.

Said came close to a fourth when he met substitute Emmanuel Longelo’s low cross first time but was denied by a smart stop from the home goalkeeper.

Motherwell had some defending to do, but Paulsen was never troubled and there was a further boost for Johansson when Tawanda Maswanhise came off the bench for his first appearance since suffering a fractured jaw early in pre-season.