Sturm Graz went into the last game of the UEFA Europa League group stage of the 2025/26 season as 32nd in the table against SK Brann. Sturm Graz wanted to leave the European stage with dignity. In the end, there was a deserved 1-0 win and an improvement of six places to finish 26th. Tomi Horvat provided the first attacking accent in the ninth minute. The Slovenian's flat shot from 16 meters was just centimeters away from giving Sturm the lead. Fabio Ingolitsch made a personnel change for his home debut compared to the Feyenoord match and relied on a 4-4-2 basic order with a diamond in midfield. SK Brann was tough to beat and had only won one of their last nine mandatory games. Around 600 traveling fans hoped that their team would emulate Bodö/Glimt, which had sensationally made it to the Champions League playoffs on Wednesday. But the Graz team did not want to give away any gifts at temperatures around freezing point. Tomi Horvat's aluminum hit and two top chances for SK Brann were the highlights of the game. The 26-year-old Slovenian Tomi Horvat was a factor in the game and provided the first attacking accent. After the rebound, left-back Emir Karić shot over. On the other side, Sportsklubben benefited from a consequential misunderstanding between Aiwu and Gorenc-Stankovič, which caused a slapstick scene. Noah Holm, the 24-year-old center forward, was the beneficiary, alone in front of goalkeeper Khudyakov, who saved his team from falling behind with a brilliant parade.