Morales Stuns Mornar with Late Brace as Escaldes Win 2-1

Atlètic Club d’Escaldes 2-1 Mornar: Europa Conference League 1st Qualifying Round

The tiny Pyrenean principality erupted as Brahim Morales delivered two knockout blows in seven minutes, flipping a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 victory for Atlètic Club d’Escaldes against Mornar in their Europa Conference League first qualifying round first leg.

Mornar Strike First in Andorra

The Montenegrin visitors silenced the Estadi Nacional inside eight minutes when Dusan Zoric latched onto Jovan Dasic’s through ball, slotting past the keeper with a finish that suggested this might be a long night for the Andorrans. Escaldes’ keeper flapped at thin air as Zoric wheeled away in celebration, his strike leaving the home side chasing shadows early on.

Escaldes’ Second Half Resurgence

Whatever manager Xavier Roura said at halftime worked. The introduction of Bouharma for Morales in the 63rd minute sparked life into Escaldes, coinciding with Mornar’s discipline unraveling – Skrijelj and Kaludjerovic both seeing yellow in quick succession. The Montenegrins’ substitutions disrupted their rhythm, withdrawing both goalscorer Zoric and assist-maker Dasic simultaneously on 72 minutes. A fatal misstep.

Morals Writes the Headlines

With seven minutes remaining, Brahim Morales – quiet until then – pounced on a defensive lapse to hammer home the equalizer. The striker promptly earned a booking for his shirt-off celebration, but worse punishment awaited Mornar. In the 93rd minute, Morales ghosted between two defenders to meet a hopeful cross, his glancing header sparking pandemonium. The Montenegrin bench could only watch in horror as their early lead evaporated in the Andorran twilight.

What This Means for Both Sides

Escaldes take a precious lead to Montenegro next week, their first European home win in history. For Mornar, this collapse raises serious questions – their game management after going ahead was naive at best. The second leg promises fireworks: Mornar must attack, leaving space for Morales and Bouharma to exploit on the counter. One thing’s certain – after this late show, the return fixture can’t come soon enough.

Key Moments

8′ ⚽ Mornar — D. Zoric (assist: J. Dasic)

83′ ⚽ Atlètic Club d'Escaldes — B. Morales

90+3′ ⚽ Atlètic Club d'Escaldes — B. Morales

🔮 Before kick-off: our match preview & prediction.