Brann secured a crucial 1-0 victory over Fredrikstad at Brann Stadion on Sunday, maintaining their position in the tightly contested Eliteserien title race. The match-winning goal came from Emil Kornvig in the 35th minute, giving the Bergen-based club three vital points as they continue their pursuit of league leaders Viking. The victory leaves Brann just four points behind the top spot with a game in hand, positioning them firmly among the championship contenders.

The home side dominated proceedings from the opening whistle, creating several significant scoring opportunities before breaking through with Kornvig's decisive strike. Fredrikstad goalkeeper Martin Børsheim had made numerous saves throughout the first half but was ultimately beaten by the Danish midfielder's left-footed shot into the near corner. The shot took a slight deflection, making it particularly challenging for the visiting keeper to prevent the opening goal.

Fredrikstad arrived in Bergen boasting one of the league's best defensive records, having conceded only 24 goals this season - second only to league leaders Bodø/Glimt. However, their away form has been less impressive, scoring just eight goals on the road this campaign. Despite their defensive solidity, they struggled to contain Brann's persistent attacking pressure throughout the match, particularly after falling behind in the first half.

The victory extends Brann's impressive unbeaten run to seven matches across all competitions, with five wins and one draw during this period. Their last defeat came against KFUM Oslo on July 19th. The result also marks continued success against Fredrikstad, who had previously defeated Brann in the first round of league play but now find themselves unable to replicate that performance. With European commitments continuing next Thursday against Utrecht in the Europa League, Brann must balance domestic ambitions with continental competition as the season enters its decisive phase.

Finnair is gradually restoring its Airbus A321 fleet to service after an uncertified cleaning procedure forced the grounding of eight aircraft. The airline confirmed that seat covers were washed with water, a method not properly certified to ensure fire protection standards were maintained. This safety concern prompted the removal of the affected aircraft from service, leading to operational disruptions across Finnair's European network.

The situation began improving over the weekend as Finnair started installing new seat covers on the grounded aircraft. The first A321 returned to service on Sunday, operating a flight from Helsinki to Rhodes. However, seven aircraft remain out of service with no confirmed timeline for their full return. The A321s typically seat approximately 200 passengers and are crucial for Finnair's European route operations.

The grounding has resulted in significant passenger disruptions, with Finnair implementing extensive rebooking procedures. On Sunday alone, approximately 460 passengers were moved to different flights due to aircraft downgrades. The airline has prioritized high-frequency routes such as Helsinki-Stockholm and Helsinki-London, ensuring alternative options are available. In some cases, Finnair has used smaller replacement aircraft and offered incentives for volunteers to switch flights.

To manage the capacity shortfall, Finnair has wet-leased two aircraft with crews from Danish carrier DAT since Wednesday. While flight cancellations have decreased to single digits in recent days, with some days passing without any cancellations, the airline acknowledges that irregularities may continue through the coming week. Finnair is providing accommodation and compensation to affected passengers in accordance with EU air passenger rights regulations as it works to fully resolve the operational challenges.