Report: Albion 4 Tromso IF 0

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It's Europe again after Kostoulas, De Cuyper, Wieffer and Boscagli score in comfortable win over Tromso

Bruce Talbot

2026-08-27T21:30+01:00

Sealed with a kiss: Babis Kostoulas gestures to the crowd after scoring Albion's first goal. 📷Paul Hazlewood

Albion will be back in Europe in October after cruising into the group stages of the UEFA Conference League.

The job was done by the interval at the Amex for the second game running after Babis Kostoulas, Maxim De Cuyper and Mats Wieffer scored in a one-sided first half.

Tromso worked hard and their 400 fans kept singing but the Norwegians struggled to cope with Albion’s pace, power and movement.

As had been the case against Aston Villa, the intensity levels dropped in the second half but Olivier Boscagli, who also had a goal disallowed, made it 4-0 and substitute Ibrahim Osman struck the outside of the post.

Babis Kostoulas fires Albion in front. 📷Simon Roe

There was a surprise in the starting line-up with Matt O’Riley recalled for his first start for a year with Jack Hinshelwood and Georginio Rutter absent, but Fabian Hurzeler went with nine of the starters from Sunday’s 4-0 win over Aston Villa.

That left Kostoulas to lead the line and the striker - and his teammates - set a terrific tempo from the first whistle.

Twenty minutes in and Albion had enjoyed 86.5% possession and after forcing a fine save out of Jakob Haugaard and firing just wide from Diego Gomez’s cross it was a case of third time lucky for Babis.

Albion’s press forced Tromso to lose possession on their right touchline and the ball dropped for Kostoulas to take a touch and drill a powerful low shot from the edge of the box into the far corner.

Delight for Babis Kostoulas after he put Albion in front. 📷Paul Hazlewood

Luka Viskovic forced Haugaard to save his header but moments later Albion made it 2-0.

Tromso tried to play out but Leon Hien dawdled on the ball and De Cuyper dispossessed him ten yards out and sent a side-foot shot into the corner to double Albion’s lead. ‘Europe again ole ole!’ sang Albion fans in the north stand and there was a much louder refrain a few minutes later when Wieffer scored Albion’s third.

The Dutchman started the move with a cross-field pass out to the left. Boscagli’s cross took a deflection into Wieffer’s path and his right-foot volley flashed past Haugaard.

Sliding in: Maxim De Cuyper celebrates his third goal of the season. 📷Simon Roe

There was no let up for Tromso in the second half. Kostoulas and Costinha were inches away from converting Diego Gomez’s cross before Pascal Gross headed Boscagli’s cross just over.

Albion kept hunting for more goals. Kostoulas was just off target from a tight angle, Boscagli volleyed past Haugaard but was offside in doing so and substitute Ibrahim Osman hit the outside of the post.

Albion players paid tribute to former boss Mike Bailey before kick-off at the Amex. 📷Paul Hazlewood

Boscagli got the goal his performance deserved with eight minutes to go when his right-foot volley took a slight deflection off a defender and found the far corner.

A second successive 4-0 win at the Amex and Albion fans can start making plans for another European tour. It’s been a great start to the season.

Albion: Verbruggen, Dunk (Struijk 45), Vuskovic, Boscagli, De Cuyper (Osman 66), Gross, Ayari, Wieffer (Costinha 45), Gomez (Yohanna 66), O’Riley (Yalcouye 80), Kostoulas.