Hertha edge out Brondby

Hertha Berlin made a winning return to continental football with a slender 1-0 victory over Danish side Brondby in the first leg third qualifying round of the Europa League.

The German side had been without European football since the 2009/10 season, but showed no signs of nerves as they took early control of the game at the Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Stadion, chosen as the venue ahead of the more familair Olympiastadion.

Brondby were well organised and Hertha had to be patient to break them down, but when the opening goal came on 28 minutes it was well worth the wait.

Former Bayern Munich midfielder Mitchell Weiser found some space on the right and dug out a cross for Vedad Ibisevic, who unleashed a ferocious bicycle kick that slammed into the bottom corner of the goal. It was a stunning goal by the Bosnian, which raised the roof in Berlin.

Brondby offered only fleeting glimpes as an attacking force as they looked to keep Hertha in their sights ahead of next Thursday's second leg.

Instead it was Hertha who pushed for a second and came close to getting it on more than one occasion. Early in the second half Marvin Plattenhardt raced clear down the left and put the ball across to Weiser, who couldn't quite reach the pass.

Salomon Kalou went close from the edge of the box after Weiser was the provider again from the right, but the Ivorian's shot was tipped over the bar by brondby goalkeeper Frederik Rönnow.

The home fans thought Ibisevic had scored his second of the night when he turned the ball in from close-range on 81 minutes, but the strike was chalked off after the striker was adjudged to have used his arm to control the ball.

The result gives Hertha the edge going into next week's second leg, but Brondby will be looking to make Hertha pay for failing to score a second.

The winner of the tie will enter a two-legged play-off scheduled for August 18 and 25, with the winner entering the group stage of the competition.