Dinamo Zagreb Demolish Kauno Žalgiris 5-0 in Champions League First Leg Highlights

UEFA Champions League

The standout result from Tuesday’s batch of Champions League qualifiers belongs to Dinamo Zagreb, who hammered Lithuanian side Kauno Žalgiris 5-0 in what amounts to a virtual knockout blow in the first leg. The Croatian champions look entirely comfortable at this stage and will carry a commanding advantage into the second leg.

The other eye-catching scoreline comes from Belgium, where Union St. Gilloise and Bodø/Glimt served up a six-goal thriller that ended 3-3. Both sides will feel they left something on the table, but it sets up a fascinating second leg in Norway. Union will be the more frustrated of the two given they were playing at home and couldn’t hold a lead.

There was a notable result in the Czech capital, with Sparta Praha edging out Lyon 2-1. The French side, expected by many to be among the stronger teams entering at this qualifying stage, now face a deficit to overturn when the tie goes to Prague. It is an early warning that Ligue 1 clubs cannot afford to underestimate continental opponents at this point in the calendar.

Elsewhere, Hapoel Beer Sheva claimed a slender but potentially decisive 1-0 home win over Crvena Zvezda — a result that will raise eyebrows given Red Star’s pedigree. Ararat-Armenia also secured a 2-1 victory over Celje, while Levski Sofia edged Kairat Almaty by the same scoreline, 1-0. Slovan Bratislava won away at Mjällby AIF 2-1, keeping their qualification hopes firmly in their own hands. The one blank draw of the round saw Olympiakos and NEC Nijmegen play out a goalless stalemate, leaving everything to be decided in the second leg.

UEFA Europa League

Shamrock Rovers produced the more convincing performance in Europa League qualifying, beating Albanian side Egnatia Rrogozhinë 3-1 at home. The Irish side have given themselves a solid platform ahead of the return fixture. Northern Irish club Larne, meanwhile, were held to a goalless draw by Georgian outfit Saburtalo, meaning their tie remains entirely open heading into the second leg.

UEFA Conference League

Just the one Conference League result to report from this round: Latvian side Auda edged out Dinamo Tirana 1-0 in a tight, low-scoring affair. A single goal advantage is the narrowest of margins to take into a second leg, and the Albanian side will fancy their chances of turning the tie around on home soil.

All second legs from this qualifying round are expected to follow in the coming days, and several of these ties — particularly Union St. Gilloise vs Bodø/Glimt and Hapoel Beer Sheva vs Crvena Zvezda — look set to provide the week’s most compelling viewing.

Written by Arlind

Covers daily football news for MatchdayValue — results, standings, and the stories shaping the top five European leagues and the continental competitions.