Conference League: La Fiorita edged out at the Stadium

La Fiorita hand Isloch the first round but the battle for qualification remains wide open. The goal that settles the contest on a scorching evening at the Stadium comes from an individual error. Beyond that, Isloch did not show themselves to be an irresistible opponent, and La Fiorita can even rue a huge stoppage-time chance to equalise that went begging. The Belarusians dictate play in the early stages, without however putting an overly severe test on a focused and well-organised Fiorita side. On 10 minutes, though, it takes a superb save from Vivan to deny Shestyuk from close range, teed up by Bulmaga right on the offside line. With few thrills, the match drifts towards the half-hour mark. At that point Greco launches into a lightning run down the left flank after a fine exchange with Semprini: the wing-back does everything right except the cross, which proves too powerful. But Isloch are also adept at exploiting the wide areas and soon show it: Ibrahim accelerates down the left and crosses to the far post for Shestyuk, whose first touch lets him down but who does well to recycle the ball for the onrushing Senko, who fires it high from a promising position. On 33 minutes comes the incident that effectively decides the tie. Under pressure, Scipioni plays it back to Vivan; the goalkeeper looks to play first time towards Marco Mazzotti, but strikes the ball terribly, gifting it straight to Butsko, who has little trouble scoring from close range. Isloch threaten again at the end of the half when Ibrahim clips the crossbar with a volley from a tight angle after a Bulmaga cross. La Fiorita, though, respond in kind. Nicola Mazzotti intercepts a ball in midfield and slides it to Semprini, who has time to bring it under control and unleash a razor-sharp left-footer that shaves the outside of the post. Manfredini’s men start the second half with a corner delivered onto the head of Scipioni, who nods wide. Shortly afterwards another header, this time from Semprini, sails over. From the immediate counter, Vivan blocks Butsko in a one-on-one, but the flag had already gone up against Shestyuk. There is absolutely no offside, however, when the yellow-and-blue keeper denies Senko’s almost point-blank effort on 58 minutes, after he had ghosted in between the yawning gaps in the Montegiardino defence. Past the hour mark, Bulmaga releases Rovdo into open field; the substitute uses his freshness to take on Nicola Mazzotti one-on-one before pulling the trigger with a left-footed effort that lacks power. La Fiorita begin to push their line higher up the pitch, but in doing so expose themselves to some venomous counter-attacks. On one occasion Vivan’s hands prevent the ball reaching a completely unmarked Rovdo, while on another Isloch quite literally waste a three-on-two by misplacing the crucial pass, although credit must also go to Pezzi, who untangles the situation with a perfect covering run. La Fiorita do not abandon their pursuit of an equaliser. Isloch’s last initiative is a wayward effort from Kuchinski following a set-piece routine. At the other end, a weak back-pass from Yudchyts almost sends Greco through on goal, while, in the third minute of stoppage time, Arradi delivers an inviting ball into the six-yard box for Casolla, who is fractionally late. La Fiorita are nonetheless fully in the hunt for qualification, which will be decided next Thursday on neutral ground, namely at the Municipal Stadium in Mezőkövesd, Hungary. There is a wider gap after the first 90 minutes between Tre Penne and Floriana, despite Berardi’s men having briefly dreamed of leaving the island of Malta with a precious result. At the dawn of the second half, Tre Penne take the lead thanks to a crisp strike from the edge of the box by Guidi, who had earlier had two other big chances to make his mark, one denied by home keeper Mafoubi and the other missing by centimetres. The illusion, however, lasts only a few moments. Nwoko heads Reid’s cross into the net, taking advantage of an unconvincing coming-out by Migani, while Vella completes the turnaround with an accurate side-footed finish from sixteen metres. All of this comes within 7 minutes of Guidi’s celebration. The 3-1 goal arrives just after the hour and is the product of a fine acrobatic finish by Thiago Santos on another cross from Reid, who claims his second assist of the evening. The return leg will be played on Thursday 18 July at the San Marino Stadium.

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UEFA Europa Conference League, First Qualifying Round | La Fiorita – Isloch 0-1   LA FIORITA Vivan; M. Mazzotti, Scipioni, Pezzi; Zafferani (from 46' Guerri), N. Mazzotti (from 89' Arradi), Cicarelli, Semprini (from 78' Toccaceli), Greco (from 89' Semeraro); Affonso (from 62' Portaccio), Casolla Substitutes: Zavoli, Santi, Lago, Capozzi Head coach: Thomas Manfredini   ISLOCH Svirski; Yudchyts, Veretilo, Kovel, Homanau, Ibrahim (from 60' Kuchinski); Bulmaga (from 86' Alii), Senko (from 60' Kobeyev), Hallata; Butsko (from 60' Rovdo), Shestyuk (from 89' Sibilev) Substitutes: Denisenko, Tsikhamirau, Rodionov, Zhurauliou, Khavalka, Krauchanka Head coach: Sergei Borovski   Referee: Jasmin Sabotic (LUX) Assistant referees: Joaquim Da Silva (LUX) and Dani Dias Balsa (LUX) Fourth official: Laurent Wilmes (LUX) Booked: Homanau Scorers: 34' Butsko Attendance: 217  

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UEFA Europa Conference League, First Qualifying Round | Floriana - Tre Penne 3-1   FLORIANA Mafoubi; Garzia, Spiteri, El Hasni, Kouro (from 81' Yameogo); Garzia (from 86' Zammit Lonardelli), Vella (from 57' Arias); Nascimento Dos Santos (from 67' Veselji), Grech, Reid; Nwoko (from 67' Obonogwu) Substitutes: Cutajar, Andrijanic, Micallef, Buttigieg, Fernandinho Head coach: Darren Abdilla   TRE PENNE Migani; Nigretti (from 90+1' Giovagnoli), Palazzi (from 81' Casadei), Vecchio, Lombardi, Boccioletti; Scarponi (from 81' Zeka), Amati, Dormi (from 66' Grieco); Guidi (from 81' Ceccaroli), Pieri Substitutes: Colonna, Magrotti, Cecchetti, Nanni, Zafferani Head coach: Nicola Berardi   Referee: Florian Lata (ALB) Assistant referees: Erind Burgu (ALB) and Marjus Qose (ALB) Fourth official: Andi Koçi (ALB) Booked: Nwoko, Vecchio, Palazzi, Vella Scorers: 50' Guidi, 55' Nwoko, 57' Vella, 64' Thiago Santos

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