European Cups: excellent draw for La Fiorita, Tre Fiori’s dream ends, Virtus out of the Champions League

After the heavy 3-0 defeat in the first leg, La Fiorita bow out of the UEFA Europa Conference League with an excellent 2-2 draw in yesterday evening’s return leg of the First Qualifying Round played at the Stadium. It is Vardar – from North Macedonia – who go through, but on the Titan the draw is the fairest outcome on the balance of play. The match could not have started better for Stefano Ceci’s men: in the 9th minute Macedonian defender Miskovski handles the ball as Affonso drives into the box and the referee points to the penalty spot. The Brazilian-born forward takes responsibility and makes no mistake. Vardar fail to react and La Fiorita manage their lead well. The visitors’ only clear chance of the first half comes right at the end of the period, when captain Zakaric unleashes a left-footed effort from the edge of the area that crashes against the crossbar. The sides go in at the break with La Fiorita in front.

After the restart Vardar change shape (three substitutions) and shortly before the hour mark they level: this time the handball in the area is by Zafferani – not as clear as the one given against Vardar in the first half – and substitute Rogers Mato makes it 1-1 from the spot.

The goal lifts the Macedonians, who push on and soon after (63’) go very close to taking the lead. They are denied by a superb Gianluca Vivan (in his tenth consecutive season playing European football in the Gialloblù shirt), who keeps his side in it with a stunning reflex save from Matic. Vardar continue to press but La Fiorita hold firm. With ten minutes to go Guidi and Dormi come on, and it is the latter who tries to make the difference with one of his trademark moves: he cuts in from the right onto his left foot and sends in a wicked effort which, with the help of two deflections, drifts just wide of the post. In the 85th minute, however, Vardar edge in front: Castenada swings in a cross from the left, Grandoni tries to cut it out but inadvertently turns it into his own net. The finale, though, belongs entirely to La Fiorita, who find the equaliser they deserve. In stoppage time Manevski produces a vital block to keep out Baldinini’s effort, but the leveller arrives in the third added minute: Baldinini crosses, Matic gets there first with a header to beat his own goalkeeper to the ball, and it drops in the area where Jankulov attempts to nod it back to the keeper. Instead of finding his team-mate, however, he beats him for a remarkable own goal.

It finishes 2-2 at the Stadium. La Fiorita are eliminated and Vardar move on to Q2. It is also the first positive result in Europe for Stefano Ceci after as many as 19 games – a record for coaches of Sammarinese clubs.

Tre Fiori’s dream, by contrast, comes to an end. After last week’s superb achievement – a 1-0 home win – they fall in Yerevan to Pyunik and are knocked out of the Conference League. The hosts make no mistake and go through with an emphatic 5-0. The Armenians’ opener arrives in the 14th minute, Otubanjo converting a penalty awarded for a handball by Prandelli. The second goal comes ten minutes later through Alemao, while the third is again from the spot – this time Noubissi scores – to send the sides in at half-time at 3-0. After the restart, despite the heavy deficit, Tre Fiori have a chance to get back into it. In the 55th minute a handball by Alemao leads to the third penalty of the night: Prandelli steps up but Avagyan guesses right and saves. Pyunik’s last two goals arrive only in the closing stages: Otubanjo strikes again to complete his brace and then an unfortunate own goal by Diego Moretti brings the curtain down on the tie. Pyunik win 5-0.

It is a narrow defeat instead for Virtus, who were in action last Tuesday in Mostar for the Champions League first qualifying round second leg against Zrinjski. After the 2-0 loss at the Stadium last week, Luigi Bizzotto’s Neroverdi are eliminated from the competition, but the European adventure is not over yet for the Acquaviva club.

The hosts take the lead late in the first half through Mamic, but Virtus stay in the game and after the break former Cosmos player Biral goes close to an equaliser midway through the half. In the 75th minute Zrinjski double their lead with Bilbija, but the closing stages belong to the club from Acquaviva. First there is a goal for Scappini ruled out for offside after an Amati free-kick, then in stoppage time a foul on Zulli in the box results in a penalty. Scappini himself steps up, converts and sets the final score at 2-1.

Virtus are out of the Champions League, but now they drop into the Conference League Q3 (draw on Monday 21 July, with matches scheduled for 7 and 14 August).

UEFA Champions League 2025-26, First Qualifying Round | Zrinjski-Virtus 2-1

ZRINJSKI (4-2-3-1)

Karačić; Memija (46’ Sušić), Barišić, Mašić, Mamić; Savić (63’ Surdanović), Ivančić; Abramović (63’ Mikić), Pranjić (46’ Kiš), Burey (70’ Majić); Bilbija

Substitutes: Šutković, Ljubić, Filipović, Sušak, Ćavar, Dujmović, Ševa

Coach: Mario Ivanković

VIRTUS (4-4-2)

Passaniti; Muggeo (79’ Ciacci), Giacomoni, Rinaldi, Gori; Zenoni (46’ Lombardi), Montanari (46’ Biral), Amati, Zulli; Buonocunto (68’ Benincasa), Scappini

Substitutes: Renzetti, Sabato, De Lucia

Coach: Luigi Bizzotto

Referee: Visar Kastrati (KOS)

Assistant referees: Besnik Morina (KOS), Arbnor Bullatovci (KOS)

Fourth official: Valon Bajgora (KOS)

VAR: Dardan Çaka (KOS)

AVAR: Alban Shala (KOS)

Scorers: 40’ Mamić, 75’ Bilbija, 90+2’ pen. Scappini

Booked: Gori, Rinaldi, Ciacci

Attendance: 4,600

UEFA Europa Conference League 2025-26, First Qualifying Round | La Fiorita – Vardar 2-2

LA FIORITA (3-5-2)

Vivan; Musiani, Drudi, Grandoni; Zafferani (65’ Toccaceli), Baldinini, Cicarelli (85’ Prasso), Zaccaria, Riccardi (90+1’ Spadaccino); Affonso (65’ Dormi), Vivacqua (65’ Guidi)

Substitutes: Zavoli, Mazzotti, Santi, Lunadei, Semprini, Cerchiaro

Coach: Stefano Ceci

VARDAR (4-4-2)

Taleski; Jankulov, Matić, Miskovski, Manevski; Bosančič (73’ Duranski), Olaosebikan (87’ Spahiu), Dongmo (46’ Mato), Todorovski (46’ Castenada); Zakarić (46’ Danev), Omeragiki

Substitutes: Velkovski, Cvetkov, Talevski, Nikolovski, Cuestas, Faustin

Coach: Goce Sedloski

Referee: Aaron Wyn Jones (WAL)

Assistant referees: Martin Roberts (WAL), Jordan Lee Christopher (WAL)

Fourth official: Bryn Markham-Jones (WAL)

Scorers: 10’ pen. Affonso, 59’ pen. Mato, 84’ og Grandoni, 90+3 Jankulov

Booked: Vivacqua, Zakarić, Zaccaria, Zafferani, Bosančič, Musiani

Attendance: 430

UEFA Europa Conference League 2025-26, First Qualifying Round | Pyunik – Tre Fiori 5-0

PYUNIK (4-3-3)

Avagyan; Alemão, Vakulenko, Filipe Almeida, Kainourgios; Agbalian (64’ Kulikov), Islamovic (46’ Udo), Otubanjo; Javi Moreno (64’ Vareika), Noubissi (46’ Metoyan), Tarakhchyan (72’ Miljković)

Substitutes: Buchnev, Malakyan, Bopesu, Kovalenko, Hovhannisyan, Galstyan, Vagner Gonçalves

Coach: Iegishe Melikian

TRE FIORI (3-5-2)

Nardi; Matteoni (46’ Moretti), Rea, Sirri; Manfroni, Benedettini, Censoni (46’ Braschi), Dolcini (82’ Ciccione), Vandi (71’ Guerra); Ferri (46’ Sensoli), Prandelli

Substitutes: Castagnoli, Pini

Coach: Danilo Girolomoni

Referee: Florian Lata (ALB)

Assistant referees: Xhulio Mani (ALB), Taulant Kasa (ALB)

Fourth official: Andi Koçi (ALB)

Scorers: 14’ pen. and 85’ Otubanjo, 24’ Alemao, 40’ Noubissi, 89’ og Manfroni

Booked: Prandelli, Matteoni, Censoni, Udo, Metoyan

Attendance: 305 – 55’ Prandelli (TRF) misses a penalty