Champions League qualifying: Shamrock Rovers stunned in Malta as Kairat win late on

[p]The most unexpected outcome of the day came in Malta, where [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/floriana/hKIRewt8/"]Floriana[/a] scored once in each half to beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/shamrock-rovers/KIN6lmnH/"]Shamrock Rovers[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/floriana-hKIRewt8/shamrock-rovers-KIN6lmnH/?mid=AadGTC6r"]2-0[/a]. Robert Muric gave the hosts the lead just before the break, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jah-mustapha/6HZ26nbT/"]Mustapha Jah[/a] adding a second 11 minutes from time.[/p][p]Shamrock, who had never lost in three previous games versus Maltese opposition before the game, managed just two attempts on target throughout the 90 minutes. [/p][embed guid="892e65ab-ed71-4c87-8d48-2f298f5902e8" url="https://x.com/TheEuroFE/status/2074589404111229239?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]It did not help the League of Ireland outfit when midfielder [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/healy-matthew/xnVfgGJi/"]Matthew Healy[/a] was sent off just before the hour mark after receiving two yellow cards in a matter of moments.[/p][p]Despite participating in the UCL eight times before this, only once have Floriana managed to come out in a two-legged tie, which came 33 years ago.[/p][p]The first goal scored in this season's competition was from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/lincoln-red-imps/bHbMply6/"]Lincoln Red Imps[/a]' Nano, who converted a penalty in the 16th minute. He then assisted [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ortiz-manuel-toledano/ShX2WrSF/"]Manu Toledano[/a] 10 minutes later [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/inter-escaldes-4CambolL/lincoln-red-imps-bHbMply6/?mid=jclQoCSQ"]en route to a 3-1 win[/a] for his side over Andorran outfit [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/inter-escaldes/4CambolL/"]Inter Club d'Escaldes.[/a][/p][p]A couple of debutants had mixed results on Tuesday. Azeri champions [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sabah-baku/fNGcxbyr/"]Sabah Baku[/a] got past Champions League regulars [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/tns/lGMtZWUH/"]The [/a][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/tns/lGMtZWUH/"]New Saints[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/sabah-baku-fNGcxbyr/tns-lGMtZWUH/?mid=8dw4vUK0"]2-0 at home[/a] despite finishing the match a man down. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/fk-kauno-zalgiris/0p17kQla/"]Kauno Zalgiris[/a]' debut in the competition saw them lead for more than 50 in-game minutes versus [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/drita/bwWOjXUP/"]Drita[/a] of Kosovo, but could not hold on. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/krasniqi-blerim/hjS60Lqf/"]Blerim Krasniqi[/a]'s equaliser eight minutes from time [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/drita-bwWOjXUP/kauno-zalgiris-0p17kQla/?mid=QZOikoZI"]saw the game end 1-1 in Kaunas[/a].[/p][p]The other debutant, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bissen/O4ORhR6N/"]Atert Bissen[/a], were not as lucky, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/bissen-O4ORhR6N/klaksvik-j9PptHXf/?mid=WjbdIq35"]losing 2-1 away[/a] to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/klaksvik/j9PptHXf/"]KI[/a].[/p][h2]Vikingur strike late to claim victory[/h2][p]The last match of Tuesday saw [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/vikingur-reykjavik/hdKpCN4d/"]Vikingur Reykjavik[/a] strike late to defeat Hungary's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/gyor/4WnsYev9/"]Gyor[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/gyor-4WnsYev9/vikingur-reykjavik-hdKpCN4d/?mid=SM39CEWq"]1-0 in the Icelandic capital[/a]. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hansen-nikolaj/0dcIbY7t/"]Nikolaj Hansen[/a] headed in the winner in stoppage time to give Vikingur a key first leg success.[/p][p]Gyor, who ended [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ferencvaros/pKS9M7R7/"]Ferencvaros[/a]' seven-year streak as Hungarian champions, failed to register a single shot on target in the match as Vikingur were the side asking more questions.[/p][embed guid="261705ef-07fb-48de-894f-c0c9f173ae2f" url="https://x.com/vikingurfc/status/2074602742178267402?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Vikingur, who reached the knockout rounds of the UEFA Conference League in 2024/25, have never progressed from a two-legged tie in the UCL in five previous attempts.[/p][p]Elsewhere, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ararat-armenia/xlT9cL89/"]Ararat-[/a][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ararat-armenia/xlT9cL89/"]Armenia[/a] got the better of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/riga-fc/l2DXxTjh/"]Riga FC[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/ararat-armenia-xlT9cL89/riga-fc-l2DXxTjh/?mid=A3OybFHj"]2-0 at home[/a] to take a key step towards progression. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/kups-nLBbqJDS/vardar-4IQgZaVs/?mid=EDC87Slm"]It was the same result[/a] in North Macedonia, where Finland's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/kups/nLBbqJDS/"]KuPS Kuopio[/a] defeated [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/vardar/4IQgZaVs/"]Vardar[/a].[/p][p]In Bosnia, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/borac-banja-luka/pWGUPhrD/"]Borac Banja Luka[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/borac-banja-luka-pWGUPhrD/levski-sofia-E5OOzgs4/?mid=AqIygTZg"]drew 1-1[/a] against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/levski-sofia/E5OOzgs4/"]Levski Sofia[/a], having taken the lead nine minutes in via a penalty. The Bulgarians levelled the match just before the hour mark to pick up a draw in their return to the UCL 17 years on from their last appearance.[/p][p]Northern Ireland's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/larne/44wiLnI5/"]Larne[/a] edged [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/tre-fiori/Yq1P1sCB/"]Tre Fiori[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/larne-44wiLnI5/tre-fiori-Yq1P1sCB/?mid=8GTc0BsK"]1-0 in San Marino[/a] to take a lead back home. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lusty-matthew/O6kBs1Zo/"]Matthew Lusty[/a] scored the only goal just before the break.[/p][h2]Kairat find way to claim win[/h2][p]Wednesday's action saw [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/kairat-almaty/CrO7xXpJ/"]Kairat Almaty[/a], who reached the league phase last season, beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sutjeska/Uw7E96rU/"]Sutjeska[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/kairat-almaty-CrO7xXpJ/sutjeska-Uw7E96rU/?mid=jDdtMR3t"]2-1 in Kazakhstan[/a]. The goals came late on at Almaty Central Stadium, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lucas-africo/EJRDTQOu/"]Lucas Africo[/a] putting the hosts in front 14 minutes before the end.[/p][p]A volley from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mrvaljevic-marko/GGuREFmH/"]Marko Mrvaljevic[/a] drew Sutjeska level in the last minute of normal time, giving them their first goal against a Kazakh side at the third time of asking. However, they could not hold on for the draw as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gual-marc/EXIIflmD/"]Marc Gual[/a] struck two minutes later to give Kairat the win.[/p][embed guid="95546857-15c2-475d-86ee-ff89459f6369" url="https://x.com/Kazakh_Footy/status/2074909259083743623?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]The Montenegrins await their first victory in the competition, having failed to come out on top in their other five attempts.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/iberia-1999/dhfRkskl/"]Iberia 1999[/a] made things difficult for themselves in their trip to Estonia, having led [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/flora/zLFV5ykn/"]Flora Tallinn[/a] 2-0 in the opening quarter of the game. Yet, Flora drew level despite playing the final half an hour down a man. The Georgians were not to be denied though, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kardava-bakari/bHMjdRfE/"]Bakari Kardava[/a] netting the winner [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/flora-zLFV5ykn/iberia-1999-dhfRkskl/?mid=jwbWPU57"]to give them a 3-2 win on the road.[/a][/p][p]Other results on Wednesday saw [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/univ-craiova/bsd9fGaK/"]CS Universitatea Craiova[/a] defeat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ml-vitebsk/UkzXzc1n/"]ML Vitebsk[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/ml-vitebsk-UkzXzc1n/univ-craiova-bsd9fGaK/?mid=OQEVJdvA"]4-1[/a] on their return to the competition after 33 years away. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/petrocub-hincesti/b5j3Rktc/"]Petrocub[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/kf-egnatia/CjYs7BO9/"]Egnatia[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/egnatia-CjYs7BO9/petrocub-b5j3Rktc/?mid=fiEO3plC"]played to a 1-1 draw[/a] in their match, with the Albanians playing down a man for the entire second half.[/p][p]The second legs are next week Tuesday and Wednesday.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/borac-banja-luka-pWGUPhrD/levski-sofia-E5OOzgs4/?mid=AqIygTZg"]Follow the UEFA Champions League qualifiers on Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]