UEFA.com
July 15 2004
Dinamo leave it late for victory
FC Dinamo Tbilisi produced a stunning comeback to keep their hopes
alive while Sergiy Zakarlyuka was the hero for Ukraine’s FC
Illychivets Mariupil in tonight’s UEFA Cup first qualifying round
first-leg action.
Romero the hero
A late winner from Cesar Romero gave Dinamo Tbilisi victory at FC
BATE Borisov. The Georgian side, without newly-signed international
Giorgi Nemsadze, had looked down and out after conceding two goals in
the opening 19 minutes. The first was sensationally struck straight
from a goal kick by Yury Zhaunou, whose long punt beat shocked fellow
goalkeeper Irakli Zoidze.
Romero pops up
Four minutes later, Aleh Strakhanovich made it 2-0. However, Dinamo,
who won the 1980/81 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, refused to lie down and a
Mikheil Kakaladze goal just before half-time proved crucial. Eleven
minutes after the break, Boris Gancharov ensured parity before
Brazilian midfield player Romero popped up in the 89th minute to give
his side a 3-2 victory and stun the home crowd.
Second-half strikes
Zakarlyuka was the key as Illychivets made the most of home advantage
against FC Banants. The international midfield player, signed from FC
Shakhtar Donetsk, found the net twice in the second half to ensure a
2-0 win that should see his side able to finish the job in Armenia.
Two penalties
FC Tiraspol of Moldova were also away winners this evening,
triumphing 2-1 in Armenia against FC Shirak. Nicolae Josan started
the ball rolling in the sixth minute before Ruslan Barburos added a
second from the penalty spot five minutes before the interval.
However, Shirak gave their fans something to cheer in the 70th minute
when Tigran Davtyan scored from another spot-kick.
Goals galore
Meanwhile, FK Dukla Banská Bystrica had to wait before taking control
of their tie against Azerbaijani visitors FK Karabakh with a 3-0
victory. After a goalless first half, Róbert Semeník, Martín Svintek
and Viktor Pešcvský all found the net in quick succession to put the
Slovakian side in pole position to make it through. Also among the
goals were Albanian contenders FK Partizani, who won 4-2 at home
against Birkirkara FC of Malta.
Tight games
There were 1-0 victories for Lithuanian side FK Ekranas and Georgian
hopefuls FC Tbilisi at home against F91 Dudelange and FK Shamkir
respectively, with the return legs still to come in Luxembourg and
Azerbaijan. FC Nistru Otaci of Moldova drew 1-1 at home against FC
Shakhtyor Soligorsk of Belarus while Finland’s FK Haka held on for a
2-1 win against their visitors from Luxembourg, FC Etzella
Ettelbrück, despite playing the entire second half with ten men.
Second legs
Finally, Estonian outfit FC Levadia Tallinn could only manage a 0-0
draw at home against their Irish visitors Bohemian FC. The second leg
of that tie is on 27 July, with all the rest coming two days later.