Soccer 365
July 16 2004
Dinamo light up UEFA Cup
Forty-eight clubs entertained dreams of UEFA Cup glory on Thursday
evening as the lesser-known and, in one case, the once-mighty drew
daggers and engaged in battle in the first round of qualifying.
For the teams involved, the prize is a place alongside the likes of
Parma, Lazio, Newcastle United and AEK Athens in the first round
proper, with the prospect of a lucrative tie or the thrill of a
giant-killing.
One of the competing teams – Dinamo Tbilisi – already know what it
takes to triumph in European competition, having hoisted aloft the
European Cup-Winners’ Cup trophy in 1981 when they competed under the
Soviet Union flag. And they made a winning start to their UEFA Cup
campaign with a 3-2 victory at Belorussian outfit BATE Borisov.
There was more good news for another Georgian outfit, with FC Tbilisi
sneaking a 1-0 home win against Shamkir Azerbaijan thanks to Giorgi
Chelidze, whose 39th-minute goal settled the first leg.
The Armenians of Shirak Giumri could be heading for an early exit
after conceding a 2-1 lead after the home leg of their tie against FC
Tiraspol of Moldova.
Slovakian side FK Dukla Banska Bystrica look to be bound for the next
round after crushing Azerbaijan outfit FK Karabakh Agdam 3-0.
Meanwhile, Irish Eircom league side Bohemians gave themselves a good
chance of progressing with a goalless draw at Levadia Tallinn in
Estonia.
They crushed Dinamo Tirana 4-0 in Constanta, with all their goals
coming in the first half from Cristian Negru, Stefan Nanu, Victoras
Iacob and Iulian Apostol.
Two superb early goals by Peter McCann capped an excellent first half
display by Portadown at Shamrock Park against Zalgiris Vilnius.
However, strikes after the interval from substitutes Andzej
Maksimovic and Arturas Stesko left the Lithuanians with two crucial
away goals and a 2-2 draw.