Efficient Elfsborg win out
Sunday, July 27, 2008
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FK Rīga 0-0 Elfsborg (agg: 0-1)
Elfsborg made the most of their first-leg lead as they held on to reach the UEFA Cup second qualifying round.
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First-leg goal
In a tie certain to produce the only 2008 UEFA Intertoto Cup winners that began the competition in the first qualifying round in June, Elfsborg travelled to Latvia ahead thanks to Denni Avdić's early goal in Sweden in last and held on despite a valiant effort from a Rīga team whose coach had changed since the opening leg.
Coaching change
Rīga were forced into a coaching change when Genadijs Morozovs decided to leave his role, meaning former assistant Andrei Manannikov took caretaker charge ahead of a possible permanent appointment. In an open game his team went close before the break through Andrei Agafonov and Grigori Chirkin but Elfsborg looked the better side in the second half and Rīga's hopes effectively ended when defender Dimitrijs Halvitovs received a second yellow card and was dismissed five minutes from time. Elfsborg will discover their UEFA Cup opposition on Friday for next month's tie as they aim to move closer to a second consecutive group stage campaign.