Newcomers make winning bow

Competition debutants Llanelli AFC and FK Modriča both won at their first attempt in the UEFA Champions League as the first qualifying round got under way. In the night's other games, IFK Göteborg were the biggest victors while FBK Kaunas also look to have gone a long way to securing a second round berth after a big away triumph.

FC İnter Bakı 0-0 FK Rabotnicki
İnter Bakı failed to take a lead into the second leg despite creating a number of promising opportunities against their visitors from F.Y.R. Macedonia. The hosts were on the front foot throughout at the Tofikh Bakhramov-Republic Stadium, with Emin Imamaliev and Walter Gugliemone coming close while Petar Zlatinov also struck the post. Rabotnicki's ploy of sitting back and rarely venturing forward paid off and they will feel confident of progressing to the second qualifying round when the return leg takes place next week.

Llanelli AFC 1-0 FK Ventspils
Llanelli gained a valuable victory on their UEFA Champions League debut thanks to Stuart Jones' early goal. The central defender struck at the far post in the eleventh minute when Andy Legg's long throw deceived the Latvian side's defence. The Welsh champions had chances to give themselves a more decisive advantage but substitute Mark Pritchard had a shot cleared off the line and captain Rhys Griffiths saw his snap volley saved by goalkeeper Andris Vanins.

FC Santa Coloma 1-4 FBK Kaunas
Linas Pilibaitis and Rafael Rodrigues Ledesma both struck twice to secure the Lithuanian champions a win in Andorra that almost guarantees them a plum tie with Rangers FC in the second qualifying round. Pilibaitis's 12th-minute header opened the scoring and Brazilian striker Ledesma doubled the lead with a free-kick 15 minutes later. The home side then missed a penalty before Pilibaitis converted from the spot himself just before half-time. The game's third penalty, scored by Alex Rodríguez, revived Santa Coloma's hopes but Ledesma had the final word late on.

Tampere United 2-1 FK Budućnost Podgorica
Fatos Beciraj struck three minutes from time to give Budućnost what could prove a vital away goal in next week's second leg. Finnish champions Tampere took the lead on 24 minutes when Antti Pohja crossed for Jari Niemi to squeeze in a header at the back post. The hosts doubled their advantage seven minutes after half-time with a penalty, Chris James slotting away the spot-kick after Niemi's shot had been handled. However, Beciraj gave the Montenegrin visitors some hope for the return on 23 July when he halved the deficit with a shot from inside the penalty area.

FC BATE Borisov 2-0 Valur Reykjavík
Two late goals from BATE's leading goalscorer Gennadi Bliznyuk secured the Belarussian champions a two-goal advantage ahead of next week's second leg in Iceland. Despite enjoying the majority of possession early on, the home side could not break down a resilient Valur side. However, with 18 minutes remaining, Igor Stasevich found Bliznyuk and the forward fired home. Six minutes later, Vitali Rodionov hit the crossbar and Bliznyuk reacted quickest to double his tally.

Anorthosis Famagusta FC 1-0 FC Pyunik
Substitute Nikos Frousos's 73rd-minute penalty gave Anorthosis a slim first-leg advantage following a frustrating night for the Cypriot hosts. Temuri Ketsbaia's side hit the woodwork three times in Nicosia and missed an array of chances ahead of the second leg in Armenia. It was Frousos, though, who eventually broke the deadlock sending Grigor Meliksetyan the wrong way after Karen Dokhoyan handled in the area. The home side went on to miss further opportunities as Pyunik held firm.

F91 Dudelange 0-1 NK Domžale
Jože Benko's 46th-minute goal has left Luxembourg representatives Dudelange with an uphill battle to keep their UEFA Champions League hopes alive. There was little to separate the sides during an uneventful first half at Stade Jos Nosbaum, but that all changed within seconds of the restart when Benko headed Danijel Brežič's free-kick past Jonathan Joubert. Domžale contolled the match thereafter and could have travelled back to Slovenia with a greater advantage had they not squandered a series of promising chances.

KS Dinamo Tirana 0-2 FK Modriča
Two second-half goals gave Bosnia-Herzegovnian title winners Modriča an excellent away victory against a Dinamo side who spurned a host of chances. Both Daniel Xhafaj and Igli Allmuça had good sights of goal in the first half for the Albanian champions and after they hit the post in the 62nd minute, the visitors took the lead just two minutes later through Vladimir Miljković. Modriča then started to dominate proceedings and midfielder Joco Stokić's late strike gives them a huge advantage ahead of their home return leg.

Valletta FC 0-2 FC Artmedia Petržalka
Marián Cišovský struck twice in final 14 minutes to steer Artmedia to victory. The defender was on target in the 76th and 79th minutes at the National Stadium to break the resistance of the hosts, whose starting XI was comprised entirely of Maltese players.

S.S. Murata 0-5 IFK Göteborg
Göteborg have one foot in the second qualifying round thanks to a comprehensive victory in San Marino. The 17-year-old striker Robin Söder gave Göteborg the lead 20 minutes in from close range after a neat pass by Thomas Olsson. Veteran midfielder Niclas Alexandersson then made it two six minutes later, before Pontus Wernblom added a third just past the half-hour mark. Göteborg, UEFA Cup winners in 1982 and 1987, struck twice more in the second half through Iceland defender Hjalmar Jonsson (56) and Stefan Selakovic (87).