UEFA Champions League: Drita, Red Imps Take Preliminary Openers

And so the Road to Madrid begins.


The UEFA Champions League's preliminary round opened on Tuesday with two games played at Victoria Stadium in Gibraltar.


In the opener, after 90 minutes of scoreless regulation, Xhevdet Shabani (99') and Fidan Gerbeshi (PK-105'+3) each scored once in overtime as FC Drita of Kosovo, in their European debut, knocked off FC Santa Coloma of Andorra 2-0.



Game Two:


Anthony Hernandez (2') and Alex Moreno (51') each scored once as Lincoln Red Imps (Gibraltar) blanked San Marino's La Fiorita 2-0.






FC Drita will take on Lincoln Red Imps at Victoria Stadium in Friday's final game of the preliminary round, with the winner advancing to the first qualifying round to take on Sweden's Malmo FF in a two-game series which will start on July 10 or 11 in Gibraltar or Kosovo.


The loser will join Santa Coloma and La Fiorita in the Europa League's second qualifying round.