Malmo one more step from the UEFA Champions League after convincing Riga victory

Malmo’s mission to return to the group phase of the UEFA Champions League (UCL) for the first time since 2021 continues to come together, after defeating the 4-1 RFS 4-1 champions in Riga during the first leg of their second equality of qualification round.

The consecutive victories 3-1 in the first qualification round above the Georgian team Iberia 1999 had seen the champions of Allsvenskan progress to face RFS, which beat FCI Levadia of Estonia 2-0 on the aggregates.

Malmo was up to their favorite label in the first 13 minutes – The RFS goalkeeper, Marko Maric, went to deny Sead Haksabanovic, but could only do the ball at the new Otto Rosengren, who swallowed up the rebound to open the scoring.

The Swedish team continued to have the best of the first half, because Jens Stryger and Rosengren both had the opportunity to double the advantage, before the second goal finally came with 10 minutes.

In a corner, the RFS players left Pontus Jansson completely trivialized, and he didn’t even need to jump to meet the delivery of Busanello with his head and guide the ball after Maric.

But the Latvian side was not in a mood to roll, and five minutes later, they were back in the game. A corner was played short of Roberts Savalnieks, and his cross was perfect for Darko Lemajic to emerge from the crowded penalty zone and direct the ball after Robin Olsen.

In the second half, all hope that the local team had to finish the return did not manage to materialize and – in a professional performance – Malmo refused to let their opponents have a shot on the goal.

MFF had only one effort on the target, but that was all they needed to seal the victory, just before the time.

Hugo Bolin slipped an incisive pass for Haksabanovic and this time his strike was too good for Maric and Malmo.

The Swedish champions seemed ready for a third 3-1 victory of the UCL qualifiers until the last minutes, when Haksabanovic was brought back inside the region by Maric.

The goalkeeper went in the good direction of the resulting penalty, but the border kick Johnsen was too well placed, and Malmo was 4-1.

The Himmelsblatt can have a foot in the third qualification round, which will see them facing a local force test with FC Copenhagen in Denmark or a trip to Kosovo to face Drita, but they must first go unscathed from next Wednesday at home.

Follow the UCL qualifications on Flashscore.