Larne will take a narrow advantage back to Inver Park after Matty Lusty’s first-half goal earned them a 1-0 win over Tre Fiori in the Champions League first qualifying round first leg in San Marino.
The decisive moment came before half-time when Lusty swept home from close range to give Larne the lead. It was a valuable away goal in a tie that had been finely balanced, especially with Tre Fiori arriving as last season’s Campionato Sammarinese champions after finishing one point clear at the top.
Lusty’s second goal was ruled out
Larne thought they had doubled their lead later in the match when Lusty found the net again, but VAR intervened and the goal was disallowed. Even so, the result gives Larne something to protect next week at Inver Park, where they will try to complete the job and move on in the Champions League.
The win also fits into Larne’s recent European progress. In 2024, they reached the league phase of the Uefa Conference League, and this result gives them another chance to build on that experience in qualifying.
For Tre Fiori, the tie is still alive. For Larne, it is a controlled start and a result that leaves them in a strong position heading into the second leg.
