Hamrun Spartans secured a spot in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League after defeating FK Žalgiris of Lithuania 11-10 in the penalty shoot-out after winning 2-0 in the second leg of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League first qualifying round at the Centenary Stadium on Tuesday to level the aggregate score and force extra-time.

The Spartans will be facing FC Dynamo Kyiv of Ukraine in the next round. Thanks to this result, Hamrun are sure of reaching at least the play-off round of the UEFA Conference League since elimination from the second qualifying round would lead to a spot in the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round and elimination would lead to a spot in the UEFA Conference League play-offa.

FK Žalgiris, on the other hand, will now enter the UEFA Conference League second qualifying round Champions Path where they would face the loser of the Irish clash between Shelbourne FC of the Republic of Ireland and Linfield FC of Northern Ireland. Shelbourne won the first leg 1-0 with the second leg scheduled for Wednesday.

Hamrun coach Giacomo Modica opted for three changes from the team which lost 2-0 in Vilnius as Nikolai Micallef, Emerson Marcelina and Matias Garcia made way for Vincezo Polito, Eder and Merlin Hadzi.

The Spartans went close after just five minutes when Merlin Hadzi served Joseph Mbong on the left but the latter’s effort was blocked by Olses. On 20 minutes, Mbong hit home from close range off a cross by Hadzi and a header by Eder but the goal was disallowed due to Mbong’s offside position while seven minutes later, an angled shot by Ognjen Bjelicic from the left ended wide.

Hamrun finally managed to take the lead on 34 minutes when off a Rafael Compri cross from the right, substitute Saliou Thioune headed home from close range.

Four minutes from the end of the first half, the Spartans doubled the score thanks to a powerful rising shot from outside the area by Joseph Mbong which gave the Zalgiris goalkeeper no chance.

The Spartans continued to hold the initiative in the second half, going close to extending the lead with an N’Dri Koffi effort from inside the area when served by Mbong and with a Saliou Thioune attempt which was blocked a defender off another cross from the right but with no more goals being scored in the second half, the game went into extra-time.

Nine minutes in the second half of extra-time, Vasilije Radenović received a second yellow card leaving Zalgiris in ten men.

With the score still 2-0, the penalty shoot-out had to determine the winner.

Liviu Antal and Emerson Marcelina scored the first two penalties. Dino Salcinovic’s penalty was neutralised by Bonello and Jovan Cadjenovic’s penalty was saved by Olses. Joris Moutachy, Mouad El Fanis, Ebenezer Ofori, Vincenzo Polito, Nemanja Mihajlovic and Jonny all scored but Luka Domancic’s effort was saved by Bonello while Saliou Thioune hit the crossbar for Hamrun. Mohamed Youla, Nikolai Micallef, Henrique Devens, Ryan Camenzuli, Kevin Lukasevic, Ognjen Bjelicic and the two goalkeepers Henry Bonello and Carlos Olses scored.

The second round of penalties started with Liviu Antal and Emerson Marcelina scoring. Dino Salcinovic missed and Jonny’ missed’s penalty was blocked by the goalkeeper onto the bar. Joris Moutachy and VIncenzo Polito scored, Ebenezer Ofori missed with Jovan Cadjenovic scoring the decisive penalty.

HAMRUN Henry Bonello, Rafael Compri (100’ Emerson Marcelina), Joseph Mbong (90+2’ Nikolai Micallef), Vincenzo Polito, N’Dri Koffi (100’ Jonny), Jovan Čadjenović, Eder (90+1’ Mouad El Fanis), Ognjen Bjeličić, Domantas Šimkus (79’ Matias Garcia), Merlin Hadzi (22′ Saliou Thioune), Ryan Camenzuli.

ŽALGIRIS Carlos Olses, Luka Dumančič, Kassim Hadji (105+1’ Kevin Lukaševič), Ebenezer Ofori, Giedrius Matulevičius (46’ Dino Salcinovic), Ovidijus Verbickas (67’ Nemanja Mihajlović), Vasilije Radenović, Joris Moutachy, Bruno Tavares (81’ Mohamed Youla), Yuri Kendysh (81’ Henrique Devens), Liviu Antal.

Referee: Matteo Marcenaro ITA
Assistant referees: Giovanni Baccini, Marco Ceccon ITA
Fourth official: Luca Zufferli ITA
Video Assistant Referee: Daniele Doveri ITA
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Federico La Penna ITA