A dream debut for the Swedish side. In their maiden voyage into European competition, Mjällby delivered a masterclass against Lincoln Red Imps, with goals raining in during the opening 45 minutes at their 7,000-capacity Strandvallen.
The Fijian sensation Aki Samuelsen stole the show with a composed double (18′, 24′) before Jacob Bergström doubled the advantage (31′). Though Samuelsen spurned a golden chance to complete his hat-trick from the spot (66′), Mjällby held firm to secure a commanding first-half lead.
Gibraltar awaits for the return leg
Mjällby will face Lincoln Red Imps again next Tuesday (6 PM CET) in Gibraltar for the second leg. The victorious side will progress to the third qualifying round, where they’ll face either Georgia’s Iberia 1999 or Slovakia’s Slovan Bratislava, who emerged victorious 2-0 on Tuesday.
The second qualifying round has already seen notable performances from clubs like Fenerbahçe, Thun, Dinamo Zagreb, Hearts, Red Star Belgrade, and Kairat Almaty.