Dila Gori's Champions League Hopes Alive Despite Belgrade Defeat

Reigning champions of Georgia, Dila Gori, remain in with a realistic chance of progressing to the third qualifying round for the UEFA Champions League despite falling to a 1-0 defeat at Partizan Belgrade last night.

Making their first ever appearance in this competition, Dila failed to muster a single attempt on target as they were largely dominated by their Serbian hosts.

An impressive debut from Ukrainian goalkeeper Oleksiy Shevchenko helped to keep Partizan at bay until the 83rd minute when, following the dismissal of Dila midfielder Guga Phalavandishvili, Partizan captain Stefan Babovic curled an unstoppable free-kick past the rooted Shevchenko.

Phalavandishvili will now miss the second leg to be played in Gori on July 21. His sending off was already the fifth red card for a Georgian club in Europe this season, from just seven games so far.

Both sides will know their potential opponent before the return leg in Georgia as the draw for the third qualifying round takes place in Nyon, Switzerland on July 17.

Alastair Watt