Latvian champions FC RFS faced a harsh reality check in the UEFA Champions League 2nd qualifying round first leg, falling 1-4 at home to a clinical and confident Malmö FF. The Swedish champions showcased their European pedigree with a dominant display, leaving RFS with a mountain to climb ahead of next week’s return leg in Sweden.
From the opening whistle, it was clear which side had more experience at this level. Malmö took control early, pressing high and exploiting space with intelligent movement and crisp passing. The early warning signs came in the 7th minute when Hugo Bolin effort just missed the target. But Malmö didn’t have to wait long to break the deadlock.
In the 11th minute, a costly mistake by RFS captain Žiga Lipušček gifted possession to Sead Hakšabanovic. Though his initial shot was saved by Marko Maric, Otto Rosengren pounced on the rebound to tap in from close range and put the visitors 0-1 up.
Malmö continued to apply relentless pressure, particularly exploiting the left flank where Hakšabanovic and Taha Ali ran riot. Only a brilliant save from Maric in the 14th minute kept the score from worsening after a deflected long-range strike from Jens Stryger.
After 20 minutes of sustained dominance by the Swedes, RFS finally managed to string together some possession. A few promising forays into Malmö’s half gave the home crowd something to cheer, but any momentum was short-lived. In the 34th minute, Malmö captain Pontus Jansson, left unmarked at a corner, rose highest to head in a pinpoint delivery and double his side’s lead.
Just when it looked like RFS might be overwhelmed, they found a lifeline. In the 43rd minute, a well-worked corner routine saw Jānis Ikaunieks link up with Roberts Savaļnieks, whose inviting cross was met by the towering Darko Lemajic. The league’s top scorer made no mistake with his header to pull one back and breathe hope into the Latvian side—1-2 at halftime.
Unfortunately for the hosts, that hope quickly faded in the second half.
Despite a more cautious Malmö approach after the break, RFS failed to capitalize. The turning point came in the 58th minute when defensive lapses again cost the Latvians dearly. A sleeping Rashid Njie allowed an overlapping run from Hugo Bolin, whose low cross found Hakšabanovic unmarked. The forward calmly slotted home from close range to restore Malmö’s two-goal cushion, with a lengthy VAR check confirming no offside infringement.
RFS head coach Viktors Morozs responded with a flurry of substitutions to try and spark his team into life, bringing on Barthelemy Diedhiou, Petr Mareš, and Tayrell Wouters. The most dangerous moment came in the 81st minute when a deep cross from Dmitrijs Zelenkovs found Mareš, whose smart cutback rolled tantalizingly across goal—begging for a tap-in that never came.
Malmö weren’t done punishing mistakes. In the dying moments, another lapse from Njie allowed Busanello to get behind the defense. Maric’s desperate lunge brought down the Brazilian fullback, and Lasse Berg Johnsen coolly converted from the spot to cap off a miserable night for the hosts.
The 1-4 final score reflects Malmö’s dominance and exposes the gulf in quality and readiness between the two champions. For RFS, progression to the third qualifying round now hangs by a thread, requiring a near-miraculous performance in the return leg.
FC RFS vs Malmö FF – 1:4 (1:2)
Goals: Lemajic 40’ | Rosengren 13’, Jansson 35’ Hakšabanovic 58’ Johnsen 88’ (11 M)
RFS: Maric, Savaļnieks (Mareš 78’), Stuglis, Njie, Lipušček, Talla, Panic, J.Ikaunieks (Wouters 78’), Zelenkovs (Rakic 89’), D.Ikaunieks (Diedhiou 62’), Lemajic
MAL: Olsen, Rösler, Jansson, Djuric (Zatterstrom 79’), Busanello, Stryger, Berg, Rosengren (Johnsen 79’), Bolin (Skogmar 89’), Hakšabanovic (Sigurdsson 70’), Ali (Ekong 79’)
