Latvian goalkeeper Roberts Ozols made his second appearance in Albanian football on Tuesday as KF Bylis suffered a 0-1 home defeat to KF Vllaznia in the first leg of the Albanian Cup quarter-final.
The 30-year-old goalkeeper was officially unveiled as a Bylis player only a few days ago, embarking on his second spell abroad after a previous stint in Uzbekistan. Earlier this week, Ozols made his debut for the club in a 2-1 league defeat against FK Partizani, and Tuesday’s cup tie offered an immediate opportunity to push for his first win in Albania.
Facing current league leaders Vllaznia, Bylis conceded the decisive goal midway through the first half when Kosovo international Lirim Kastrati converted a penalty. Despite efforts from the hosts, the scoreline remained unchanged, giving Vllaznia a narrow advantage heading into the second leg.
The return fixture is scheduled for early March. Before then, Ozols and Bylis will turn their attention back to league action, with an away match against Teuta coming up on Saturday.
