Tuesday 9 July 2024 brought a decisive moment in the UEFA Champions League 2025 1st Qualifying Round, as Hamrun Spartans fell to a 0–1 defeat against Lincoln Red Imps FC at a 16:45 UTC kickoff. The single-goal margin on Matchday 1 of the opening qualifying stage handed Lincoln a crucial advantage heading into the second leg, while leaving the Maltese champions with a mountain to climb on foreign soil.

For Lincoln Red Imps FC, this away victory was exactly the start they needed in th...