AEK Larnaca will travel to Belgrade with a slender 1–0 lead after edging past Partizan in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League first qualifying round tie. Enzo Cabrera scored the only goal of the game in the 67th minute, heading home a well-placed cross from debutant Rubio. Despite dominating for large spells, AEK may feel slightly frustrated not to have secured a more comfortable margin ahead of the return leg. The hosts created several chances early on, with Cabrera missing a golden opportunity from close range just three minutes in. The Argentine forward was also denied by Partizan goalkeeper Milosevic midway through the first half. AEK continued to push forward after the break. Chacon squandered a promising opening seconds into the second half, while Milosevic again proved decisive with a superb double save to keep out both Cabrera and Pere Pons in the 49th minute. Cabrera finally broke the deadlock just past the hour mark, nodding in from close range to give AEK a deserved lead. The Cypriot side remained in control but were unable to extend their advantage. While AEK will be pleased with the win and clean sheet, they know the tie is far from over. A challenging second leg awaits in Belgrade, where Partizan will look to overturn the deficit and keep their European campaign alive. Post navigation Cyprus Women’s Football: Progress on Paper, Problems on the Pitch