Gary Haveron's side led at half-time after the Away team scored on 11 minutes, then answered Tre Fiori's equaliser on 25 minutes before the decisive penalty on 69 minutes settled it. For fans in Malta, the match delivered a clear knockout outcome at Tuesday 14 July, 21:00 CEST, with the home side turning a tight contest into a result that held through the final whistle.
The shape on the night reflected two different plans: Larne in a 4-3-3 under Gary Haveron, Tre Fiori in a 4-2-3-1 under Danilo Girolomoni. That contrast showed in the rhythm of the first half, with Larne able to stay connected enough to respond after the early setback, while Tre Fiori were forced to chase the tie once the hosts found their equaliser. At Inver Park, the margin for error was already gone by the break.
Match control and discipline became central as the second half developed. Larne's winning penalty on 69 minutes came after a stretch in which the away side accumulated yellow cards at 32, 49 and 58 minutes, before a second yellow card at 63 minutes changed the tone of the contest. Further away bookings followed at 67, 90, 90 and 90 minutes, underlining how stretched Tre Fiori became as the game slipped away. Larne only received one yellow card, at 53 minutes, and that relative calm helped them keep the match on their terms in the decisive phase.
- At 11 minutes, Tre Fiori struck first and briefly shifted the pressure onto Larne in the opening exchanges.
- At 25 minutes, Larne levelled the score and restored balance before the interval.
- At 69 minutes, Larne converted a penalty to move ahead and take full control of the tie.
That difference mattered in a knockout setting, where every goal changed the shape of the evening and every moment after the 69th minute pushed Tre Fiori closer to a deadline they could not meet. The venue, Inver Park in Larne, gave Gary Haveron's side a controlled base for the turnaround, and the timing of the goals meant the hosts could manage the closing spell without needing another breakthrough.
For supporters in Malta following UEFA Champions League Qualification Round 1, this was the kind of result that rewards patience: an early setback, a level half-time score, and then a second-half decisive moment that settled the outcome. The tie ended with Larne ahead, and the aggregate score confirmed how narrow the first hurdle still was.
What comes next is simple enough: Larne move on from UEFA Champions League Qualification Round 1, and Tre Fiori are left with the memory of a contest that stayed alive until the 69th minute. For Malta fans tracking the competition, the result at Inver Park set the tone for the rest of the qualification path.