Dinamo Minsk vs Sileks

Dinamo Minsk started sharply, but Abdoul Touré's early booking (4th minute) set an edgy tone. The Belarusian side dominated possession in the opening half-hour — 365Scores clocked 59% overall — but failed to register a single shot on target across the 90 minutes.

The decisive moment arrived three minutes before half-time. Sileks won a penalty when a Dinamo defender was adjudged to have fouled in the box, and midfielder Esmir Hasukic stepped up to convert confidently, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way.

Dinamo made a double change at the break — K. Vardanyan and A. Vakulich introduced — and later added G. Gurban (60'), A. Sokolovskiy (74') and E. Malashevich (86') in search of an equaliser. But Sileks held firm, marshalled by a disciplined defensive display that yielded 41% possession but only two yellow cards in the second half.

Sileks nearly doubled their lead through substitute Aleksandar Mishov, who was booked deep in stoppage time (90+4') for a late foul, but the single goal proved sufficient.

Hasukic's 42nd-minute penalty was the only shot on target Sileks managed all night, but it was one more than Dinamo Minsk could muster. The spot-kick arrived against the run of first-half play and gave Sileks a lead they never looked like surrendering. Dinamo's inability to test Sileks goalkeeper — zero shots on target from nine attempts — meant the Belarusians never truly threatened a response.

• Esmir Hasukic (Sileks) — Scored the match-winning penalty with composure, then was substituted on 72 minutes having done his job. Clear candidate for Player of the Match.
• Gjorge Dzhekov (Sileks) — Booked (53') but anchored the midfield shift that protected Sileks' lead through the second half.
• Abdoul Touré (Dinamo Minsk) — Booked early (4') and substituted at half-time; his early yellow constrained his defensive work.
• Sileks backline — Four yellow cards (Dzhekov 53', Delimedjac 75', Angjeleski 79', Mishov 90+4') show the cost of their resistance, but they kept a clean sheet away from home in European competition.

Player of the Match: Esmir Hasukic (Sileks)

The raw stats — possession 59-41, total shots 9-8, shots on target 0-2 — tell a clear story. Dinamo Minsk controlled the ball but lacked incision. Their nine shots produced zero on target, while Sileks made their one shot on target (Hasukic's penalty) count. Six offsides for Dinamo suggest a side trying to play beyond the defensive line but lacking timing. Sileks' three corners matched Dinamo's three, but the visitors never needed sustained pressure — they scored once and defended the lead.

Sileks take a 1-0 aggregate lead into the second leg, which will be played at the Trening centar Petar Miloševski in Skopje on 16 July 2026. The Macedonian side need only a draw to advance to the second qualifying round.

Dinamo Minsk, forced to play their "home" leg in Bulgaria due to UEFA restrictions on Belarusian clubs, now face an away fixture where they must score at least once to stay alive. Their failure to register a single shot on target in the first leg will be a significant concern for manager Alyaksandr Shahoyka.

The winner of this tie will face either Bravo or Andorra-based opposition in the second qualifying round.

A lean, efficient away performance from Sileks — one shot on target, one goal, a clean sheet. Dinamo Minsk will regret their toothless attacking display in a game they controlled territorially but never threatened to win. The tie is far from over, but the Macedonian side hold a clear advantage.