Ararat-Armenia vs Riga

Ararat-Armenia made a commanding statement in their Champions League qualifying opener, beating Riga FC 2-0 at home. The night's defining moment came when the Latvian goalkeeper was sent off in the 71st minute, shutting the door on any away comeback. Hugo Oliveira opened the scoring in the 63rd minute, bundling the ball home after a series of ricochets from a corner. Eight minutes later, goalkeeper Orols Frenks was red-carded for handling outside his area while trying to stop a long-range effort. With Riga FC reduced to ten men, Carlos Franca sealed it in the 86th, cutting in from the left and finishing at close range. Ararat-Armenia head to the second leg next week with a two-goal cushion, firmly in control of the tie. For Riga FC, who arrived unbeaten in 21 games, it's a deeply damaging result — they'll need a dramatic turnaround in Latvia to stay alive in the competition.