Inter Club d'Escaldes drew 1-1 with Lincoln Red Imps FC on Tuesday night at Estadi Comunal in Andorra la Vella, but the result still sent the Gibraltarian champions through 4-2 on aggregate and ended the hosts' 2026 Champions League qualifying campaign under Joel Martínez.
Martínez stuck with the 4-3-3 that had faltered in Gibraltar, yet he changed the approach at half-time by introducing Modric and T. Paredes for David Lopez and B. Arellano. The reshuffle finally gave Inter some control after a passive first half that produced only Álex Sánchez’s booking in the 31st minute as evidence of their aggression. Inter pushed higher, but they still carried little threat.
Yiyi kept his own 4-3-3 unchanged until the 54th minute, when he sent on Y. Flalhi Idrissi for F. Alvarez to regain control in midfield. The substitute made an immediate impact, feeding Álex Mula for the opener in the 62nd minute that stretched the aggregate lead and quieted the Estadi Comunal. Toni’s yellow card in the 67th minute felt like a small price to pay for that momentum.
Inter’s response needed fresh legs, and Martínez rolled the dice again: F. Chouaib replaced V. Alonso in the 63rd minute, Dacu came on for J. Torres in the 69th minute, and Jilmar Torres collected a booking seconds before departing. The gamble paid off late when Dacu stayed alert inside the box and scored in the 80th minute to give the hosts brief hope. Jaylan Hankins and his back four closed ranks once Yiyi refreshed the frontline with a double change at the 74th minute and another pair at the 83rd minute, including withdrawing Mula for E. Britto. Inter had just one more switch in them, sending on L. Diaby for A. Otegui in the 88th minute.
Lincoln controlled the game’s tempo, absorbed the late pressure, and protected their cushion without panic. Martínez’s side can point to improved structure after the break, yet their forward line never generated sustained momentum. Lincoln travel on with belief, already one of the more streetwise outfits left in this qualifying path.
Key Events
- 31st minute: Álex Sánchez booked for Inter Club d'Escaldes
- 46th minute: Modric and T. Paredes on for David Lopez and B. Arellano (Inter Club d'Escaldes)
- 54th minute: Y. Flalhi Idrissi on for F. Alvarez (Lincoln Red Imps FC)
- 62nd minute: Álex Mula scored for Lincoln Red Imps FC, assisted by Y. Flalhi Idrissi
- 63rd minute: F. Chouaib on for V. Alonso (Inter Club d'Escaldes)
- 67th minute: Toni booked for Lincoln Red Imps FC
- 69th minute: Jilmar Torres booked for Inter Club d'Escaldes and replaced by Dacu
- 74th minute: K. Gomez on for T. Garcia, G. Torrilla on for M. Toledano (Lincoln Red Imps FC)
- 80th minute: Dacu scored for Inter Club d'Escaldes
- 83rd minute: T. Cardozo on for Joe, E. Britto on for Álex Mula (Lincoln Red Imps FC)
- 88th minute: L. Diaby on for A. Otegui (Inter Club d'Escaldes)
Lineups and Shape
- Inter Club d'Escaldes (Joel Martínez): 4-3-3 with Javi Díaz; M. Pochettino, A. H. Hernandez, Álex Sánchez, J. Torres; A. Otegui, V. Alonso, David Lopez; D. Berlanga, B. Arellano, J. Camara.
- Lincoln Red Imps FC (Yiyi): 4-3-3 with J. Hankins; J. Eersteling, B. Lopes, C. Rutjens, Nano; Joe, Mandi, Álex Mula; F. Alvarez, T. Garcia, M. Toledano.
Looking Ahead
Lincoln Red Imps FC await the second qualifying round draw with confidence after a controlled away performance. Inter return to domestic duty, tasked with regrouping quickly before the Andorran league restart while keeping tabs on this week’s other qualifiers such as Riga vs Ararat-Armenia and the latest Result.
