Hajduk Split secured a dominant 5:2 away victory over Žalgiris in Vilnius in the first leg of the third qualifying round for the UEFA Europa Conference League. This impressive performance puts the Split side in a commanding position ahead of the return leg and marks their first European away win in nearly six years, ending a significant drought on the continental stage.
The visitors started strong, taking the lead in just the fifth minute when Michele Šego converted a penalty he himself had earned after being fouled by Žalgiris captain Yuri Kendysh. Hajduk had an opportunity to double their lead shortly after, and even earned another penalty in the 13th minute after Marin Šotiček was brought down, but Šego’s second attempt was saved by goalkeeper Vincentas Šarkauskas. Žalgiris found their equalizer in the 35th minute through Nikola Petković, capitalizing on a misjudgment by Hajduk’s goalkeeper Toni Silić. However, Hajduk regained their advantage just before halftime, with Šego brilliantly scoring directly from a free-kick in the 44th minute, sending his team into the break with a 2:1 lead.
Hajduk continued their offensive push in the second half, despite an early injury substitution seeing Alec van Hoorenbeeck replaced by Ron Raci. Their persistent pressure paid off in the 56th minute when Adrion Pajaziti expertly finished from inside the box following a short corner routine, making it 3:1. The “Bijeli” then sealed their victory with two quick goals in succession. Dalisson extended the lead to 4:1 in the 73rd minute, assisted by Anđelo Šutalo after a long ball from Silić. Just two minutes later, Rokas Pukštas intercepted a defensive pass, rounded his marker, and slotted home from close range to make it a resounding 5:1.
Žalgiris managed to pull one goal back in the 86th minute, with former Hajduk player Marko Capan, who came on as a substitute, scoring from a free-kick from approximately 20 meters out. In injury time, Hajduk saw another goal disallowed for offside after Šotiček found the net from 16 meters, preventing the scoreline from being even wider.
The return leg is scheduled for a week’s time, on August 13th, at 9 PM at Poljud, where Hajduk will look to confirm their progression. The winner of this tie will face the victor of the match between Raków and Hammarby in the final qualifying round, whose first leg ended in a goalless draw. This comprehensive away win not only provides a significant advantage for Hajduk but also marks a psychological boost, being their first such triumph in European competition since a 1:0 win against Renova almost six years ago in the Europa League qualifiers.
