Hajduk Stun Žalgiris 5-2 Away in Conference League Qualifier

Hajduk beat Žalgiris 5-2 away from home in the first leg of the third qualifying round for the Conference League. The Split side celebrated in Vilnius thanks to goals from Michele Šego (5′, 44′), Adrion Pajaziti (56′), Dalisson (73′) and Rokas Pukštas (75′). Nikola Petković (35′) and former Hajduk man Marko Capan (86′) scored for the hosts. The return leg is in a week, on August 13, kicking off at 9 pm at Poljud.

This is Hajduk’s first away win in Europe in almost six years, since a 1-0 triumph at Renova in the second qualifying round of the Europa League. The winner of the Hajduk–Žalgiris tie will face the winner of the clash between Raków and Hammarby in the next qualifying round; their first meeting finished goalless.

Two goals from Šego put Hajduk ahead at the break

Hajduk took the lead as early as the fifth minute. Pajaziti played in Marin Šotiček, who squared the ball back from the edge of the box. Šego ran onto it, and Žalgiris captain Yuri Kendysh brought him down, conceding a penalty and picking up a yellow card in the process. Šego made no mistake from the spot, sending the keeper the wrong way to make it 1-0.

Just four minutes later, Hajduk squandered a big chance to extend their lead. Goalkeeper Vincentas Šarkauskas spilled the ball, and Pukštas crossed from the right for Šotiček, who volleyed wide from close range.

Hajduk won another penalty in the 13th minute. Šotiček again broke through on the left and entered the box, where he was brought down by Deividas Šešplaukis. Šego stepped up again, but this time Šarkauskas got down to save his effort, which was heading into the left corner.

Žalgiris pulled level in the 35th minute. Bilenkyi played in Nikola Petković, who slipped away from the attention of Hajduk’s defense unnoticed. Goalkeeper Silić misjudged the flight of the ball and pushed it into the path of the Žalgiris forward, who made it 1-1.

Hajduk still went into the break in front, however. In the 44th minute, following a foul on Pukštas, Šego produced a phenomenal strike straight from a free kick from around twenty meters to make it 2-1.

Hajduk seal the win in the second half

The second half began with a forced change for Hajduk, as center-back Alec van Hoorenbeeck was forced off through injury and replaced by Ron Raci. Hajduk continued to press forward and extended their lead in the 56th minute. After a short combination from a corner, Pajaziti got into the box and finished precisely from an angle to make it 3-1.

Hajduk then settled the tie with two quick goals. The first came in the 73rd minute, when a long ball from goalkeeper Toni Silić set up Anđelo Šutalo to assist Dalisson, who finished from the right to make it 4-1. Just two minutes later, Rokas Pukštas cut out a pass from the home side’s defense, went past his marker and scored from five meters to make it 5-1.

Žalgiris did manage to pull one back before the end. Former Hajduk player Marko Capan, who had come on in the second half, scored from a free kick from around twenty meters in the 86th minute. In stoppage time, Hajduk also had a goal disallowed, as Šotiček’s effort was ruled out for offside.