White Spectacle in Vilnius: Hajduk Crushes Žalgiris and Takes a Step Toward Europe
In the first leg of the Conference League third qualifying round, Hajduk triumphed 5:2, with Michele Šego scoring twice to lead a memorable away victory.
In the first leg of the Conference League third qualifying round, Hajduk triumphed 5:2, with Michele Šego scoring twice to lead a memorable away victory.
Hajduk played a dream match in Vilnius. In the first leg of the third qualifying round for the Conference League on August 6, 2026, they defeated Lithuanian side Žalgiris with a resounding 5:2. It was a goal fest and the Whites' first away win in European competition in nearly six years.
Hajduk took the lead as early as the 5th minute. Adrion Pajaziti played the ball to Marin Šotiček, who laid it back from the edge of the box for Michele Šego to run onto. Žalgiris captain Yuri Kendysh brought him down in the penalty area, the referee pointed to the spot, and Šego calmly converted for 1:0.
Four minutes later, Šotiček volleyed wide with an open goal after the ball slipped from goalkeeper Vincentas Šarkauskas's hands. In the 13th minute, Hajduk were awarded another penalty, this time after Deividas Šešplaukis fouled Šotiček. Šego again took responsibility, but Šarkauskas saved his effort this time.
Žalgiris equalized in the 35th minute. Bilenkyi assisted Nikola Petković, who evaded the defense, and goalkeeper Toni Silić misjudged the ball's trajectory, practically feeding the striker for 1:1. However, Hajduk went into the break with the lead. In the 44th minute, Šego brilliantly curled a free kick from about twenty meters to make it 2:1.
In the second half, Hajduk were forced into a substitution. Alec van Hoorenbeeck left the pitch due to injury, replaced by Ron Raci. In the 56th minute, Pajaziti, after a short corner routine, cut into the box and fired precisely from an angle to make it 3:1.
The tie was decided in just two minutes. In the 73rd minute, following a long ball from Silić, Anđelo Šutalo assisted Dalisson, who scored from the right side for 4:1. Two minutes later, Rokas Pukštas intercepted a pass from the home defense, rounded defender Lupan, and slotted home from five meters to make it 5:1.
Late on, the hosts pulled one back. Marko Capan, a former Hajduk player, came on in the second half and scored a free kick from about 20 meters in the 86th minute for the final 5:2. In stoppage time, a goal from Šotiček was disallowed for offside.
The return leg is in a week's time, on August 13, 2026, at 9 PM at Poljud. The winner of the Hajduk-Žalgiris tie will face the better side from the Polish Raków and Swedish Hammarby in the final qualifying round, whose first leg ended 0:0.
