LIVE: Petković equalizes for Žalgiris in the 35th minute
Šego put the Whites ahead from the penalty spot in the 5th minute, but the Serbian striker for the hosts leveled things up in the first half of the Conference League third qualifying round.
Šego put the Whites ahead from the penalty spot in the 5th minute, but the Serbian striker for the hosts leveled things up in the first half of the Conference League third qualifying round.
Hajduk is visiting Lithuanian side Žalgiris in Vilnius in the first leg of the Conference League third qualifying round. After an exciting first half, the score is 1:1. Šego put the Split side ahead in the 5th minute, but the hosts equalized through Petković in the 35th minute. You can follow the live text commentary of the match on Dalmacija Danas.
The match started fiercely for the visitors. Already in the 4th minute, referee Marc Nagtegaal pointed to the penalty spot after Šotiček broke down the left and played the ball to Šego, who went down in a challenge. Just a minute later, Šego took responsibility and calmly slotted home the penalty, sending the ball down the middle for 0:1.
Before the equalizer, Hajduk had several promising chances. In the 8th minute, Šotiček was in a good position after a scramble in the box, but he sent the ball wide of an empty goal. Hajduk was awarded another penalty in the 13th minute, won by Šotiček with a run down the left. In the 14th minute, Šego tried from open play, aiming for the bottom right corner, but goalkeeper Šarkauskas read it and saved. In the 17th minute, Šego threatened again after receiving the ball from Pukštas, but his shot went over the bar.
Goalkeeper Silić stopped Franke's attempt in the 19th minute, and then Hrgović blocked Teixeira's shot. The hosts threatened again in the 22nd minute when Silić made a brilliant save to deny Kendysh's free kick. In the 23rd minute, Šotiček and Pukštas tried their luck, but the move was called back for offside against Pukštas after Šotiček's shot. In the 26th minute, Dalisson took a corner that was cleared, and in the 29th minute, after a shot from Šotiček, Hajduk won another corner. Dalisson delivered, and Pajaziti fired wide.
Although the Whites controlled possession and threatened through Dalisson and Pukštas, the defense cracked in the 35th minute. Bilenkyi played a back pass to Petković, who got away from Marešić. Goalkeeper Silić dived and got a touch on the ball, but couldn't keep it out, and the Serbian striker tucked it into the net for the equalizer. Shortly before the goal, in the 25th minute, Žalgiris center-back and former Hajduk player Petar Bosančić received a yellow card. Soon after the equalizer, in the same 35th minute, Bamba shot, but his effort was blocked by none other than Bosančić.
Interestingly, in the ranks of the Lithuanian club, besides Bosančić, another former Hajduk player, midfielder Marko Capan, is also playing. Žalgiris, who finished last season as the third-placed team in Lithuania, are led by 49-year-old coach Andrius Skerla. Hajduk entered this competition after being eliminated by Cypriot side Pafos in the Europa League qualifiers. Coach Garcia cannot count on two injured players: Brajković, who underwent knee surgery, and goalkeeper Ivušić, who picked up an injury in training.
The match in Vilnius is officiated by a Dutch refereeing team led by head referee Marc Nagtegaal, with Richard Martens monitoring the game from the VAR room.
