Hajduk Chases European Autumn in Lithuania
The Split side plays the first leg of the Conference League third qualifying round on Thursday, with two former Hajduk players in the Lithuanian champions' ranks providing extra motivation.
The Split side plays the first leg of the Conference League third qualifying round on Thursday, with two former Hajduk players in the Lithuanian champions' ranks providing extra motivation.
Hajduk continues its European journey on Thursday, August 6, 2026, with an away match against Lithuanian side Žalgiris in the first leg of the UEFA Conference League third qualifying round. The clash at the LFF Stadium in Vilnius kicks off at 7:00 PM, with live coverage provided by Hajduk Digital TV (HDTV).
Gonzalo Garcia's team reached this stage after being eliminated by Cypriot side Pafos in the second qualifying round of the Europa League. Now they face an opponent that has already shown it can spring major surprises.
The Lithuanians opened their qualifying campaign in the first round against Montenegro's OFK Petrovac, whom they eliminated with an aggregate score of 5:2. Next came a tie with Georgia's Dinamo Tbilisi, where they pulled off one of the biggest comebacks of this year's European qualifiers. They lost the first leg 3:0, but at home they triumphed 7:2 after extra time, securing a 7:5 aggregate victory and a meeting with the Whites.
The Vilnius side is led by 49-year-old Andrius Skerla, a former Lithuanian international. Croatian fans will be particularly interested to note that his squad includes two former Hajduk players, defender Petar Bosančić and midfielder Marko Capan, who will have extra motivation to perform against their old club.
The match will be played at the LFF Stadium in Vilnius, a venue with a capacity of just over 5,000 spectators. The pitch is artificial turf, which could pose an additional challenge for Hajduk, as the ball's speed and bounce differ from natural grass.
The Whites arrive in Lithuania following a disappointing defeat to Varaždin in the opening match of the new SuperSport HNL season, making this European tie even more demanding. A good away result could restore the team's confidence and put Hajduk in a very favorable position ahead of the return leg at Poljud, scheduled a week later.
The refereeing team will be led by Dutch official Marc Nagtegaal, assisted by Stefan de Groot and Johan Balder, with Alex Bos as the fourth official. In the VAR room will be Richard Martens and Stan Teuben.
The winner of this tie will secure a spot in the Conference League play-off round, the final step before entering the league phase of the competition. For Hajduk, that would mean extending their European autumn and playing at least two more international matches.
