Tabaković Stuns Pafos in the 88th Minute, Delighting Salzburg

Haris Tabaković couldn't have asked for a better debut on the European stage in a Salzburg shirt. The Bosnian striker scored his first goal for the Austrian club in the 88th minute against Pafos, securing a narrow 1-0 victory in the first leg of the Europa League third qualifying round.

Rain Delay and Key Substitutions

The match, played on August 6, 2026, in Salzburg, was also marked by dramatic weather conditions. Due to extremely heavy rain that soaked the pitch and made normal play impossible, the match was initially suspended. The ball couldn't roll on the waterlogged surface, and play resumed after nearly two hours of waiting.

After the restart, Salzburg's coach refreshed the attack with several substitutions, and the decisive one came in the 70th minute. That's when Tabaković came off the bench to replace the injured Baidoo, a move that proved to be the game-changer.

Two Attempts for a Grand Celebration

The home side's pressure paid off in the dying moments. In the 88th minute, Salzburg launched a quick attack, and Tabaković found himself in a scoring position. His first shot was blocked by a Pafos defender, but the ball fortunately rebounded back to the Bosnian international. He made no mistake with his second attempt, finding the back of the net to spark wild celebrations at the stadium.

With this goal, Tabaković justified the faith shown by the club that brought him in this summer and with whom he signed a contract until 2029. After previously making his league debut against Hartberg, he has now impressively marked his first European appearance for Salzburg.

Šunjić Plays Full Match for Pafos

In the Cypriot club's ranks, Ivan Šunjić played the entire match. The Bosnia and Herzegovina international spent all 90 minutes on the pitch but couldn't prevent his team's defeat, leaving them with a tough task to overturn the deficit in the return leg.