Hajduk Split defeats Pafos 2‑0 to move into next Europa League round

Hajduk Split opened the second qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League with a 2‑0 home win over Cypriot side Pafos at Poljud. 27,752 spectators watched Michele Šego score from a free‑kick in the 56th minute and Dario Melnjak add a second five minutes later. The victory gives Hajduk a clean‑sheet lead before the return leg in Cyprus, where the winner will face RB Salzburg.

Coach Gonzalo Garcia praised the young squad’s discipline and said the team showed “the right spirit in the dressing room”. Former Hajduk legend Zoran Vulić called the performance “solid and aggressive” and warned against premature euphoria. Media in Serbia highlighted the win as retribution for Pafos’s previous success against Red Star Belgrade.

The match generated a lively atmosphere, with thousands of Croatian fans gathering at the Poljud stadium and additional supporters travelling from Cyprus. Pafos, a recent Europa League participant, will look to overturn the deficit in the second leg.