Union Saint-Gilloise defeats Viktoria Plzen 3-0 in Europa Le

Union Saint-Gilloise and Viktoria Plzen met at Doosan Arena for their UEFA Europa League group stage opener.

Viktoria Plzen entered the match following a playoff victory against Red Star Belgrade, marking their third appearance in the competition in three seasons. Led by coach Radoslav Kováč, the club sought to improve domestic form following a recent league loss, with Kováč indicating potential lineup changes ahead of an upcoming match against Slavia Prague.

Union Saint-Gilloise, managed by David Hubert, faced a significant squad crisis heading into the fixture. The Belgian club was navigating a depleted roster due to injuries and suspensions, including absences from captain Kevin Mac Allister and Ross Sykes, as well as suspensions for Adem Zorgane, Raul Florucz, and Kamiel Van de Perre. Previous registration issues had also been noted involving Anouar Ait El Hadj and Ivan Pavlic.

Despite these personnel challenges, Union Saint-Gilloise secured a 3-0 victory. The Belgian side controlled much of the match, leading 2-0 by halftime through goals from Relebohile Mofokeng and Mateo Biondic, before Ondřej Kričfalusi added a third goal in the second half.

The loss deepens the crisis for Viktoria Plzen, who have won only once in their last five competitive matches. Despite Kováč’s lineup changes, the Czech team struggled with defensive errors and failed to maintain composure against the high-intensity Belgian side.