Hajduk secured a convincing 4-0 victory over Žalgritis in the second leg of the third qualifying round for the Europa Conference League on Wednesday. The Croatian champions secured their place in the play-off round with an aggregate score of 9-2, having prepared for the next stage of the competition.
The victory was secured by goals from Dario Melnjak, Adam Hura, Abdoulie Sanyang Bambe, and Michele Šega. Hura, aged 17, contributed to the cause, while the remaining goals confirmed the home side's dominance, controlling the match from the first to the final whistle.
The Žalgritis coach, Andrius Skerla, was honest in his assessment, stating that Hajduk proved to be a significantly better team. Skerla acknowledged that while Dinamo Tbilisi and Žalgritis are on the same level, Hajku possess a quality that surpasses them, resulting in the heavy defeat.
The Lithuanian coach did not hide his disappointment in the second half of the match, in which he felt his team completely fell apart. Skerla noted that they had fallen asleep at the first goal, despite knowing what was expected of them, and that they had given up the fight. He highlighted that a change in the situation on the pitch might help in achieving at least one goal, but Žalgritis failed to break through Hajduk's defence.
Despite the defeat, Skerla analysed the tactical aspects of the game, pointing out the specifics of Hajduk's defence. He noted that Hajduk's defence raises a high line, creating gaps that can be exploited by fast players. In the first half of the second leg, Žalgritis had several opportunities to exploit these spaces, and Skersta highlighted that in transition they had moments where they could pose a threat.
Hajduk will face Polish side Raków in the final qualifying round, or play-off. The first leg is scheduled for 20 August at Poljud, with the return leg to be played on 27 August.
