Hajduk Split Advances with Comfortable Victory Over Pafos

Hajduk Split made the most of home advantage at the Poljud Stadium on a warm July evening in Croatia. The hosts came into the tie as clear favourites and controlled possession for large spells, though Pafos offered stubborn resistance in the opening stages. The visitors were content to sit deep and look for opportunities on the break, a tactic that kept the first half relatively tight. An early yellow card for Hajduk's A. Pajaziti in the fourth minute set a combative tone to proceedings.

The breakthrough finally arrived in the 56th minute when M. Šego fired Hajduk ahead, settling the nerves in the stadium and shifting the momentum decisively in the hosts' favour. Pafos struggled to respond and found themselves caught out just nine minutes later when D. Melnjak added the second goal to effectively seal the tie. The Cypriot side's task became impossible after that, with yellow cards to N. Ioannou in the 55th minute and A. Brito in the 64th reflecting their mounting frustration as the match slipped away from them.

Hajduk controlled the remainder of the contest without ever needing to shift into overdrive. The home side's superiority in midfield proved decisive, with Pafos unable to threaten the Hajduk goal after falling two behind. Both teams saw out the final stages professionally, with the Croatian outfit managing the game comfortably to the full-time whistle.

The 2-0 victory sends Hajduk through to the next qualifying round and represents a solid foundation for their European campaign. Their dominance at home suggests they have the quality to progress further in the competition, though their ability to perform away from the Poljud will be tested in the rounds to come.