Hajduk Split Dominates Pafos to Reach Conference League Playoffs

Hajduk Split decisively advanced to the Europa Conference League playoff round, crushing visiting team Pafos 4-0 in the second leg of their qualifying tie. The Croatian club secured their progression with a resounding 9-2 aggregate victory, following their impressive 5-2 away win in the first leg.

All four goals for Hajduk were scored in the second half at their Poljud stadium. Dario Melnjak opened the scoring in the 54th minute, followed by Adam Huram's goal in the 69th minute. Bamba extended the lead to 3-0 in the 80th minute, and Michele Šego sealed the 4-0 victory in the 82nd minute.

Despite the comfortable win, head coach Ivan Leko highlighted areas for improvement, particularly concerning defensive lapses. "We concede goals, I think it's because we pull back. We played against Pafos who have strong players," Leko stated. He emphasized the need to change this tendency, noting that the team sometimes panics and retreats defensively, allowing opponents to capitalize.

Leko also addressed the team's composition, acknowledging the presence of many young players and the ongoing process of building the squad. "We need to strengthen further, some players have left. We need to see what we will do with those who have just arrived," he said, indicating that further squad changes might occur. He specifically commented on player Livaja's performance, stating that he "played well, solidly. He did what we asked of him."