Hajduk Split Ends Away Jinx with Dominant Win Over FK Žalgiris

FK Žalgiris faces a steep challenge in their UEFA Europa Conference League qualifying campaign after a decisive 2-5 defeat to Hajduk Split at the packed Liepkalnis Stadium. The first-leg loss in Vilnius has severely diminished the Lithuanian team's prospects heading into the return fixture.

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I feel good. When Hajduk loses a few games, you always feel the pressure, and when you win, there's relief. Today we managed to get a win.

For the visiting Croatian side, the victory was particularly significant. It ended an 11-match winless streak in away fixtures across international competitions. Hajduk Split had struggled on the road for years, with their last international away win preceding this match by a considerable margin. Furthermore, the team had a difficult start to their season, having been eliminated from Europa League qualifiers and suffering an unexpected league defeat.

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Europe away, Hajduk hasn't won for 6-7 years, so now we've broken the barrier. However, it's clear it wasn't easy.

Hajduk's head coach, Gonzalo García, acknowledged the pressure the team had been under due to recent results. "When Hajduk loses a few games, you always feel the pressure, and when you win, there's relief," he stated. He emphasized the importance of breaking the long-standing jinx of not winning away games in Europe. "Europe away, Hajduk hasn't won for 6-7 years, so now we've broken the barrier," García added.

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It's always a factor in the game – that was true even when I played for a Dutch team that also had an artificial turf pitch, so opponents always needed time to adapt to it.

García also commented on the artificial turf at Liepkalnis Stadium, a surface less common for Croatian teams. While acknowledging its influence, he expressed a personal preference for artificial pitches over poorly maintained natural grass, noting that it allows for faster play. He praised his players for their adaptability and positive attitude, despite the unfamiliar conditions.

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If you talk about it too much, it will affect you. But if you go into the game with full energy and do your job, small circumstances you have to get used to won't affect you that much.