Universitatea Craiova opened Champions League qualifying with a 4:1 win in Hungary
Universitatea Craiova took a big step toward the second qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League after defeating ML Vitebsk 4:1 on July 8, 2026, in Mezőkövesd in the first leg of the first qualifying round. The match was played at Mezőkövesdi Városi Stadion in Hungary, where the Belarusian representative was the formal host, and kick-off was scheduled for 19:00 local time. According to UEFA's official qualifying schedule, the Vitebsk – Universitatea Craiova match was part of the program of the first legs of the first qualifying round, in which champions of lower-coefficient national leagues compete to continue their European season. The Romanian club enters the return leg with a three-goal advantage, which gives it an extremely favorable position, but not yet a mathematically confirmed passage.
The 1:4 result is especially important because Champions League qualifying ties are played over two legs, and according to UEFA rules, the team with the better aggregate goal difference advances. This means that ML Vitebsk must make up a large deficit away from home in the return leg, while Craiova can build the match on the advantage gained in Hungary. According to UEFA's information about the competition format, the winner of this tie goes into the second qualifying round of the champions path, where it will face the better side from the Borac Banja Luka – Levski Sofia tie. The defeated team from the first qualifying round does not immediately end its European season, but, according to UEFA's system, moves into the Conference League qualifiers.
An early goal changed the rhythm of the match
According to Gazeta de Sud's report, Craiova opened the match extremely aggressively and took the lead as early as the fourth minute through Ștefan Baiaram. The early goal gave the Romanian champion control over the opening phase of the match and forced Vitebsk to take more risks in possession earlier than planned. The Belarusian team responded midway through the first half, when Valeri Gromyko scored for 1:1 and briefly restored balance to the contest. That goal was an important psychological moment for Vitebsk, because it showed that Craiova, despite entering the match better, could not rely only on early pressure.
The closing stage of the first half, however, went completely to the Romanian champion. According to the Romanian report, Assad Al-Hamlawi converted two penalty kicks and gave Craiova a 3:1 lead by halftime. The second penalty came after a duel in the penalty area in which defender Oleksandr Romanchuk received a blow to the facial area, after which he was given medical assistance. The same source states that Romanchuk returned to the pitch after the break with a bandage, which further emphasized the physical demands of the match and the dynamics of the final minutes of the first half.
Craiova thus went into the dressing room with a result that enabled it to use a different plan for the continuation. Instead of constant attacking, it could control the rhythm, protect its structure and wait for the opponent's mistakes. Vitebsk, on the other hand, had to chase a goal that would bring it back into a more realistic position before the return leg. In such a balance of power, the difference became increasingly visible between the team that had the advantage and the team that had to take the initiative without much room for error.
Nsimba finished the job in stoppage time
In the second half, the tempo of the match was calmer, and according to Gazeta de Sud's report, Craiova played more maturely and cautiously than in the first 45 minutes. The Romanian team did not force a high rhythm in every move, but it managed to keep Vitebsk far away from a series of clear chances. Coach Filipe Coelho also used the continuation to manage the players' energy, which is especially important at the beginning of the season, when teams are still searching for optimal physical fitness and competitive rhythm. Vitebsk needed to attack, but it did not manage to create continuous pressure that would seriously threaten Craiova's acquired advantage.
The final 4:1 was set by Steven Nsimba in stoppage time, after he had come off the bench in place of Al-Hamlawi. That goal carries more weight than an ordinary final detail, because it increased the difference to three goals and significantly changed the psychological framework of the return leg. According to available reports, Nsimba had also had a good chance earlier in the second half after a mistake by the Vitebsk goalkeeper, but the Belarusian team's defense then managed to prevent the goal. In the final minutes, however, there was no rescue for the home side, so Craiova left Hungary with a result that puts it in the role of clear favorite.
Despite the convincing outcome, it is important to point out that the match had phases in which Craiova was not completely dominant. Vitebsk showed with Gromyko's goal that it can punish space between the lines, and Coelho emphasized after the match that the result does not necessarily reflect the simplicity of the contest. According to Gazeta de Sud, the Portuguese coach stressed that his team must improve ball retention, the use of space and certain tactical details. Such a tone from the dressing room shows that Craiova, despite its large advantage, does not intend to treat the return leg as a formality.
Neutral ground and the importance of the first European step
The match had an additional specificity because ML Vitebsk was the host outside Belarus, at the stadium in Mezőkövesd, a town in northeastern Hungary. UEFA listed Municipal Stadium Mezőkövesd as the venue in its official match data, and the match officials included referees from Bosnia and Herzegovina, with Luka Bilbija as the main referee. Such matches on neutral or relocated grounds in European qualifiers often change the usual dynamics of home advantage, because the formal host does not have the full effect of its own stadium, fan environment and familiar conditions.
For Craiova, this match was also the first major competitive test of the new European season. According to Romanian media, Universitatea Craiova entered the qualifiers as champion of Romania, which brings greater expectations, but also pressure to prove itself in an international environment. The first qualifying round of the Champions League is often a phase in which favorites face teams that are already in the rhythm of domestic championships or are used to the specific conditions of qualifying matches. That is why a convincing away victory in the first leg has both sporting and strategic value.
Craiova showed efficiency in Hungary of the kind that is often decisive in European qualifiers. The early goal, composure when taking penalty kicks and the final goal from an action by a player from the bench showed the breadth of attacking solutions. At the same time, the team did not pass without warnings, because Vitebsk managed to bring the score back to 1:1 in the first half and raise the question of defensive stability. That very part of the game will probably be among the main topics of preparation for the return leg.
Coelho satisfied with the result, but cautious in his assessments
According to a statement reported by Gazeta de Sud, coach Filipe Coelho was satisfied with the start and the competitive approach, but emphasized that Craiova still has plenty of room for improvement. The Portuguese specialist pointed out that the result was very good, but that the contest was not as easy as the final scoreboard might suggest. He spoke in particular about the need for better use of space and longer ball retention, elements that in European matches often decide whether a team can control an advantage or put itself under unnecessary pressure. Such a message after a 4:1 victory suggests that the coaching staff wants to avoid premature relaxation.
Coelho especially praised Ștefan Baiaram, scorer of the first goal, stating that he had already shown a high level during preparations. Baiaram's early goal was one of the key moments of the match, because it gave Craiova stability and opened the match toward a scenario that suited it. Al-Hamlawi took the main role in the closing stage of the first half with two converted penalties, while Nsimba confirmed the value of players who come off the bench with his goal in stoppage time. For a team that is only entering the season, such a distribution of contributions can be important for confidence and internal competition.
On the other hand, Vitebsk will have to find a way to be more aggressive in the return leg, but also significantly more stable in its own penalty area. The two penalties awarded in the first half cost it dearly, and the fourth goal conceded in stoppage time made the overall situation even more difficult. The Belarusian club now has to play an almost perfect match in order to return to the fight for qualification. According to the rules of a two-legged tie, every goal in the return leg will be part of the aggregate total, so Craiova must avoid a scenario in which an early Vitebsk goal would open up the match and change the emotional rhythm of the encounter.
Starting lineups and tactical framework
According to Gazeta de Sud's report, ML Vitebsk started the match in a 4-3-3 system with Pavlyuchenko in goal, and with a defensive line of Skibsky, Gomanov, Volkov and Maschalencik. In midfield were Gromyko, Bocharov and Mesarović, while the attacking trio consisted of Kontsevoi, Diabate and Bosić. Such a structure suggested the intention that Vitebsk would have width in attack and enough players between the lines, but Craiova's early lead quickly changed the initial plan. After Gromyko's equalizer, the Belarusian team had a brief period of greater security, but two penalty situations before halftime completely changed the course of the match.
Universitatea Craiova, according to the same source, started in a 3-4-3 shape with Laurențiu Popescu in goal. The defense consisted of Romanchuk, Stevanović and Adrian Rus, in midfield were Samuel Teles, Alexandru Cicâldău, Anzor Mekvabishvili and Nicușor Bancu, while Monday Bassey Etim, Assad Al-Hamlawi and Ștefan Baiaram played up front. That system enabled Craiova to have enough players in the back line, but also width through the wide positions. In practice, the key was the ability to attack space quickly after winning the ball and to turn Vitebsk's pressure into chances at the other end.
In the closing stage, the introduction of Steven Nsimba also played an important role, bringing freshness in attack and confirming the victory. Such details are often decisive in qualifying ties, because teams that have quality options from the bench more easily maintain intensity even after the initial plan has worn out. Craiova gained additional value precisely in that segment: it did not merely protect the result, but also increased it when the opponent was already exposed to risk. In the return leg, Vitebsk will have to find an answer not only to the Romanian champion's starting lineup, but also to the squad depth that was shown in the second half.
The return leg in Craiova decides qualification, but the advantage is large
According to UEFA's schedule, the return leg Universitatea Craiova – Vitebsk is played on July 15, 2026, at the Ion Oblemenco stadium in Craiova, with kick-off at 19:30 Central European Time. UEFA states that the winners of the first qualifying round ties continue the competition in the second qualifying round of the champions path, while the defeated teams move into the Conference League qualifiers. For Craiova, this means that the victory in Hungary has opened a realistic path toward a new European contest, but also that the competitive focus must quickly shift to confirming qualification in front of its own supporters. For Vitebsk, the return leg represents an attempt to come back from a very difficult situation and a fight to continue its path in the Champions League.
The match in Mezőkövesd showed how much the first encounter can direct an entire two-legged tie. Craiova used the key moments, punished the opponent's mistakes and further increased its advantage in the closing stage. Vitebsk had a reaction after the early deficit, but it did not manage to maintain balance long enough to travel to Romania with a more active result. Ahead of the return leg, the pressure has now shifted to the Belarusian club, while the Romanian champion has a result that allows it a more controlled approach, but not the right to underestimate the opponent.
Sources:
- UEFA – official schedule and results of the 2026/27 Champions League qualifiers, including the Vitebsk – Universitatea Craiova tie and the return-leg date (link)
- UEFA – official information about the 2026/27 Champions League first qualifying round draw (link)
- UEFA Documents – regulations of the UEFA Champions League 2026/27, Article 15 on the match system in the qualifying phase and two-legged ties (link)
- UEFA – official information about the ML Vitebsk – Universitatea Craiova match, stadium and match officials (link)
- Gazeta de Sud – report from the ML Vitebsk – Universitatea Craiova 1:4 match, scorers, course of play and starting lineups (link)
- Gazeta de Sud – statements by coach Filipe Coelho after Craiova's victory in Mezőkövesd (link)