HNK Hajduk Split open European season with Pafos win

HNK Hajduk Split defeated Cypriot side Pafos 2:0 at Poljud in the first leg of the Europa League 2nd qualifying round. The home side delivered their most mature European performance in recent history and earned the right to look ahead with optimism. They won because they were the better team, not by a twist of fate.

League standing (final 2025 table -- new season not yet under way): HNK Hajduk Split sit second in the HNL with 68 points from 20 wins, eight draws and eight losses across 36 games, recent form WDLWD. The next step is securing a place in the league phase of a European competition, whether against Salzburg in the third qualifying round or in the Conference League playoff.

Garcia answers critics on the pitch

Gonzalo Garcia was the standout performer of last night’s game. Poljud’s stands greeted him with whistles for leaving Marko Livaja on the bench, yet he replied on the pitch, not in words. After the match he said: „They whistled at me, but I can’t change those people. We’re doing great work as a team and I hope the fans enjoy the football. I make decisions to help the team, not to please the crowd. I decide how we look good, not how to earn applause that turns to rubbish afterwards.“

This Hajduk is a team where everyone runs for each other. There are no lost balls, no positional slips, no complacency. Despite ongoing squad issues, Garcia isn’t moaning; he keeps finding solutions from what he has and so far is steering the side safely through European qualifiers.

What did this Hajduk show against Pafos?

They played a mature game, not a spectacle. Garcia stuck to his own principles, trusted the players he believes in, and it paid off. The visitors were denied anything they didn’t fight bloodily for. In the opening half Hajduk didn’t muster a single shot on target yet were still the better side.

Michele Šego nearly punished one of two excellent crosses from wide areas, while Dario Melnjak did convert in the second period. On the other side, aside from a couple of flashes from Brazilian winger Jaja, Pafos offered little of note.

What’s next for HNK Hajduk Split?

The road to a European group stage this autumn remains long. Hajduk are 90 strong minutes away from securing a two-legged tie that could take them into the league phase. Next up is either Salzburg in the third qualifying round or the Conference League playoff.

Last night’s performance proved this Hajduk has a real foundation despite objective problems. As the saying goes, you get back what you put in. The dressing room verdict is already in: this is Hajduk under Garcia’s signature.