HJK Helsinki vs Coleraine FC

Coleraine conceded 47 seconds into the second half. Mero latched onto a long ball and lobbed Schofield to make it 3-0 — a goal that killed any realistic hope of keeping the tie alive.

Worse followed. Two minutes later, Coleraine captain Mark Coyle caught his boot on the turf in a non-contact incident and had to be helped off the pitch. Ruaidhri Higgins summoned Matthew Shevlin, Joel Cooper and Will Patching from the bench in a triple change, but by then the damage was done.

Shevlin caused problems with his runs in behind and headed over from a Patching delivery, but HJK had summoned their own star striker from the bench.

Pukki, introduced alongside Lassi Lappalainen and Mouhamed Gueye in a triple change on 65 minutes, scored twice in the space of two minutes. First he turned home a cross from Miika Kirilov (80'), then he tapped in Lappalainen's low delivery (82') to complete the rout.

Teemu Pukki (HJK Helsinki) — Two goals in two minutes off the bench. The 36-year-old showed his predatory instincts haven't dulled, scoring with his first two touches inside the box. A reminder of the gulf in class between the Finnish champions and their Irish opponents.

Liam Moller (HJK Helsinki) — A goal and an assist. His 12th-minute opener was a composed finish, and his square ball for Mentu's goal cut through Coleraine's defence with ease.

Toivo Mero (HJK Helsinki) — Scored the critical third goal 47 seconds into the second half, effectively ending the tie as a contest. Also forced Schofield into an early save in the opening minutes.

HJK's 5-0 victory was built on ruthless finishing rather than overwhelming territorial dominance. The hosts scored with five of their shots on target, while Coleraine created decent openings — McMenamin's miss, Boyle's shot past the post, Shevlin's header over — but failed to convert any. The 4,287 attendance at the Bolt Arena reflected the one-sided nature of a tie that is all but over before the second leg.

HJK Helsinki all but secure their place in the third qualifying round, where the draw will determine their next opponent. The Finnish side, 33-time domestic champions, are halfway through their Veikkausliiga season and in full competitive rhythm.

For Coleraine, the result is a harsh reality check. The Irish Cup winners competed in Europe for the first time since 2018, but the loss of Wilson and Coyle to what looked like significant injuries compounds the damage. The second leg takes place at The Showgrounds on 30 July 2026 (19:45 BST), but the Bannsiders need a five-goal turnaround to progress.

HJK's quality told exactly where it mattered — in front of goal. Coleraine competed in stretches but paid for individual errors and a lack of sharpness against a team deep into their season. The tie is effectively over; the focus for Higgins now is damage limitation in the second leg and getting his walking wounded fit for the Irish Premiership opener.

Attendance: 4,287 — Referee: Simovic Novak — Bolt Arena, Helsinki