ML Vitebsk vs Universitatea Craiova

The quickfire double from Al Hamlawi — first the penalty to restore the lead after Vitebsk had equalised, then the second spot-kick just before the break — effectively ended the contest. Vitebsk had fought back to 1-1 and carried momentum, but conceding two penalties in a 19-minute span killed their resistance. Craiova never looked back after the 3-1 half-time lead.

Assad Al Hamlawi — the Swedish striker was the match-winner with two coolly taken penalties in the first half. Substituted in the 57th minute with the job already done, he left the pitch with his side firmly in control. Player of the match.

Stefan Baiaram — opened the scoring in the fourth minute with a poacher's finish and caused problems for the Vitebsk defence throughout his 77 minutes on the pitch.

S. Nsimba — introduced as a 57th-minute substitute for Al Hamlawi, the Congolese forward made an impact late on, scoring the fourth goal in the 90th+4 minute from a M. Etim assist, before being booked for a foul.

The scoreline tells a clear story: Craiova's clinical edge in front of goal was the decisive difference. All four of their goals came from their first four shots on target — a perfect conversion rate on the night. Vitebsk managed only three shots on target across the 90 minutes, with Gromyko's 20th-minute strike their only successful conversion. Three yellow cards for Vitebsk to one for Craiova also reflected the visitors' control; the home side were chasing the game from the 24th minute onward and often resorted to tactical fouls.

Craiova take a commanding 4-1 lead into the second leg of this UEFA Champions League first qualifying round tie, which will be played at the Ion Oblemenco Stadium in Craiova, Romania, on 15 July 2026. The Romanians need only to avoid a three-goal defeat to progress to the second qualifying round, while Vitebsk face a near-impossible task of overturning the deficit on foreign soil.

For Craiova, managed by Filipe Coelho, this marks a strong start to their European campaign after reaching the UEFA Conference League group stage last season. For Vitebsk, managed by Filipp Sokolinskiy, the focus will shift to domestic football and salvaging pride in the return leg.

Craiova were ruthlessly efficient, scoring from every meaningful chance they created. The two first-half penalties killed the game as a contest, and the fourth goal in stoppage time was a dagger. Vitebsk showed spirit to equalise at 1-1 but lacked the quality to sustain it. The tie is effectively over; Craiova are already looking at the second qualifying round.