Universitatea Craiova vs ML Vitebsk

With the game heading for a goalless draw, substitute Anzor Mekvabishvili — introduced in the 87th minute — delivered a pinpoint cross from the left flank. Captain Bancu met it with a left-footed volley from the centre of the box that flew into the roof of the net, finally beating Pavlyuchenko to break the deadlock in the 90+2nd minute.

The goal was Craiova's fifth of the tie and Bancu's first, arriving at the moment Vitebsk seemed certain to escape with a creditable clean sheet.

• Nicușor Bancu (Craiova) — Player of the match. The captain delivered the decisive goal with a composed finish under pressure, arriving as a 73rd-minute substitute to change the game.
• Pavel Pavlyuchenko (Vitebsk) — Kept his side in the tie with a string of outstanding saves, including a point-blank stop from Baiaram and a deflection onto the post that denied Mora. Conceded only to an unstoppable strike.
• Laurențiu Popescu (Craiova) — Made several crucial interventions, notably a sharp early denial of Cleonise and a solid save from Kontsevoy, keeping his eighth clean sheet in European competition for the club.
• Ștefan Baiaram (Craiova) — The most persistent attacking threat for the hosts, albeit wasteful in front of goal. Marked his 250th appearance across all competitions for Craiova.

Craiova's 1.96 expected goals (xG) to Vitebsk's 0.63 reflected the home side's territorial dominance, though the shot map tells a more awkward story: too many efforts from distance or tight angles. Pavlyuchenko's seven saves — many from close range — kept the scoreline respectable for Vitebsk, who managed only three shots on target from seven attempts. The 0-0 half-time scoreline understated Craiova's superiority in chances but captured their lack of cutting edge before the break.

Universitatea Craiova advance to the Champions League second qualifying round, where they will face Bulgarian champions Levski Sofia. The first leg is scheduled for 21/22 July, with the return on 28/29 July — Craiova will play the second leg at home. The Romanian side have won their opening four competitive matches of the 2026/27 season (including the Supercupa victory over Universitatea Cluj), building momentum ahead of a tougher test against Levski.

For ML Vitebsk, elimination from the Champions League redirects their European campaign to the UEFA Conference League qualifying path, where they will enter at the second qualifying round.

A professional if unspectacular performance from Craiova, who did what was required without ever needing to shift out of second gear. The aggregate scoreline flattered the margin of victory — Vitebsk competed well in both legs and were undone by individual quality in key moments. Bancu's late finish was a captain's intervention that papered over a slightly disjointed attacking display, but Craiova progress with a clean sheet and a full squad to choose from against Levski.