Valur Reykjavik vs Zrinjski

The first half was a cagey affair played at high tempo but with few clear chances. Valur, playing in their familiar red shirts under the floodlights at Hlíðarendi, dominated possession without carving out clear-cut opportunities. Zrinjski, organised in a compact 4-2-3-1, sat deep and looked to hit on the counter.

The only card of the opening period went to Valur midfielder Shkelzen Veseli (32'), booked for a late challenge as he tried to break up a Zrinjski transition.

Zrinjski made the first change of the night just after the hour mark, introducing Adi Nalić for Ivan Vidović (56') in an attempt to gain more control in midfield. But it was Valur who struck first.

The breakthrough came in the 64th minute. Jónatan Ingi Jónsson, drifting in from the right flank, delivered a looping cross to the far post. Tryggvi Haraldsson, the 28-year-old forward, rose highest to power a header past Zrinjski goalkeeper Zvonimir Šubarić — his sixth goal in European competition for Valur.

Valur manager made a quadruple substitution immediately after the goal (66'), bringing on Lukas Heimisson, Shkelzen Veseli (moved into midfield), Birkir Heimisson and Dagur Gardarson to refresh the legs. Zrinjski responded with a double change of their own three minutes later, replacing Marko Vranjković and Antonio Ilic with Vinko Grbić and Karlo Abramović.

Zrinjski pushed for an away goal in the final quarter. Jón Pálsson picked up a yellow card for a tactical foul (79') as the visitors threatened. Nemanja Bilbija, Zrinjski's veteran forward and captain, was introduced for Tomislav Jurić (84'), and Mario Ćuže replaced Mario Šakota in a final attacking reshuffle.

Valur saw out five minutes of stoppage time without serious alarm, with Frederik Schram untroubled in goal. The Icelandic side's 1-0 lead means Zrinjski must score at least once at home in the second leg to avoid elimination.

Tryggvi Haraldsson (Valur) — The match-winner. His 64th-minute header was the game's only real moment of quality in the final third. A poacher's finish from a well-measured cross.

Jónatan Ingi Jónsson (Valur) — The assist provider. His delivery from the right was the pass that unlocked the Zrinjski defence, and his work rate on the flank kept the Bosnian left-back pinned back.

Frederik Schram (Valur) — The Danish-Icelandic goalkeeper had relatively little to do but commanded his box well on crosses and distributed cleanly. A clean sheet in a European first leg is always valuable.

Zvonimir Šubarić (Zrinjski) — Kept his side in the game with several calm claims and made one sharp low save in the first half. Could do little about the header.

A match with few meaningful attacking sequences. The game's 1.04 expected goals total (per UEFA data) reflects the scarcity of clear chances — Valur generated the bulk of their xG from the Haraldsson header, while Zrinjski failed to register a single shot on target. The 0-0 half-time scoreline was a fair reflection of a first period where possession was split almost evenly but both defences dominated. Valur's 54% possession in the second half, combined with the goal, tells the story of a side that grew into the game after the interval rather than one that dominated from the start.

Valur take a 1-0 lead into the second leg at Stadion pod Bijelim Brijegom in Mostar on 30 July 2026. The Icelandic side need a draw to advance; Zrinjski must win by at least one goal to force extra time, or by two to progress in normal time. The winner of the tie will face either Borac Banja Luka or Petrocub in the third qualifying round. Valur, who won the Icelandic league in 2024, are in mid-season form. Zrinjski, champions of Bosnia in 2024/25, are still in pre-season preparation for their domestic campaign, which may explain their lack of sharpness in attack.

A professional, disciplined away performance from Valur against a Zrinjski side that never quite found their rhythm. The 1-0 scoreline is a fair reflection of a tight tie — but it is far from decisive. Zrinjski have the quality to overturn this at home, especially if they can find an early goal in Mostar. The second leg promises to be a more open contest.