FK Partizan vs UNA Strassen

Partizan needed just four minutes to open the scoring. Ibrahim drove down the right and squared for Slovenian forward Enej Kojzek, who slotted home from close range for his first European goal for the club.

Ibrahim turned scorer in the 28th minute, doubling the lead with a composed finish after a well-worked move. The Ghanaian attacker collected a pass in the box, steadied himself and placed the ball beyond goalkeeper Kaan Ozcan. Partizan went into the break 2-0 up and in complete control.

Any slim hopes of a UNA Strassen comeback were extinguished six minutes into the second half. Defender Edis Agović, already booked for a first-half foul, received a second yellow card in the 51st minute for a clumsy challenge on the edge of his own box. The red card reduced the visitors to ten men and forced coach Nuno Perez — who substituted himself on moments later — to abandon any attacking intent.

Partizan capitalised on the numerical advantage. Ibrahim grabbed his second of the night in the 68th minute, heading home from a Stefan Milić cross. Captain Ognjen Ugresić added a fourth in the 80th minute, sweeping in from a Svetozar Mitrović assist to round off the scoring.

Zakaria Ibrahim — the Ghanaian was the game's standout player. A goal and an assist inside four minutes settled early nerves, and his second-half header put the tie beyond doubt. He was substituted in the 72nd minute to a standing ovation from the 10,637 crowd.

Ognjen Ugresić — the Partizan captain anchored midfield and capped the performance with a well-taken goal. His leadership was crucial in maintaining structure after the break.

Edis Agović — a night to forget for the UNA Strassen defender. Booked in the 26th minute for a cynical foul, his second yellow card after the interval left his team with a mountain they could not climb.

Partizan's 2-0 half-time lead reflected territorial dominance that the match events timeline only partly captures. The hosts scored with four of their shots on target, while UNA Strassen failed to register a single attempt on goal before the red card and created nothing of note after it. The 4-0 scoreline is an accurate reflection of the gulf in quality between a Serbian SuperLiga side with European pedigree and a Luxembourg National Division outfit making only their second appearance at this stage of qualifying.

Partizan take a commanding 4-0 lead into the second leg away in Luxembourg on 30 July 2026. They are effectively assured of a place in the third qualifying round, where they would face the winner of Urartu vs Tallinna Kalev. For UNA Strassen, the mountain is simply too steep — they would need to overturn a four-goal deficit in the return fixture to keep their European campaign alive.

A thoroughly professional night's work from Partizan, who never needed to move out of second gear. The tie was effectively over inside 51 minutes when Agović saw red. Ibrahim's two-goal display will be the headline, but the clean sheet and disciplined performance across the pitch will please the coaching staff more.