Rapid Vienna demolish Santa Coloma in Conference League opener as Red Star thrash Larne 5-0 in Champions League
UEFA Champions League
FK Crvena Zvezda 5-0 Larne is the standout result of the evening. Red Star Belgrade were utterly ruthless against the Northern Irish side, running out five-goal winners in what amounts to one of the most emphatic scorelines of the qualifying round so far. Larne, competing at this level against a club of genuine European pedigree, were simply overwhelmed, and the margin of victory will do Serbian champions’ confidence no harm whatsoever heading into the next stage.
Elsewhere, Hapoel Beer Sheva made a composed start to their campaign, beating Vikingur Reykjavik 2-0. The Israeli side looked comfortable throughout, and the clean sheet will be particularly encouraging. Meanwhile, Kauno Žalgiris produced a notable upset, edging out KI Klaksvík 1-0 in what was a tight, nervy affair between two sides from the European game’s smaller football nations — Lithuania taking the narrow advantage.
Two matches ended level. Universitatea Craiova and Levski Sofia played out an entertaining 2-2 draw, while Gornik Zabrze held Fenerbahçe to a 1-1 stalemate — a creditable result for the Polish side against the Turkish giants, who will know they need to be sharper in the return leg. Slovan Bratislava also drew 1-1 with Georgian side Saburtalo, leaving that tie very much in the balance.
UEFA Conference League
The game of the night in this competition — and arguably across all Thursday’s action — was Rapid Vienna’s 6-2 demolition of FC Santa Coloma. The Austrian side were in devastating form, running up six goals against the Andorran minnows in a performance that will send a message to potential opponents in later rounds. Santa Coloma managed two goals of their own, but were never able to stem the tide as Rapid cut through them repeatedly. It is a result that immediately puts Rapid among the teams to watch in the early qualifying phase.
FC Copenhagen were more measured in their 2-1 win over Polessya, the Danish side doing enough to take control of their tie without being spectacular. It is a workmanlike result that keeps them firmly in the driver’s seat. The biggest surprise of the Conference League evening came in the other fixture, where FC Lugano ran out 5-1 winners against Dukagjini. The Swiss side were clinical and convincing, and that scoreline gives them an enormous cushion to carry into the second leg.
Across both competitions, early qualifying continues to throw up a mix of heavyweight statements and tight, unpredictable contests. Red Star and Rapid Vienna have made the boldest early impressions, while ties involving Fenerbahçe, Slovan Bratislava and Craiova remain genuinely open ahead of their return legs.
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