Mezőkövesdi Városi Stadion, 8 July 2026. Romanian champions Universitatea Craiova opened their 2026/27 campaign in emphatic fashion, beating Belarusian champions ML Vitebsk 4–1 in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League first qualifying round. With UEFA having banned Belarusian clubs from hosting matches on home soil following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Vitebsk were forced to receive their opponents in Mezőkövesd, Hungary — a backdrop that hampered the nominal home side from the outset.
Lightning start and penalty dominance in the first half
Craiova made their intentions clear immediately. As early as the 4th minute, Ștefan Baiaram capped a solo run down the left flank by drilling a shot into the far corner from a tight angle — assisted by Romanchuk. Vitebsk drew level with their only goal of the evening: in the 20th minute, Valery Igorevich Gromyko converted a Bocherov pass with a thunderous strike from around 25 metres that flew into the corner to make it 1–1. The Belarusian international demonstrated that Vitebsk remained a genuine threat despite the challenging circumstances.
Craiova responded within four minutes. In the 24th minute, Assad Al-Islam Al-Hamlawi stepped up to the penalty spot — the foul awarded after Bocherov brought down Etim in the box — and converted with composure to restore Craiova's lead (1–2). The Sweden-born Palestinian international had joined Craiova from Śląsk Wrocław for around one million euros in July 2025, and he was already repaying that investment. Just before the break, in the 43rd minute, Al-Hamlawi added a second from the spot — this time awarded following a VAR review for a foul on Romanchuk — firing his effort into the underside of the crossbar to make it 1–3 at half-time.
Controlled second half, Nsimba wraps it up
The second half passed without further incident until stoppage time. Head coach Filipe Coelho, who oversees the club from Portugal, used his substitutions judiciously given the comfortable scoreline: in the 57th minute, Aimé-Steven Nsasa Nsimba Labe replaced the two-goal Al-Hamlawi. Vitebsk tried to inject some energy through their own changes but posed little threat going forward. Gromyko, who had already been shown a yellow card, was substituted in the 72nd minute.
In the 94th minute, Aimé-Steven Nsasa Nsimba Labe put the seal on proceedings with an assist from Etim to make it 1–4. The Frenchman, who had helped Craiova win both the Liga I and the Cupa României in 2025/26, rounded off a thoroughly convincing team display. Baiaram, the opener on the night, had been withdrawn in the 76th minute having made an emphatic statement ahead of the new season.
Second-leg outlook
Universitatea Craiova travel to the second leg on 15 July at the Ion Oblemenco Stadium in Craiova holding a commanding 4–1 aggregate lead. ML Vitebsk would need to overturn a four-goal deficit to force their way through — a task that looks all but impossible after this performance. For Craiova, it was their first competitive outing of the new season, and the display from Coelho's side, set up in a 3-4-3 system against Vitebsk's 4-3-3, left a controlled and purposeful impression.
