The race for the Europa League and Conference League group stages is heating up, with the third qualifying round producing plenty of goals, surprises and impressive away performances.
Besiktas produced one of the biggest results of the night, while Anderlecht secured an excellent victory away to PAOK. Ajax also strengthened their position with a 3-1 win over Shelbourne, with Mika Godts getting on the scoresheet.
Elsewhere, Benfica delivered a statement performance by crushing Hearts 6-1, while several of the competition’s bigger names took important steps toward the next round.
Quick Round Overview
| Competition | Europa League & Conference League |
|---|---|
| Round | Third Qualifying Round, First Legs |
| Standout Team | Besiktas |
| Best Away Win | Anderlecht 1-0 PAOK |
| Biggest Result | Benfica 6-1 Hearts |
| Ajax Result | Ajax 3-1 Shelbourne |
| Player to Watch | Mika Godts |
Anderlecht Pull Off an Excellent Away Win
Anderlecht produced one of the night’s most impressive results by beating PAOK 1-0 in Greece.
The decisive moment came almost immediately.
Mihajlo Cvetkovic scored after just one minute, giving Anderlecht an advantage that they managed to protect until the final whistle.
The early goal completely changed the complexion of the tie.
PAOK had the home support behind them, but Anderlecht remained organised enough to leave Greece with a precious away victory.
Besiktas Take Control Against Hradec Kralove
The biggest positive result in the Europa League came from Besiktas, although the Turkish side had to work hard for it.
Facing Czech club Hradec Kralove away from home, Besiktas struggled to create clear opportunities during a balanced first half.
The visitors even hit the post before the break, but neither team could find the breakthrough.
The game changed after half-time.
Besiktas began to take control, but their task became more difficult when Kassoum Ouattara was sent off in the 71st minute.
Despite being reduced to 10 players, Besiktas found the winning goal.
Semih Kılıçsoy struck in the 80th minute, securing a 1-0 victory and giving Vincenzo Italiano’s side a crucial advantage ahead of the second leg.
Benfica Destroy Hearts
While Besiktas and Anderlecht earned narrow victories, Benfica produced the most emphatic result of the round.
The Portuguese giants demolished Scottish side Hearts 6-1 at home.
Vangelis Pavlidis was once again among the scorers, continuing his remarkable run in European qualifying.
The result leaves Benfica in an extremely strong position before the return fixture.
Ajax Continue Their European Campaign
In the Conference League, Ajax Amsterdam defeated Shelbourne 3-1 at home.
The Dutch side controlled the match and secured a two-goal advantage heading into the second leg.
One of the biggest talking points was Mika Godts, who found the net for Ajax.
The young Belgian winger continues to attract attention, with Paris Saint-Germain reportedly monitoring his situation.
His goal against Shelbourne adds another positive moment to a promising European campaign.
Twente Put Six Past Streda
Ajax were not the only Dutch side to impress.
Twente produced one of the biggest wins of the evening, defeating Slovakian side Streda 6-0.
The result effectively puts the Dutch club in complete control of the tie.
Among the scorers was Daouda Weidmann, the former Paris Saint-Germain academy player.
With a six-goal advantage, Twente can approach the second leg with confidence.
Copenhagen and Braga Also Take Advantages
Several other favourites also made positive starts.
Copenhagen defeated Debrecen 3-0, putting themselves in a commanding position before the return leg.
Braga meanwhile earned a narrower 1-0 victory over Dinamo Minsk.
Gent also took a one-goal advantage into the second leg after beating Göteborg 1-0, with Hyllarion Goore scoring before half-time.
More Big Results From the Conference League
The evening also produced some entertaining matches elsewhere.
St Gallen defeated Sheriff Tiraspol 3-1, with Hugo Vandermersch featuring in the Swiss side’s victory.
The most spectacular result came from Norway, where Tromso demolished CFR Cluj 5-0.
Isak Dahlqvist stole the headlines by scoring a hat-trick despite playing as a right-back.
Biggest Results
| Match | Result |
|---|---|
| Benfica vs Hearts | 6-1 |
| Twente vs Streda | 6-0 |
| Tromso vs CFR Cluj | 5-0 |
| Copenhagen vs Debrecen | 3-0 |
| Ajax vs Shelbourne | 3-1 |
| St Gallen vs Sheriff | 3-1 |
| PAOK vs Anderlecht | 0-1 |
| Hradec Kralove vs Besiktas | 0-1 |
| Göteborg vs Gent | 0-1 |
| Braga vs Dinamo Minsk | 1-0 |
Players Who Stood Out
Several individuals made a major impact during the first legs.
Mihajlo Cvetkovic needed only one minute to give Anderlecht a priceless away victory.
Semih Kılıçsoy rescued Besiktas after they were reduced to 10 men.
Mika Godts continued to attract attention with another goal for Ajax.
Vangelis Pavlidis maintained his scoring form for Benfica.
And Isak Dahlqvist produced one of the night’s most unusual performances by scoring three times from his right-back position.
Key Takeaways
- Besiktas beat Hradec Kralove 1-0 despite playing with 10 men.
- Anderlecht secured a 1-0 away victory against PAOK.
- Benfica demolished Hearts 6-1.
- Ajax defeated Shelbourne 3-1 with Mika Godts among the scorers.
- Twente crushed Streda 6-0.
- Copenhagen beat Debrecen 3-0.
- Tromso produced a 5-0 win over CFR Cluj, including a hat-trick from right-back Isak Dahlqvist.
- Several favourites now have strong advantages heading into the second legs.
Final Thoughts
The third qualifying round has already produced plenty of drama, but several clubs have given themselves a major advantage before the return fixtures.
Besiktas and Anderlecht were particularly impressive, securing valuable away wins, while Benfica, Twente and Tromso delivered emphatic victories.
Ajax also have reason to be satisfied, with Mika Godts continuing to make his mark on the European stage.
With the second legs still to come, the battle for places in the Europa League and Conference League league phases is far from finished. But for several of Thursday night’s winners, the road forward suddenly looks much clearer.
