Viktoria Plzen vs Royale Union Saint-Gilloise

Royale Union SG made an emphatic start to their Europa League league phase campaign, dismantling Viktoria Plzen 3-0 at the Doosan Arena. The Belgian side dominated from the first whistle, pressing aggressively and repeatedly testing Plzen's goalkeeper before their control finally told on the scoreboard. Relebohile Mofokeng broke the deadlock in the 17th minute, rewarding Union's early pressure. Mateo Biondic doubled the lead on the stroke of halftime with a quick break, all but ending the contest before the interval. Ondrej Kricfalski added a third from a corner in the 59th minute to complete the rout. Cards were shown to Kricfalski, Biondic, Plzen's Patrik Hrošovský, and Stefan Pirgić, but no red cards or penalties disrupted the flow of a comfortably one-sided game. For Viktoria Plzen, it's a tough opener at home, with the hosts unable to create meaningful chances despite several substitutions aimed at changing the game's shape. Royale Union SG, by contrast, could hardly have asked for a better start, taking maximum points and serving early notice that they'll be a tough side to handle in this year's league phase.