UEFA Europa League Gameweek 1
Plzen 0 - 3 FT Union St. Gilloise
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Futmetrix Verdict
52
FT
Thu, Oct 22
Bournemouth
3-0
AC Milan
⚡ Intensity
75
⚖️ Balance
20
🏆 Stakes
3
🎲 Upset
0
Two penalties, one red card, total control
Futmetrix Verdict
26
FT
Thu, Oct 22
Sturm Graz
1-0
Marseille
⚡ Intensity
22
⚖️ Balance
31
🏆 Stakes
11
🎲 Upset
60
Diakité struck; Marseille never answered
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Expected Goals (xG)
Passes
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
Relebohile Mofokeng (Massire Sylla) 17'
Mateo Biondic 42'
Mateo Biondic (Louis Patris) 43'
45' Patrik Hrošovský
45' ↓ Karel Spáčil ↑Sampson Dweh
45' ↓ Denis Višinský ↑Salim Fago Lawal
HT
Ondrej Kricfalusi (Besfort Zeneli) 59'
60' Stefan Pirgic
↓ Guilherme Smith ↑Denzel De Roeve 63'
↓ Mateo Biondic ↑Kevin Rodriguez 63'
↓ Relebohile Mofokeng ↑Ilan Hurtevent 63'
64' ↓ Amar Memić ↑Adam Gabriel
64' ↓ Prince Kwabena Adu ↑Baboucarr Faal
72' ↓ Patrik Hrošovský ↑Lukáš Červ
↓ Ondrej Kricfalusi ↑Nohim Chibani 75'
↓ Darius Olaru ↑Dylan Aquino 82'
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
Plzen
Goalkeepers
Florian Wiegele 
OCTOPUS
10
Saves
10
Saves
0
Conceded
100%
Save %
Defenders
Amar Memić 
STORMTROOPER
1
Shots
1
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
Tobias Paliscak 
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
3
Tackles
45%
Duel Win %
Denis Vavro
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
3
Tackles
83%
Duel Win %
Karel Spáčil
STORMTROOPER
1
Shots
1
Shots
0
Goals
1
On Target
Cheick Souaré 
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Midfielders
Alexandr Sojka
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Stefan Pirgic 
MAGNET
61
Activity
61
Activity
39
Passes
22
Duels
Patrik Hrošovský
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
72
Total Mins
72
Entry
Denis Višinský
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
45
Total Mins
45
Entry
Forwards
Prince Adu
STORMTROOPER
4
Shots
4
Shots
0
Goals
1
On Target
BENCH
Viktor Baier 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Merchas Doski
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Adam Gabriel 
PROVOCATEUR
2
Fouls Won
2
Fouls Won
5
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Sampson Dweh
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
3
Tackles
70%
Duel Win %
Filip Prebsl
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Lukáš Červ
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
18
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Jiří Panoš
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Mohamed Toure
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Baboucarr Faal
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
26
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Tomáš Ladra
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Christophe Kabongo
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Salim Fago
PROVOCATEUR
3
Fouls Won
3
Fouls Won
7
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Union St. Gilloise
Goalkeepers
Hervé Koffi
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Nikki Havenaar
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
5
Tackles
67%
Duel Win %
Massiré Sylla 
PROVIDER
1
Assists
1
Assists
1
Key Passes
8.0
Rating
Ondrej Kricfalusi 
SNIPER
100%
Conversion
100%
Conversion
1
Goals
1
Shots
Midfielders
Louis Patris 
SWEEPER
4
Cleanups
4
Cleanups
3
Interceptions
1
Blocks
Rob Schoofs
MAGNET
99
Activity
99
Activity
86
Passes
13
Duels
Darius Olaru 
ARCHITECT
4
Key Passes
4
Key Passes
0
Assists
43%
Pass Acc
Guilherme Carvalho 
ENFORCER
3
Tackles
3
Tackles
5
Duels Won
83%
Win %
Besfort Zeneli
MAGNET
61
Activity
61
Activity
50
Passes
11
Duels
Forwards
Relebohile Mofokeng
ARCHITECT
4
Key Passes
4
Key Passes
0
Assists
15%
Pass Acc
Mateo Biondic 
FINISHER
1
Goals
1
Goals
4
Shots
8.1
Rating
BENCH
Giorgi Kavelashvili
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Vic Chambaere
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Denzel De Roeve
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
27
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Nohim Chibani
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
15
Total Mins
Started
Entry
I. Hurtevent
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
27
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Dylan Aquino
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
8
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Kevin Rodríguez
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
27
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Sekou Keita
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
League Standings
League Standings
P: 2 GD: +6
P: 2 GD: +6
P: 2 GD: +5
P: 2 GD: +4
P: 2 GD: +4
P: 2 GD: +4
P: 2 GD: +3
P: 2 GD: +2
P: 2 GD: +2
P: 2 GD: +3
P: 2 GD: +3
P: 2 GD: +1
P: 2 GD: +3
P: 2 GD: +2
P: 2 GD: +1
P: 2 GD: +1
P: 2 GD: 0
P: 2 GD: 0
P: 2 GD: -3
P: 2 GD: -1
P: 2 GD: -1
P: 2 GD: -1
P: 2 GD: -1
P: 2 GD: -3
P: 2 GD: -5
P: 2 GD: -2
P: 2 GD: -2
P: 2 GD: -3
P: 2 GD: -4
P: 2 GD: -4
P: 2 GD: -5
P: 2 GD: -5
P: 2 GD: -5
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
Plzen
Union St. Gilloise
Plzen
Union St. Gilloise
Win Probability
Futmetrix AI estimate
A Belgian Blitzkrieg at Doosan Arena
Skip It Futmetrix Score: 29/100. Union St. Gilloise delivered a ruthless attacking exhibition away from home, overwhelming Plzen to announce their European ambitions with authority.
Early Fireworks
The Intensity was palpable the very moment the referee blew the starting whistle at Doosan Arena. Plzen attempted to assert their tactical footprint early on, but Union St. Gilloise quickly turned the pitch into an absolute shooting gallery. Edging possession with a narrow 51%, the visitors bypassed the midfield battle to be direct and highly dangerous in the final third. The inevitable breakthrough arrived just 17 minutes into the contest when Massire Sylla threaded a beautiful, defense-splitting pass to Relebohile Mofokeng, who finished with cold, clinical precision. This early strike shifted the overarching Balance of the match entirely, forcing the Czech hosts to abandon their preferred defensive shape as they frantically searched for an equaliser in front of an increasingly anxious home crowd.
The Tipping Point
Despite managing to generate 14 shots of their own throughout the evening, the home side found themselves heavily outgunned in what quickly devolved into a frantic end-to-end battle. The sheer volume of scoring chances defined this middle phase of the game, with an incredible combined 36 shots attempted between the two sides. The Plzen goalkeeper put on an absolute clinic to try and stem the tide, racking up 10 vital saves to keep his team within breathing distance. However, such defensive heroics can only delay the inevitable when the attacking pressure remains this relentless. Just two minutes before the interval, Louis Patris brilliantly unlocked the weary backline, serving up a perfect delivery for Mateo Biondic. His resulting strike doubled the advantage to 2-0, delivering a crushing psychological blow just before half-time.
A Clinical Conclusion
Any lingering hopes of a miraculous second-half comeback were extinguished shortly after the restart. In the 59th minute, Besfort Zeneli found space and laid the ball off for Ondrej Kricfalusi, who hammered home the third goal to definitively ice the game. The visitors' towering 3.29 expected goals metric perfectly underscored their sheer dominance and creativity in the final third. The Stakes in this Europa League stage demand a healthy goal difference, and the Belgian side obliged by keeping their foot firmly on the gas pedal until the final whistle. A low Upset Factor given the on-pitch reality, this comprehensive 3-0 demolition on the road sends a clear, intimidating warning to the rest of the group.
Key Questions
Who scored the opening goal for Union St. Gilloise?
Relebohile Mofokeng opened the scoring in the 17th minute, capitalizing on a brilliant assist from Massire Sylla.
How many saves were made during the match?
The match featured exceptional goalkeeping with 14 combined saves, highlighted by 10 crucial stops from Plzen's goalkeeper against a relentless attack.
What is the Futmetrix Score?
The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.
A Tense Europa League Curtain Raiser
Highly Entertaining Futmetrix Score: 82/100. An incredibly balanced matchup where tactical discipline will outweigh raw attacking flair as both sides hunt for early European momentum.
The Setup
The UEFA Europa League kicks off on September 17, 2026, dropping us into the Doosan Arena for matchday one of the league stage. Under the Swiss model format, every point counts toward securing a top-8 direct qualification spot or slipping down into the top-24 playoff mix. Plzen and Union St. Gilloise present an off-the-charts Balance rating, meaning this tie is almost too close to call. However, without big marquee names driving a high Stars rating, this is less about individual brilliance and more about collective resilience. The Stakes are naturally lower on opening day, but setting the tone early is everything.
Key Battle
This match will be won and lost in the midfield trenches. Plzen's defensive block will need to hold firm against the visitors' engine room. Keep a close eye on A. Khalaili dictating the tempo for the Belgians and P. David probing for gaps in the final third. Meanwhile, K. Mac Allister will anchor the visitors' backline, looking to neutralize any counter-attacks from the home side's collective unit.
Our Prediction
A grinding draw. Neither side boasts a sparkling Form heading into this fixture. Expect a risk-averse game script where both teams prioritize shape over attacking adventure, ultimately settling for a share of the spoils in a hard-fought 1-1 stalemate.