UEFA Europa League Play-offs
St. Truiden 1 - 0 FT Omonia Nicosia
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Futmetrix Verdict
43
Coventry
vs
Newcastle
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⚡ Form
47
⚖️ Balance
95
🏆 Stakes
0
⭐ Stars
72
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Futmetrix Verdict
83
Al-Wasl FC
vs
Al-Ahli Jeddah
Mon, Oct 12 • 16:00 UTC
⚡ Form
31
⚖️ Balance
82
🏆 Stakes
0
⭐ Stars
66
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Futmetrix Verdict
45
Atalanta
vs
Venezia
Mon, Oct 12 • 16:30 UTC
⚡ Form
51
⚖️ Balance
60
🏆 Stakes
0
⭐ Stars
64
Desperate Venezia seek lifeline against Atalanta.
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots on Target
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
HT
46' ↓ F. Soelle ↑S. Bazdar
49' R. Vanwesemael
J. Duverne 51'
61' ↓ K. Matsuzawa ↑A. Muja
61' ↓ N. Ishiwatari ↑R. Araki
↓ J. Montnor ↑A. Chatzigiovanis 71'
↓ M. Tankovic ↑L. Nego 77'
↓ L. Diony ↑A. Kakoullis 77'
Ewandro 85'
↓ Ewandro ↑A. Neofytou 90'+1
90'+4 S. Taniguchi (R. Merlen)
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
St. Truiden
Goalkeepers
Léo Kokubo
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Defenders
Robert-Jan Vanwesemael
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Shogo Taniguchi 
CLUTCH HERO
90
Goal Time
90
Goal Time
Goal
Impact
8.2
Rating
Visar Musliu
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Joedrick Pupe
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Midfielders
Ryan Merlen
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Abdoulaye Sissako
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Nelson Ishiwatari 
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
61
Total Mins
61
Entry
Ilias Sebaoui
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Forwards
Frederic Soelle Soelle
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Kaito Matsuzawa
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
BENCH
Matt Lendfers
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Taiga Hata
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Loïc Mbe Soh
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Wolke Janssens
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Arbnor Muja 
ARCHITECT
4
Key Passes
4
Key Passes
0
Assists
0%
Pass Acc
Ryotaro Araki
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
29
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Ben Achour Ilyes
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Alouis Diriken
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Samed Bazdar 
STORMTROOPER
4
Shots
4
Shots
0
Goals
1
On Target
Oumar Diouf
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Shion Shinkawa
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Omonia Nicosia
Goalkeepers
Fabiano
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Jean-Kévin Duverne
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Senou Coulibaly 
MAGNET
85
Activity
85
Activity
78
Passes
7
Duels
Nikolas Panagiotou
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Jure Balkovec 
SWEEPER
4
Cleanups
4
Cleanups
4
Interceptions
0
Blocks
Midfielders
Mateo Marić
SWEEPER
3
Cleanups
3
Cleanups
3
Interceptions
0
Blocks
Muamer Tankovic
LATE SHIFT
13
Late Mins
13
Late Mins
77
Total Mins
77
Entry
Panagiotis Andreou
SWEEPER
3
Cleanups
3
Cleanups
3
Interceptions
0
Blocks
Ewandro 
SUNDAY LEAGUER
6.0
Rating
6.0
Rating
7
Duels Lost
37
Poss Lost
Jaden Montnor 
PROVOCATEUR
3
Fouls Won
3
Fouls Won
6
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Forwards
Loïs Diony
LATE SHIFT
13
Late Mins
13
Late Mins
77
Total Mins
77
Entry
BENCH
Francis Uzoho
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Pantelis Michael
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Loïc Négo
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
13
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Stefan Simič
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Ľubomír Šatka
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Christoforou Panagiotis
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Tasos Chatzigiovanis
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Carel Eiting
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Ioannis Kousoulos
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Andreas Christou
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Andronikos Kakoullis
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
13
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Angelos Neophytou
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
1
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
St. Truiden
Omonia Nicosia
St. Truiden
Omonia Nicosia
Win Probability
Futmetrix AI estimate
Narrow Advantage Secured at Stayen
Skip It Futmetrix Score: 11/100. A gritty, tactical struggle saw St. Truiden grind out a slender first-leg victory, leaving everything to play for in Cyprus.
Cautious Beginnings
The opening exchanges at Stayen offered a gritty, rigid battle rather than free-flowing, attacking football. St. Truiden established early dominance from the kickoff. They held controlled possession, methodically orchestrating sustained passing sequences deep inside the opposition half. Yet, the sheer lack of Intensity turned this crucial fixture into a grinding war of attrition. The visitors from Cyprus had vastly different ideas for this first leg. Omonia Nicosia deliberately set up to absorb the pressure without taking risks. They deployed a remarkably deep block, effectively congesting the midfield zones and totally disrupting the home side's rhythm. The visitors looked perfectly happy keeping the match tempo incredibly sluggish. They relentlessly compressed the spaces, executing a clear tactical mandate to frustrate their Belgian hosts. This cautious, defensive approach successfully kept the Europa League qualifying tie incredibly tight ahead of the vital return leg.
The Solitary Breakthrough
Despite the incredibly pedestrian pace that completely choked the opening half, St. Truiden eventually dug deep. They manufactured the solitary, crucial breakthrough required to fracture the stubbornly organised defensive wall. The Balance of play shifted dramatically the exact moment the ball hit the back of the net. Omonia were theoretically forced out of their deeply entrenched shell to finally chase the game. Instead, the Cypriot visitors struggled immensely to mount any coherent or dangerous attacking reply. They registered a mere two shots on target out of seven total, uninspiring attempts across the full ninety minutes. Their execution in the final third was utterly blunt and easily predictable. The home defence remained supremely organised and largely untested throughout the evening. St. Truiden comfortably snuffed out those rare counter-attacking transitions, ensuring their vital clean sheet stayed completely intact without ever looking panicked.
All Eyes on Nicosia
Closing out the hard-fought 1-0 victory, St. Truiden successfully grabbed the essential early advantage. However, the overarching narrative of this tense knockout tie remains far from resolved. The immense Stakes of European qualification guarantee an absolutely fiery return fixture next week. These two determined sides will lock horns again on August 27th for the ultimate decider. The Cypriot club will undoubtedly need to show genuine attacking bravery and much more creativity on home soil to overturn this slender deficit. St. Truiden executed a brilliant, professional job tonight to secure the victory. While the local fans rightfully celebrate the result, the squad knows perfectly well that the real challenge still awaits. They must survive another incredibly grueling test next week in Nicosia if they want to officially punch their ticket to the main competition.
Key Questions
When is the second leg of this tie?
The decisive second leg will be played on August 27th, with Omonia Nicosia hosting the return fixture.
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.
Europa League Dreams Hang in the Balance in Belgium
Worth Watching Futmetrix Score: 56/100. A cagey first-leg affair awaits as both sides look to secure a foothold before the decisive return fixture in Cyprus.
The Setup
St. Truiden welcomes Omonia Nicosia to Daio Wasabi Stayen on August 20, 2026, with a spot in the UEFA Europa League proper on the line. Despite the inherent prestige of European qualification nights, a worryingly low Form rating for both squads suggests we are in for a scrappy encounter. What this matchup severely lacks in marquee Stars, it makes up for with a surprisingly tight Balance between the two squads. The Stakes here are straightforward: survive the first leg, avoid a heavy defeat, and keep the tie entirely alive for the crucial return leg on August 27.
Key Battle
With no standout individuals dominating the tactical buildup, this clash will be decided entirely in the engine room. St. Truiden's midfield must dictate the tempo on home soil, attempting to break down a resolute Cypriot defensive unit designed to absorb pressure and hit effectively on the counter. The visitors will happily sit deep, frustrating the hosts and turning the match into a tactical chess game rather than an end-to-end thriller.
Our Verdict
St. Truiden 1-1 Omonia Nicosia. Expect a tense, risk-averse 90 minutes. Neither manager wants to throw the tie away in the opening leg, leading to a gritty stalemate that leaves everything completely to play for in the second leg.