Rutter double as Brighton thrash Kauno Zalgiris 4-0 in Conference League while Hajduk Split beat Ajax 2-1
Brighton opened their Conference League campaign with a 4-0 win, Ajax lost 2-1 in Split and Hearts were held 1-1 by Nordsjaelland on matchday one.
The Conference League league phase started on Thursday, 15 October, and Brighton made the most of their return to Europe. Georginio Rutter scored twice in a 4-0 win over Lithuania's Kauno Zalgiris at the Amex Stadium. In Croatia, Hajduk Split beat Ajax 2-1, and Hearts let in a late equaliser to draw 1-1 with Nordsjaelland. The late games finished in the early hours of Friday, Malaysia time.
Brighton cruise on European return
Fabian Hurzeler's side needed patience before taking the lead in the 43rd minute. Rutter met Ibrahim Osman's cross, and the goal stood after a VAR check. Jack Hinshelwood made it 2-0 in first-half stoppage time from Rutter's pass. It was Hinshelwood's first start since the Premier League's opening weekend.
Rutter got his second in the 53rd minute after Osman cut the ball back following a run by Malick Yalcouye. Matt O'Riley headed the fourth in the 67th minute, his first Brighton goal since August 2025. Kauno goalkeeper Tomas Svedkauskas kept the score down with a late save from O'Riley.
Brighton have now won five games in a row in all competitions. They are top of the early Conference League table after the biggest win of the night.
Hajduk spoil Ajax's Conference League debut
Ajax were playing their first ever Conference League match, and it went badly in Split. Hajduk were back on Europe's main stage for the first time in 16 years, and they played in front of a large tifo and an almost full stadium.
Abdoulie Sanyang put Hajduk ahead in the 37th minute on the counter, after a loose pass from 19-year-old Jofre Torrents. Davy Klaassen equalised in the 53rd minute from Thilo Kehrer's cross. Torrents then gave the ball away again, Michele Sego set up the winner, and Hajduk went back in front.
Fireworks inside the ground held up play for a long time. Ajax created little after the restart, and the defeat adds to the pressure on coach Michel Sanchez.
Hearts pegged back at Tynecastle
Wouter Vrancken's Hearts led Danish side Nordsjaelland through Oisin McEntee's close-range finish from a corner in the 33rd minute. Goalkeeper Beau Reus made several good saves, and Hearts had chances to make it 2-0. Then in the 86th minute substitute Nicklas Rojkjaer's shot took a big deflection and went in for 1-1. Hearts now face two away games in quick succession, against Celtic in the league and Trabzonspor in Europe.
Around the league phase
Atalanta beat Pafos 3-1 and Copenhagen beat Braga 3-0. Monaco came back from Sofia with a 2-1 win over CSKA. Trabzonspor won 4-2 at KuPS Kuopio, Freiburg beat Jablonec 3-2, and Lugano beat Crvena Zvezda 3-2.
Matchday two is on Thursday, 22 October. Ajax host Atalanta, Monaco welcome Freiburg, Brighton travel to Jablonec, and Hearts visit Trabzonspor. Before that, Brighton host Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Sunday, 18 October, at 9pm Malaysia time.
Key takeaways
- Georginio Rutter scored twice as Brighton beat Kauno Zalgiris 4-0 and went top of the Conference League table.
- Hajduk Split beat Ajax 2-1 in Ajax's first Conference League match, with two Ajax errors leading to the goals.
- Hearts drew 1-1 with Nordsjaelland after Nicklas Rojkjaer's deflected 86th-minute equaliser.
- Atalanta, Copenhagen, Monaco and Trabzonspor all won on matchday one.
FAQ
Who scored for Brighton against Kauno Zalgiris? Georginio Rutter scored twice, and Jack Hinshelwood and Matt O'Riley got one each in the 4-0 win.
What was the score between Hajduk Split and Ajax? Hajduk Split won 2-1. Abdoulie Sanyang scored first, Davy Klaassen equalised, and Hajduk scored again to win.
When is Conference League matchday two? Thursday, 22 October. The late kick-offs fall in the early hours of Friday, 23 October, Malaysia time.
Sources: UEFA, Sky Sports, NL Times, Irish News