Conference League Kicks Off in Style: Matchday 1 Delivers Drama
The UEFA Conference League launched its 2025/26 league phase with goals, drama and plenty of storylines. Crystal Palace made a dream start on their debut, Fiorentina kept their home fortress intact, and there were hat-tricks, upsets and first-time winners across Europe.
Palace shine in debut win
Crystal Palace wasted no time making their mark in Europe. Playing Dynamo Kyiv in Lublin, the Eagles looked sharp from the first whistle. Daniel Muñoz broke the deadlock just past the half-hour, meeting Yeremy Pino’s cross with a bullet header. Pino was at it again after the break, dazzling down the wing before setting up Eddie Nketiah, who calmly doubled the lead soon after coming on.
Even when Borna Sosa was sent off late, Palace barely flinched. Dynamo managed just a single shot on target as Oliver Glasner’s side celebrated a 2-0 victory to announce themselves on the continental stage.
Fiorentina’s experience tells
Back in Florence, Fiorentina showed why they’re one of the competition’s most seasoned sides. The Viola extended their unbeaten run at home in the Conference League league phase to ten matches, seeing off Sigma Olomouc 2-0.
Roberto Piccoli struck first with a cool finish midway through the opening half, while Luca Ranieri rattled the bar as the hosts pressed for more. Sigma weren’t shy, forcing David de Gea into a handful of stops, but the points were sealed in style when Cher Ndour rifled home a spectacular strike deep in stoppage time.
Spanish flair and German grit
Rayo Vallecano marked their first ever league phase appearance with a memorable night in Madrid. Unai López and Fran Pérez found the net in quick succession, lifting the crowd and giving Rayo a 2-0 win over Shkëndija.
Meanwhile, Mainz ended a long European absence with a narrow but vital 1-0 away victory at Omonoia. Strasbourg also celebrated a winning return to continental competition, edging Slovan Bratislava 2-1 thanks to goals from Habib Diarra and Moïse Sahi.
Big wins, big scorers
It wasn’t just about tight games – some teams ran riot. Zrinjski hammered Lincoln Red Imps 5-0, Lausanne-Sport swept aside Breidablik 3-0, and AEK Larnaca stunned AZ Alkmaar with a 4-0 thrashing.
And while 48 goals were scored across the evening, only one man grabbed the match ball: Franko Kovačević. The Celje striker bagged a stunning hat-trick in a 3-1 victory over AEK Athens, taking his tally to ten in the competition this season after already hitting seven in qualifying.
A night to remember
From debuts to dominant displays, the opening round of the Conference League had everything. Crystal Palace proved they belong, Fiorentina reminded everyone of their pedigree, and Europe’s lesser-known names showed they won’t just make up the numbers. If Matchday 1 is anything to go by, the road ahead promises fireworks.
