Braga Advances Past Zeleznicar Pancevo 1-0 in Conference League Qualifier

SC Braga secured a 1-0 victory over FK Zeleznicar Pancevo in the first leg of the UEFA Europa Conference League second qualifying round on Wednesday, 22 July 2026. The match took place at Stadion Mladost in Krusevac, Serbia. Ricardo Horta converted a penalty kick in the 67th minute after Zoran Popovic fouled Víctor Gómez in the penalty area, giving Braga a commanding advantage ahead of the return leg.

The Portuguese side, managed by Carlos Vicens, controlled much of the match despite not delivering what observers described as a dominant performance. Braga goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek made a crucial save late in the game to deny Aleksa Kuljanin an equaliser, preserving the clean sheet. Zeleznicar Pancevo, competing in European football for the first time in the club's history, mounted pressure in the second half but could not find the breakthrough.

Braga now hold the advantage in the tie ahead of the second leg scheduled for 30 July 2026 in Braga. The winner will face either Neftchi (Azerbaijan) or Dínamo Minsk (Belarus) in the third qualifying round. Braga entered the competition having reached the semi-finals of the Europa League in the previous season, while Zeleznicar qualified for European football after finishing fourth in the Serbian SuperLiga following their promotion in 2023.