Pafos FC faces UEFA Europa League deficit after Salzburg defeat

On August 6, 2026, the first leg of the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round match between Salzburg and Pafos FC took place at the Red Bull Arena in Austria. The match was interrupted in the 15th minute by Polish referee Damian Sylwestrzak due to torrential rain that rendered the pitch unplayable. After a delay of approximately two hours, play resumed, ultimately resulting in a 1-0 victory for Salzburg following a goal in the 87th minute by Tabakovic. During the final minutes of stoppage time, Pafos player Sema received a second yellow card and was sent off.

Following this narrow defeat, Pafos FC returns to Cyprus to prepare for the return leg scheduled for Thursday, August 13, at the Alphamega Stadium in Limassol. The team, managed by Ricardo Sa Pinto, faces several personnel challenges, including the suspension of Sema and potential injury concerns for other players. Despite the disadvantage, the club remains optimistic about securing a turnaround, banking on its recent history of successful European comebacks. The winner of this tie will advance to the Europa League play-off round to face the loser of the Mjallby versus Slovan Bratislava match.