UEFA Europa League REVIEW 6 Aug 2026: Hearts hammered 6-1 at Benfica, Rangers beaten away at Jagiellonia

Hearts' Europa League third qualifying round tie looks over after a 6-1 defeat away to Benfica. Rafa Silva opened the scoring in the third minute, T. Araujo made it two on 23 and V. Pavlidis added a penalty on 42, and G. Prestianni struck on 59 to put the hosts 4-0 up. T. Renaud pulled one back for the visitors on 72, but J. Duran made it 5-1 on 87 and A. Schjelderup converted a penalty on 90.

Hearts have now lost every leg of their European summer: 4-0 away to Sturm Graz and 2-0 at home to the same side in the Champions League, and 6-1 here. T. Renaud's goal at 4-0 down was the only thing they took from the night, and L. Mendy, B. Spittal, O. McEntee and C. Braga were all booked. Benfica take a commanding lead into next Thursday's second leg, which Hearts host.

Rangers also lost the first leg of their third qualifying round tie, beaten 2-1 away to Jagiellonia Bialystok. G. Montoia put through his own net in the fourth minute to give Rangers the lead, but E. Fernandez turned into his own goal on 13 to level it and K. Szmyt fired Jagiellonia in front on 21. Rangers had T. Rommens booked on five minutes, T. Chukwuani on 34 and N. Raskin on 90, and never got back on terms. They trail 2-1 going into next Thursday's second leg, which they host. Larne and Iberia 1999 drew the first leg of their own tie 0-0 at Larne on 4 August.

Elsewhere in the third qualifying round, Anderlecht won 1-0 away to PAOK through M. Cvetkovic's goal in the opening minute, Besiktas won 1-0 away at Hradec Kralove through S. Kilicsoy on 80 despite having K. Ouattara sent off on 71, and CSKA Sofia won 3-0 away to Maccabi Tel Aviv through M. Ebong, L. Godoy and J. Zwarts. Salzburg edged past Pafos 1-0 with H. Tabakovic's goal on 88, Thun beat Vikingur Reykjavik 3-0 and Lech Poznan saw off Klaksvik 1-0 through Y. Agnero on 81, while KuPS drew 1-1 with Universitatea Craiova and Lincoln Red Imps were pegged back by Omonia, P. Andreou levelling in the 90th minute.