Universitatea Craiova cruised into the next Champions League qualifying round with a commanding 4-1 win over ML Vitebsk at the Mezőkövesdi Városi Stadion, despite playing on neutral ground.
The Romanian side made an ideal start, with S. Baiaram netting inside four minutes, finishing off an assist from O. Romanchuk. Vitebsk hit back through V. Gromyko in the 20th minute, set up by V. Bocherov, momentarily leveling the tie, but Craiova's response was swift and clinical.
A. Al Hamlawi struck twice from the penalty spot - in the 24th and 43rd minutes - to restore and extend Craiova's advantage before the break, putting the visitors firmly in control at 3-1 heading into halftime.
Filipe Coelho's 3-4-3 side controlled much of the second half, managing the game through a string of substitutions, while Mikhail Martinovich's Vitebsk, set up in a 4-3-3, struggled to find another way through despite fresh legs introduced from the 63rd minute onward.
Craiova completed the rout deep into stoppage time when substitute S. Nsimba, who had earlier picked up a yellow card, converted from M. Etim's assist in the 90+4th minute to make it 4-1.
The result gives Filipe Coelho's men a strong platform ahead of the second leg, while Vitebsk face an uphill battle to overturn a three-goal deficit.