NK Publikum Celje secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Banik Ostrava in the first leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League playoff tie on August 22, 2025. The Slovenian side will take a precious lead to the Czech Republic after a hard-fought match decided by a single goal. The only goal of the game came in the first half, with Celje's striker finishing a swift attacking move after a defensive error from Ostrava. The visitors dominated possession for large periods and created several chances to equalize, but were repeatedly denied by the Celje goalkeeper, who produced a man-of-the-match performance with a series of crucial saves. Banik Ostrava will feel frustrated not to have scored an away goal, which leaves them with work to do in the second leg. The Celje manager praised his team's defensive solidity and fighting spirit, while the Ostrava coach remained confident his team could overturn the deficit at home with a more clinical performance.