Champions League preliminaries: results and qualify for the fourth round

It was the evening of the decisive matches for the third and penultimate qualifying round for the next Champions League. Maccabi Haifa and Stella Rossa will cross paths in the playoff that is decisive for access to the groups after having eliminated, respectively, Apollon Limassol and Pyunik Yerevan. Closer to the top European competition also Bodo / Glimt and Viktoria Plzen, who passed their preliminary rounds against Zalgris and Sheriff Tiraspol. Also ahead are Benfica, who after the 4-1 trimmed to Midtjylland in the first leg, also wins in Denmark 3-1, and Dinamo Zagreb that eliminates Ludogorets. In Eindhoven, everything happens, but in the end it is PSV, who have been sensationally eliminated, to go into extra time. Dynamo Kiev also goes to extra time. Rangers company that overturns the 2-0 of the first leg by winning 3-0 against Union Saint-Gilloise at the Inbrox Stadium. Qualify for the playoffs by right Copenhagen and Trabzonspor, who will play against each other.

Zalgiris-Bodo/Glimt 1-1

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After the 5-0 first leg, the Norwegians of Bodo / Glimt visited the Lithuanians of Zalgris without any particular worries. The hosts, however, tried to reopen the elimination with Kyeremeh’s goal in the 39th minute, but Mugisha’s equalizer (51 ‘) and the subsequent sending off of Mamic took away any hope of qualification from Zalgris. 1-1 final and Bodo comfortably in the next round, where he will face Dinamo Zagreb.

Viktoria Plzen-Sheriff 2-1

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Of the first four games of the evening the most open was Viktoria Plzen-Sheriff, who finished 2-1 for the Czechs in the first leg. The Viktoria has also taken the return with the same result, despite the Sheriff has sold dearly. The Tiraspol club collected the best chances, but only managed to score with Akanbi’s penalty (47 ‘). The Transnistrian team (who finished in 10 men due to the expulsion of Evangelou) will miss their second consecutive qualification in the Champions League: the goals of Kliment (10 ‘) and Mosquera (62’) project Viktoria to the next round, where he will deal with the Qarabag.

Apollon-Maccabi 2-0

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The spoils of the first leg, which ended 4-0 in Israel, were decisive for the passage of the round Maccabi Haifa, defeated in the return home by Apollon Limassol 2-0. Only a scare: the goals of the Cypriots, signed by Ogenda (19 ‘) and Coll (27’), were of little use. In the decisive round, Maccabi will find the Red Star.

Pyunik-Red Star 0-2

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There were no surprises on the horizon for the Red Star on its trip to Armenia either. The Serbs had won the first leg against Pyunik 4-0 and the goals from Kanga (penalty in the 44th minute) and Pavkov (60 ‘) were just the icing on the cake of an easy elimination. 0-2 the final result, a prelude to the crossing with Maccabi in the playoff.

Midtjylland-Benfica 1-3

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Another round, another victory for Benfica. The Portuguese easily access the playoffs by beating Midtjylland 3-1 in the return. The Danish hopes of qualification were low even before the kick-off, seeing the 4-1 immediately at the Da Luz stadium in Lisbon, and just like the first leg, Enzo Fernandez scores, who unlocks the match in the 23 ‘minute with a tap in close range on an assist from Gonçalo Ramos, three goals seven days ago. The doubling comes in the second half: in the 56th minute the former Inter midfielder Joao Mario crosses for Araujo’s head, who scores 2-0. Midtjylland’s reaction comes in the 63rd minute, with Pione Sisto shortening the gap. Diogo Gonçalves finally closes the match, making 1-3 with a great goal from outside the box. The final thrill of the match is another Midtjylland goal, this time canceled by the Var. Now Benfica’s last obstacle on the road to the groups will be Dinamo Kiev.

Ferencvaros-Qarabag 1-3

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Strong victory for Qarabag, who beat Ferencvaros 3-0 in Budapest. Intense and nervous game from the first minutes, the stakes are very high after the 1-1 first leg. To unlock it are immediately the guests, who at 7 ‘minutes find the advantage with Zoubir, reactive, after receiving the ball in the area, to put the Hungarian goalkeeper with a low shot. At 54 ‘good choral action by Qarabag and Ibrahima Wadji makes it 2-0. The Senegalese striker still thinks about closing the game, scoring his brace and the third Azerbaijani goal. Ferencvaros’ reaction was late: Adama Traore signs the 1-3 in the 86th minute but it is not enough. The Qarabag conquers Budapest and gives itself the Viktoria Plzen.

Dinamo Zagreb-Ludogorets 4-2

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Game less easy than expected for Dinamo Zagreb, who after the 2-1 victory in Bulgaria, beat Ludogorets 4-2 in the return leg. Croati ahead already in the 12th minute with Drmic’s header. At 17 ‘the game of the guests gets complicated: second yellow for the midfielder Yankov and Ludogorets with one man less. Ten minutes later comes the doubling with Orsic, good at converting a penalty kick. At 44 ‘Dinamo drops the trio: Orsic signs his brace with a nice personal action. The Croatian striker receives on the left, jumps dry a defender and passes the goalkeeper with a nice shot on the far post. Shortly before the double whistle comes the goal that gives confidence to Ludogorets, who scored with Despodov. The Bulgarians return to the field with another spirit and reopen the game at the start of the second half: check at the Var for a touch of hand in the Croatian area and a penalty for the Bulgarians again made by Despodov. Ludogorets believes in it and pushes, perhaps too much: in the 72nd minute the second yellow card also arrives for Rick and another red card. Taking advantage of the two men of advantage, Dinamo closes it definitively in the 87th minute, with Bruno Petkovic transforming the penalty of the final 4-2. The Ludogorets, in addition to the game, also loses its head and closes in 8: Karnicnik also expelled. At the playoff it will be Dinamo Zagreb-Bodo Glimt.

Rangers-Union Saint-Gilloise 3-0

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In Glasgow, the return of Rangers-Union Saint Gilloise has the flavor of enterprise. In a sold out Inbrox Stadium, the Scottish team must overturn the 2-0 first leg. Rangers take time to break the deadlock: Tavernier usually takes care of transforming a penalty kick. At 64 ‘comes the 2-0 signed by Colak. The comeback is completed in the 79th minute, when Malik Tillman steals the time from the Belgian defense and heads 3-0. Bitter final for the Union that also closes in 10: Jean Lazare Amani sent off for a double yellow card. Now for the Rangers there will be PSV.

STURM GRAZ-DINAMO KIEV 1-2

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In the first leg Dynamo Kiev had won 1-0, in the return the story is very different. Sturm Graz took the lead in the 27th minute of the first half, with Rasmus Hojlund receiving a good through ball in the area and scoring 1-0. The result resists the ninety minutes, but Dynamo Kiev puts it in the limelight: first Vivcharenko goes to goal, then Sturm remains in 10 (Manprit Sarkaria sent off for a double yellow card) and Tsygankov signs the final 1-2 in the 112 ‘ . Ukrainians in the playoffs, where they will meet Benfica.

PSV EINDHOVEN-MONACO 3-2

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It was the most anticipated match of the day, and PSV-Monaco did not disappoint. The guests got off to a good start, but the Dutch took the lead: at 21 ‘Mwene reached the back and put behind a ball that Joey Veerman, at the penalty spot, crossed to the right of the goalkeeper. The French used the interval to regroup and overturned it in the second half: first Guillermo Maripan equalized in the scrum, then Ben Yadder took care of signing the 1-2 on an assist from Gelson Martins. But the PSV does not give up and at 91 ‘finds the 2-2: Gutierrez scores. The joke for the French comes to extra time: at 109 ‘Luuk de Jong signs, obviously with his head, the sensational 3-2 Psv. The Dutch will challenge Rangers.

The scoreboard

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After tonight’s results, the draw for the last qualifying round of the Champions League was defined. The first leg of the playoffs is scheduled for August 16 and 17, a week after (23-24) the return:

Qarabag-Viktoria Plzen
Bodo Glimt-Ludogorets
Maccabi Haifa-Red Star
Copenhagen-Trabzonspor
Dynamo Kiev -Benfica
Rangers-Psv