The third round of Champions League qualifying gave the first indications of possible play-off participants on Tuesday. PSV Eindhoven made it particularly clear
Six of the ten qualifiers went ahead on Tuesday night, with the seventh between AEK Athens and Dinamo Zagreb cancelled – and since rescheduled – due to the death of a fan. In the end, four home teams prevailed, the only one not to score was Copenhagen against Sparta Prague.
PSV Eindhoven set the biggest scent mark with their 4:1 home victory over Sturm Graz. The Dutch had already decided the game before the break: Babadi opened the scoring (4th), ex-Gladbach player de Jong scored twice within ten minutes (22nd, 32nd) – Stankovic’s goal was little consolation for Graz. The possible 4:1 was rightly disallowed by van Aanholt before the change (42.). Therefore Sangaré scored it a quarter of an hour before the end after a rehearsed free kick variation (73rd).
Klaksvik beat Molde late on
More dreams of the top flight were also kept alive by Polish champions Rakov Czestochowa, who won their home match against Aris Limassol 2-1. Kochergin took advantage of an unsorted Cypriot backline to take the lead (7th), Piasecki increased from the spot (63rd). Two minutes after the substitution of ex-Hamburger Kittel, Rakow wasted an even better starting position because Mayambela was allowed to lift the ball into the upper left corner (88th).
The fairytale of Klaksvik Itrottarfelag also continues. The small club from the Faroe Islands turned a deficit into a 2-1 home win against Molde FK. Frederiksberg scored twice (64th, 86th) to counter Eikrem’s 48th-minute goal. Goalkeeper Johansson recently spoke about the Faroe Islands fairytale with kicker.
Brumas Ballon – Dervisoglu makes it 3:0
Sporting Braga scored a commanding 3-0 home win against TSC Backa Topola. The Serbians looked overburdened defensively early on: After 17 minutes, the underdog allowed Bruma to pass and shoot unchallenged from 18 metres out on the half-left. With an inflated balloon, the Portuguese imitated the jubilation of ex-Leipzig player Nkunku, whose serious knee injury had become public on Tuesday. Pizzi had already provided the decisive goal in minute 19. Djalo dispelled any remaining doubts three minutes before the end.
Alongside Braga and Eindhoven, Galatasaray also opened the door to the play-offs: The Turks won their away match in Slovenia against Olimpija Ljubljana 3-0. Aktürkoglu put the favourites on the winning track after just nine minutes after a strong assist from Yilmaz. Immediately after the break, Belgian Mertens scored the second goal (48th). Joker Dervisoglu made the final score five minutes after substitution (90.+1).
