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Champions League Qualifying: Bodo/Glimt Triumphs Late While Celje Pulls Off Stunning Comeback
The UEFA Champions League third qualifying round reached its climax on Tuesday as all ten second-leg matches unfolded, showcasing the thrills of late goals, red cards, and dramatic turns of fortune. Among the most remarkable stories was the clash between Bodo/Glimt and Union Saint-Gilloise, where a staggering eleven goals were scored across the two legs.
Bodo/Glimt secured their passage to the playoff round with a nail-biting finish in Norway, culminated by a last-minute winner from Andreas Helmerson. Twice during a tense match, Bodo had taken the lead, with Ole Blomberg and Jens Hauge both striking, only for Union to equalize on both occasions. The Belgian team’s hopes dimmed when Kamiel van de Perre received a second yellow card just before the end of normal time. In extra time, Bodo’s relentless pressure finally bore fruit, leading to their victory by a score of 3-2 at home, giving them a 6-5 aggregate triumph.
Next on the horizon for Bodo/Glimt is a matchup against NEC Nijmegen, who also endured extra time in their contest against Olympiacos, winning 2-1 on the night and advancing on aggregate. The Dutch squad, making its UCL debut, faced adversity after conceding right after halftime, but fought back to equalize and eventually score the winning goal just five minutes into extra time.
Meanwhile, Olympique Lyon demonstrated their prowess by overcoming a 2-1 deficit from the first leg against Sparta Prague. Utilizing their player advantage effectively in the second half, Lyon notched three goals, including contributions from Ernest Nuamah and Ainsley Maitland-Niles, finishing with a comprehensive aggregate victory of 4-2.
Fenerbahce also advanced, scoring a late penalty to seal a 1-0 win against Sturm Graz, following their 2-0 victory in the first leg. With this 3-0 aggregate win, Fenerbahce stands just one round away from a potential return to European football’s elite, boasting an impressive record against Austrian teams.
Celje Achieves Unbelievable Comeback
On the domestic champions path, Slovenia’s Celje achieved a stunning upset, rallying late to overcome Ararat-Armenia 2-0 in their match, thus advancing with a 3-2 aggregate score. Previously having lost both encounters to their Armenian opponents in past competitions, Celje showed resilience, breaking the deadlock in the 83rd minute thanks to Yaya Dukuly’s strike, followed swiftly by a goal from Benjamin Verbic to seal the victory.
As for Ararat-Armenia, who have struggled recently in European matches, they must regroup as they aim to make history by qualifying for the Europa League proper. Celje, on the other hand, will face Slovan Bratislava next, who dispatched Mjallby with a 2-0 win at home.
The highest-scoring match of the day occurred in Azerbaijan, where Sabah Baku overturned a 2-1 deficit to AGF Aarhus, producing an impressive 4-0 win in the second leg. With this victory, Sabah advanced with a 5-2 aggregate score, marking their largest win ever in European competition to date.
Additionally, Dinamo Zagreb triumphed over Kauno Zalgiris, finishing 2-1 in Lithuania for a resounding 7-1 aggregate win. Hapoel Be’er Sheva also progressed after a clear 2-0 victory over Crvena zvezda, overcoming a 15-match home scoring streak by the Serbian team.
With the successful teams now just two victories away from reaching the Champions League main draw in September, the excitement continues as they prepare for the playoff rounds alongside notable teams like Celtic, AEK Athens, LASK Linz, and Viking.
As for the teams that did not advance, the six clubs from the Champions League’s third qualifying round champions path will transition into the Europa League playoff round, while the four defeated teams from the league path will proceed directly into the Europa League’s league phase.
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