Impressive Lovech too hot for Rudar

Substitute Florin-Daniel Bratu scored twice in a 4-0 success as PFC Litex Lovech powered past FK Rudar Pljevlja and into the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round.

Having only triumphed 1-0 in last week's first leg in Bulgaria, Lovech would have been expecting a tense night in Montenegro. Rudar's hopes of an upset took a blow when Wilfried Niflore headed in brilliantly for the visitors, and then became insurmountable as Neboysha Jelenković doubled the lead. Romanian Bratu added gloss with two of his own in the second half.

Home captain Predrag Randjelović went close to levelling the aggregate score with a shot that went just wide in the ninth minute, and instead the crucial first goal went Lovech's way as Niflore (28) rose to nod in Wellington's centre. Jelenković's goal was also eye-catching as he found the net from range six minutes before the break.

Bratu replaced Niflore in the 72nd minute and wasted little time making his mark, tapping the ball into an empty net after fellow substitute Georgi Milanov had hit the post with just goalkeeper Miloš Radanović to beat. Milanov also crossed for Bratu's headed second as Lovech sounded a warning to potential opponents Birkirkara FC and MŠK Žilina ahead that duo's second leg on Wednesday.