København get the better of BATE

Dame N'Doye scored the winning goal as FC København defeated FC BATE Borisov 3-2 both on the night and on aggregate to book a place in Friday's draw for the UEFA Champions League play-offs.

After a goalless first leg in Belarus last week, FCK looked to be coasting when César Santin and William Kvist both found the net inside the opening half-hour in the Danish capital. Yet BATE were by no means buried, drawing level through Artyom Kontsevoi and Pavel Nekhaychik before Vitali Rodionov struck the bar just after the restart. Instead the deciding goal went to N'Doye, leaving København one step away from of a first group stage appearance in four years.

N'Doye was in the thick of the action from the start, his second minute through ball freeing Santin to beat Sergei Veremko at the far post. The Senegalese striker was denied a goal of his own by Veremko's super stop after 25 minutes, although the goalkeeper was well beaten by Kvist's drive from range soon after.

If the Danish champions thought they were cruising, BATE had other ideas as Nekhaychik teed up Kontsevoi for their first before levelling the tie with a low shot from the edge of the area. BATE now had the away-goals advantage, and would have nudged in front on aggregate too had Rodionov's effort not smacked against the bar with Johan Wiland beaten.

The clinching goal came just before the hour, Claudemir playing a defence-splitting pass which N'Doye seized on to edge Ståle Solbakken's side back in front. N'Doye was also involved in the final significant action of the match, his run towards goal in added time checked by Sergei Sosnovski who was sent off for a second yellow card.