Play-offs: Rangers, Copenhagen and Dinamo Zagreb complete group stage
Wednesday, August 24, 2022
Article summary
Rangers and Copenhagen produced fine defensive displays and Dinamo Zagreb came through after extra time to reach the group stage.
Article top media content
Article body
The last three spots in Thursday's 2022/23 UEFA Champions League group stage draw have been taken after the play-off round concluded on Wednesday evening.
Rangers, Copenhagen and Dinamo Zagreb came through tense ties after Benfica, Plzeň and Maccabi Haifa made it through with varying degrees of difficulty on Tuesday. UEFA.com rounds up all the play-off action.
Second legs
Tuesday 23 August
Plzeň 2-1 Qarabağ (agg: 2-1)
Crvena zvezda 2-2 Maccabi Haifa (agg: 4-5)
Benfica 3-0 Dynamo Kyiv (agg: 5-0)
Wednesday 24 August
Dinamo Zagreb 4-1aet Bodø/Glimt (agg: 4-2)
Trabzonspor 0-0 Copenhagen (agg: 1-2)
PSV 0-1 Rangers (agg: 2-3)
Wednesday's reports
Dinamo Zagreb 4-1aet Bodø/Glimt
Josip Drmic and Peter Bočkaj scored late in extra time as Dinamo Zagreb overturned a first-leg deficit to secure Champions League qualification at Stadion Maksimir.
Mislav Oršić had put Dinamo in front after only four minutes when he rattled in the rebound from his own shot and Bruno Petković scored with a superb overhead kick to put the hosts ahead on aggregate before the break.
Bodø/Glimt's record signing Albert Grønbæk fired underneath Dominik Livaković midway through the second half to force extra time but Drmic's cool finish and a late breakaway strike by Bočkaj booked Dinamo's return to the group stage after a three-year absence.
Copenhagen qualified for the group stage for the first time since 2016/17 by resolutely holding on to their 2-1 first-leg lead.
In a tense affair in Turkey, Copenhagen goalkeeper Mathew Ryan was pivotal, saving from former Copenhagen striker Andreas Cornelius in the first half. Cornelius had another chance after the break, swivelling in the box before firing wide, and Ryan then produced the game's key moment as he brilliantly turned away a firm header by Stefano Denswil.
Trabzonspor will wonder how their handful of openings could not yield more but when Anastasios Bakasetas fired into the side netting on 90 minutes they knew their wait to reach the group stages – which stretches back to 2011/12 – would go on.
A solitary Antonio Čolak goal proved enough for Rangers to win in Eindhoven and seal a passage into the group stage for the first time since 2010.
Though PSV had the better chances before half-time, the visitors regrouped after the interval and took the lead when André Ramalho presented the ball to Malik Tillman, who needed only to square to Čolak for the decisive goal.
Rangers held out thereafter without too many scares, meaning both Glasgow clubs will take their places in the group stage for the first time in 15 years.
Tuesday's reports
The hosts booked their place in the group stage for the fourth time thanks to an impressive comeback win in Plzeň.
After the goalless first leg, it felt as if one piece of magic would be enough to seal the tie and Filip Ozobić's stunning volley from the edge of the box just before the interval put the visitors in control.
However, the home side responded just before the hour mark through Jan Kopic's cool strike. Michal Bílek's men completed the comeback 15 minutes later thanks to Jan Kliment's close-range finish following Jhon Mosquera's clever pass.
Crvena zvezda 2-2 Maccabi Haifa
These sides picked up where they left off, following up their thrilling opener in Israel with another pulsating contest in Belgrade that was decided by a 90th-minute own goal.
Aleksandar Pešić set the tone this time and the home side doubled their lead on the night when Mirko Ivanić produced a fitting finish to a flowing move in the 43rd minute. The visitors levelled the tie before the break, though, as Milan Borjan was deceived from distance by Daniel Sundgren seconds after saving Dolev Haziza's penalty.
Then, with extra time looming, Omer Atzili's whipped free-kick into the box was sliced past his own goalkeeper by fellow substitute Milan Pavkov to spark wild scenes for the Israeli side.
Roger Schmidt's commanding Eagles cruised to victory in Lisbon, putting on an assured performance to swoop for their spot in the group stage.
Nicolás Otamendi glanced home the opener inside 27 minutes, before Rafa Silva and David Neres netted in quick succession just ahead of half-time.
The Portuguese outfit controlled the remainder of the tie with a composed second-half display, and with that, confirmed their 17th group stage appearance – the 12th time in 13 seasons.
First legs
Tuesday 16 August
Bodø/Glimt 1-0 Dinamo Zagreb
Copenhagen 2-1 Trabzonspor
Rangers 2-2 PSV
Wednesday 17 August
Qarabağ 0-0 Plzeň
Maccabi Haifa 3-2 Crvena zvezda
Dynamo Kyiv 0-2 Benfica
Wednesday's reports
Both teams went close to breaking the deadlock in the first half with Marko Vešović and Kady forcing fine saves from Plzeň goalkeeper Jindřich Staněk, and Marko Janković blocking Tomáš Chorý's goalbound effort at the other end.
Chances were few and far between after the interval as Qarabağ huffed and puffed without creating meaningful opportunities. Filip Ozobić tested Staněk late on with a fizzing effort from the edge of the area, but the 26-year-old produced another impressive stop to keep the teams on level terms.
Maccabi Haifa 3-2 Crvena zvezda
The Serbian side had won all seven games this season, conceding only once, before their trip to Israel but have plenty to do to in the return after a pulsating first leg. Dejan Stanković's men appeared in control here too when Aleksandar Pešić and Guélor Kanga overturned Frantzdy Pierrot's opener for the hosts before half-time.
Dolev Haziza had other ideas though. The midfielder, who set up the first goal, repeated the trick when his cross was glanced in by Pierrot then drove at the visiting defence and slipped in Tjaronn Chery for a well-struck winner.
Dominant Benfica will take a two-goal lead back to Lisbon after an impressive first-half showing in Lodz. The visitors started well and were rewarded when João Mário teed up Gilberto, who smashed a shot into the top corner from just inside the penalty area.
Viktor Tsygankov curled a shot just wide but, moments later, his pass was intercepted and Benfica broke clinically with Gonçalo Ramos arriving to clip home after David Neres' good turn. Chances were at a premium after the break, although Odysseas Vlachodimos did have to make a smart save to keep out Oleksandr Karavaev's deflected shot.
Tuesday's reports
Amahl Pellegrino's first-half header gave Bodø/Glimt a battling win over Dinamo Zagreb in their first leg in Norway. The hosts took the lead in the 37th minute after an even opening half-hour, and could have gone further ahead before the break only for Lars-Jørgen Salvesen's header to crash against the woodwork.
Dinamo improved in the second half with Martin Baturina denied an equaliser by an offside flag, leaving the Norwegian side with a narrow advantage going into the second leg.
Copenhagen will take a slender one-goal advantage to Türkiye next week after edging past Trabzonspor in Denmark. Viktor Claesson gave the hosts a deserved lead after nine minutes and Hákon Arnar Haraldsson missed a golden opportunity make it two before the interval.
Lukas Lerager made amends three minutes after the restart when he converted from close range from a corner but Tasos Bakasetas's deflected strike kept the Turkish side in touch.
A late Armando Obispo header earned PSV a draw against Rangers, who had won their last seven home games in Europe, in an absorbing first leg at Ibrox. Ibrahim Sangaré opened the scoring after Rangers had failed to clear a Cody Gakpo corner, but Antonio Čolak restored parity before half-time with his fourth goal for his new club in all competitions.
PSV goalkeeper Walter Benitez allowed Tom Lawrence's long-range free-kick to slip from his grasp to give the hosts the lead for the first time on the night, but with 12 minutes remaining Obispo steered another Gakpo corner into the net via the crossbar to complete the scoring.
When are this season's matches?
Group stage
Matchday 1: 6–7 September 2022
Matchday 2: 13–14 September 2022
Matchday 3: 4–5 October 2022
Matchday 4: 11–12 October 2022
Matchday 5: 25–26 October 2022
Matchday 6: 1–2 November 2022
Knockout phase
Round of 16: 14/15/21/22 February & 7/8/14/15 March 2023
Quarter-finals: 11–12 & 18–19 April 2023
Semi-finals: 9–10 & 16–17 May 2023
Final: 10 June 2023
