Basel scrape through as Cluj head for Parkhead
FC Basel progressed to the third qualifying round of the Champions League last night by defeating PSV Eindhoven on away goals.
Trailing 3-2 from their away leg last week, the Swiss side drew level on aggregate after eight minutes at St Jakob-park when, following a free-kick by Fabien Frei, Eray Comert fired a right-foout shot high into the net from outside the penalty area.
PSV equalised to retake their overall lead when Portuguese striker Bruna scored with a header from Donyell Malen’s cross.
At that stage, the Dutch side were favourites to progress, but Basel’s former Norwich City forward Ricky van Wolfswinkel, pictured, had other ideas. Set up by Valentin Stocker, his right-foot shot hit the back of the net to seal a place in the next round.
The 2-1 victory made it 4-4 on aggregate, and Basel progressed by virtue of the two goals they scored in Eindhoven.
Celtic will face CFR Cluj in the third qualifying round after the Romanian side held Maccabi Tel Aviv to a 2-2 draw in Israel.
Cluj went into the match with a 1-0 lead from the first leg, but fell behind after 15 minutes when English striker Nick Blackman scored for Maccabi to level the tie.
Their lead lasted only four minutes, however, as Argentinian midfielder Emmanuelculioequalised for Cluj, who moved ahead on the night seven minutes after the half-time interval through Venezuelan striker Mario Rondon.
Yonatan Cohen scored for Maccabi six minutes later, but Cluj held out to confirm their date with Neil Lennon’s side.
Olympiakos of Piraeus eased comfortably through to the next round with a 4-0 home win over Viktoria Plzen.
Having held their Czech opponents to a goalless draw in the first leg, it was looking just as tight at the Stadio Georgios Karaiskakis when half-time arrived with the tie still scoreless. However, the Greek side took their first step to victory after 51 minutes when Brazilian midfielder Guilherme broke the deadlock.
Thereafter it was downhill all way as Spanish striker Miguel Guerrero doubled their advantage in the 70th minute and Czech defender Radim Reznik put through his own goal three minutes later. The Portuguese defender Ruben Semedo completed Olympiakos’ victory in the 82nd minute.
Dinamo Zagreb also progressed comfortably with a 3-0 victory over Georgian opponents Saburtalo Tbilisi to complete a 5-0 aggregate success.
The Croatians left it late to stamp their authority on the home leg,before goals by Mislav Orsic (77), Bruno Petkovic (88) and Dani Olmo, four minutes into added time, made it convincing.
Ferencvaros of Hungary completed a 4-2 aggregate victory over Valletta by holding the home side to a 1-1 draw in the Maltese capital.
Cypriot side Apoel Nicosia thumped Sutjeska of Montenegro 3-0 at home and progressed 4-0 on aggregate.