The Fiji Times

Ferencvaro­s, Dynamo, Olympiakos in

- ■ REUTERS

BUDAPEST - Ferencvaro­s reached the Champions League group stage for the first time in 25 years after a 0-0 draw with Molde in their playoff round return leg yesterday sent the Hungarian side through on away goals following a 3-3 draw in Norway. Dynamo Kiev joined them after a 3-0 home win over Gent completed their 5-1 aggregate rout of the Belgians, as did Olympiakos Piraeus whose 0-0 draw at Omonoia Nicosia was enough for a 2-0 overall victory against the Cypriots. Ferencvaro­s snatched a fortuitous high-scoring draw in Norway and rode their luck again in Budapest as the visitors missed several chances to advance.

Molde’s Etzaz Hussain blazed a shot that was deflected over the bar from close range in the 55th minute before Erik Hestad spurned a gilt-edged opportunit­y in the 76th, with goalkeeper Denes Dibusz pulling off a fine save.

Substitute Ola Brynhildse­n shot inches wide in the dying minutes as Molde piled the pressure on by pounding long balls and crosses into the Ferencvaro­s penalty area, but the home side’s packed defence held firm. Dynamo’s Vitaliy Buyalskiy put them ahead with a classy backheel in the ninth minute before talented midfielder Mykola Shaparenko rattled the post with a superb volley from 20 metres.

Carlos De Pena netted the first of Dynamo’s two penalties to make it 2-0, rifling in a low spot-kick in the 36th minute after Gent defender Igor Plastun handled a Gerson Rodrigues cross.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Fiji