Former Spartak players are one step away from the Champions League! The main events of the first games of the playoff round.
Anatoly Romanov Aug 23, 2023 07:00 UTC Audio Version: Your browser does not support the audio element.
Several former RPL legionnaires are likely to play in the group stage.
On Tuesday, August 22, the first legs of the Champions League play-offs were played. On this day three matches were held, and on Wednesday three more couples will play. We talk about the main events of past matches.
The main events of the third qualifying round of the Champions League
The Russian team caused a sensation in the Champions League. In a penalty shootout, they eliminated the top French club!
results of the day
Rangers (Scotland) – PSV (Netherlands) – 2:2 Rakow (Poland) – Copenhagen (Denmark) – 0:1 Antwerp (Belgium) – AEK (Greece) – 1:0.
Fun battle between Rangers and PSV in Glasgow
In the match between Rangers and PSV, the favorites, of course, are the Dutch, but the stands at the Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow, as always, gave strong support to their team and, therefore, matched the strength of the rivals. The Eindhoven team had more possession of the ball and was closer to the goal in the first half, however, the Scots opened the scoring. This happened thanks to the “bring” of Ibrahim Sangar. Centrhav lost the ball, pressured from his own penalty area, and the hosts’ Senegalese striker Abdalla Sima fired accurately from 15-16 meters into the far top corner.
However, in the second half, when PSV increased the pressure, Sangaré redeemed himself from the mistake. The Ivorian flew into the penalty area and equalized. The whole attack for Peter Bosch’s team was beautiful, and the biggest guy is Ismael Saibari. The midfielder cleverly missed the ball between his legs for the free Sangare to receive the pass.
PSV went to put pressure on Rangers, feeling the superiority of the game, got carried away and failed on the counterattack! The hosts flew away from their half of the field three to two, with Cyril Dessers putting in an excellent pass to Rabbi Matondo. The Welshman, having avoided the offside, struck impeccably into the bottom corner.
PSV was rescued by the more experienced Luc de Jong. The center forward scored a classic goal for himself. Following a corner, he beat John Souttar through the air and sent the ball into the net with a header from the goalie line.
At that time, Gus Thiel was already on the field. The former Spartak midfielder came on as a substitute for PSV midway through the second half and starred in this fun and hot game. Now everything will be decided in Eindhoven, but the chances of the Dutch getting a ticket to the Champions League group stage remain high.
Klasson and Larsson helped Copenhagen beat Rakow
The match between Rakuva and Copenhagen was attended by former Krasnodar midfielder Viktor Klasson and former Spartak striker Jordan Larsson, who started the Danes. And already in the ninth minute, these two celebrated with their teammates a goal against the Poles. More specifically, the own goal. “Copenhagen” scored a curious goal. Winger Mohamed Elyounoussi made a cross but hit defender Bogdan Rakovitsan. As a result of a successful rebound for the Danes, the ball flew into the nearest corner – goalkeeper Vladan Kovacevic clearly did not expect such a rebound.
Rakuva had little attacking success, however before the break the hosts appeared to rebound. After one out, the return of the ball to the penalty area and a discount, the Greek Giannis Papanikolaou scored against the Polish goalkeeper of Copenhagen Kamil Grabar. However, David Shvarga’s team had bad luck again: the goal was disallowed after VAR intervention due to a millimeter offside.
In the second half, the rivals did not create much more sharpness than in the cautious first. The Poles did not have enough non-standard team and individual actions in the attack to break through the Copenhagen defense. The away victory, obtained by a single goal, brings Klasson and Larsson’s team closer to the group stage of the Champions League.
Three former RPL players failed to save AEK from defeat in the match against Antwerp
Former RPL legionnaires also took part in the match between Antwerp and AEK: the Greeks relied on defensive captain Damian Szymanski (played for Akhmat) and midfielder Steven Zuber, who played for CSKA.
The first “sat down” on a yellow card already at the end of the half-hour of the match, for which he was substituted at half-time. And in the 36th minute, the former Spartak striker Ezequiel Ponce came on as a substitute. In addition, the guests had Milad Mohammadi (Akhmat) on the bench, while the hosts had Girano Kerk (Lokomotiv) and Chidera Ejuke (CSKA).
In general, AEK played more interesting, but conceded an early goal. “Antwerp” broke through the defense of the Greeks in the center. Midfielder Arthur Vermeeren cut the finer, penetrating pass, and forward Vincent Janssen struck accurately into the far bottom corner. Then the Belgians tried to maintain a minimal advantage, but in the second half it was very difficult for them: a direct red card for a rude foul (a blow to the opponent’s ankle) was received by Jelle Bataille.
AEK pressed, outscored the hosts by more than two and a half times in number of shots (21:8), but the Greeks failed to escape defeat. In the end, Antwerp rallied. One way or another, the Belgians also took a big step towards the group stage of the Champions League.
On Wednesday, August 23, in the first legs of the playoff round will play:
Maccabi Haifa (Israel) – Young Boys (Switzerland) Molde (Norway) – Galatasaray (Turkey) Braga (Portugal) – Panathinaikos (Greece).
