Rangers set up play-off tie with PSV Eindhoven as Copenhagen’s Jordan Larsson nets third-fastest goal in CL history
Rangers secured their place in the UEFA Champions League play-offs with a 1-1 draw with Servette, winning the tie 3-2 on aggregate.
Leading 2-1 from the first leg, Rangers held their nerve to finish the job despite Dereck Kutesa’s 22nd-minute opener for the Swiss side.
James Tavernier, who also netted in the home leg, drew Rangers level on the night with a header at the back post from Borna Barisic’s cross five minutes after the restart.
In the dying seconds, Samba Diba spurned a glorious chance to send the tie into extra-time, and Rangers can now look forward to meeting PSV Eindhoven in the play-off round next week.
The Dutch side were 3-1 victors over SK Sturm Graz thanks to goals by Joey Veerman, Luuk de Jong and a penalty from Ricardo Pepi.
William Boving had opened the scoring for the Austrian side but it counted for little as PSV ran out 7-2 winners on aggregate.
Meanwhile, teenager Roony Bardghji settled a penalty shootout between FC Copenhagen and Sparta Prague with a ‘panenka’ as he helped the Danish side clinch their place in the play-offs following a thrilling 3-3 draw.
The drama arrived as early as 14 seconds into the game when Jordan Larsson – son of former Celtic, Manchester United and Barcelona striker Henrik – netted the third-fastest goal in Champions League history to give Copenhagen the lead in Czech Republic.
The scoreline remained unchanged until the 80th minute when Veljko Birmancevic found an equaliser to send the game to extra-time where the supporters were treated to a flurry of goals.
The hosts moved ahead thanks to Qazim Laci’s goal on 105 minutes, but Viktor Claesson levelled for the Danes in added time of the first half of extra-time.
Victor Olatunji restored Sparta’s lead but again Copenhagen responded almost immediately, with Claesson grabbing a brace.
The tie was eventually settled on penalties with 18-year-old Bardghji converting the deciding kick with a ‘panenka’ following two misses by Sparta.
Copenhagen will now meet Rakow Czestochowa after the Polish side defeated Aris Limassol 1-0 with Fran Tudor’s goal ensuring a 3-1 win on aggregate.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored a double but couldn’t prevent Marseille falling to defeat in a penalty shootout to Greek giants Panathinaikos.
Panathinaikos were leading 1-0 from the first leg but Aubameyang’s first-half brace turned the game on its head. But just when it looked like Marseille would progress, up stepped Fotis Ioannidis to net a penalty nine minutes into stoppage-time to send the game to extra-time.
Vitinha thought he had won the game for Marseille but his extra-time goal was chalked off following a VAR check and it would end in heartbreak for the Ligue 1 club as they crashed out 5-3 on penalties.
Panathinaikos will meet Braga in the play-off following the Portuguese side’s 4-1 win over Backa Topola.
Leading 3-0 from the first leg, Braga added another four in Serbia with Pizzi, Bruma, Alvaro Djalo and Al-Musrati all helping themselves to a goal apiece. Marko Rakonjac scored a consolation for the hosts.
Mauro Icardi netted the only goal of the game as Galatasaray earned a 1-0 win over Olimpija, of Slovenia.
The Turkish club – who had Wilfried Zaha on the bench – had Lucas Torreira sent off in the second half but there was never any threat of Olimpija conjuring up a comeback as they lost 4-0 on aggregate.
Their next opponents are Molde FK who required extra-time to emerge victorious on a 2-0 scoreline over Klaksvikar Itrottarfelag.
KI held the advantage coming into the game thanks to their 2-1 win in the Faroe Islands, but the Norwegian side fought back bravely on the night courtesy of goals by Kristian Eriksen and Martin Linnes.
Israel side Maccabi Haifa set up a meeting with BSC Young Boys, of Switzerland, with a 4-2 aggregate win over Slovan Bratislava following a 3-1 victory.
First-half goals by Frantzdy Pierrot and Dia Saba gave the hosts control before Marko Tolic netted a late consolation. Dean David sealed it with a third goal in added-time.
AEK Athens will take a 2-1 advantage back to Greece for the second leg against Dinamo Zagreb, who led at half-time through Marko Bulat’s 39th-minute opener. The visitors rallied thanks to Steven Zuber’s equaliser and a stoppage-time winner by Konstantinos Galanopoulos.
The winner of that tie will play Belgium’s Royal Antwerp.
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