UEFA Champions League qualifying: PSV rampant as Sparta Prague and Copenhagen draw blank in heated first leg

PSV Eindhoven thrashed Sturm Graz 4-1 in Holland as they close in on a spot in the 2023/24 Champions League group stages.

The Dutch side were rampant in the first half when they went three goals up inside 32 minutes thanks to an early opener from Isaac Babadi and a brace from Luuk de Jong.

Jon Gorenc-Stankovic clawed a goal back for the Austrian side just before half-time, but Ibrahim Sangare added a fourth with 20 minutes remaining to put the tie firmly in PSV’s favour.

Elsewhere, Sparta Prague goalkeeper Peter Vindahl Jensen pulled off a sensational double save to prevent Copenhagen from snatching a winner in their tie, which finished 0-0 at Parken in Denmark.

With the game goalless and 10 minutes left on the clock, Copenhagen broke forward through Elias Achouri who had a powerful strike denied by Jensen, before he emphatically kept out Diogo Goncalves’ follow-up from point-blank range.

Bruma and Pizzi scored early on to put Braga in control of their tie against TSC Backa Topola, and the Portuguese outfit put one foot in the play-off round when Alvaro Djalo scored late on to make it 3-0.

Galatasaray also won by a three-goal cushion to see off Olimpija Ljubljana before they travel to Slovenia for the second leg.

Kerem Akturkoglu, Dries Mertens and Halil Dervisoglu were enough for the Turkish side to stamp their authority on the tie.

Rakow Czestochowa beat Cypriot side Aris Limassol 2-1, while Klaksvik recorded a sensational comeback win with the same scoreline against Molde, courtesy of an Arni Frederiksberg second-half double.

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