Salzburg, Sheriff Tiraspol, Shakhtar Donetsk, Benfica, Malmö and Young Boys are through from the UEFA Champions League play-offs to complete the line-up for Thursday's group stage draw.
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All the 32 clubs that will enter the Champions League group stage this season have been decided, with the final six participants unveiled following the return leg of play-offs. Shakhtar Donetsk beat Monaco 3-2 on aggregate courtesy of a late dramatic own goal to secure a place in the Champions League group stage. The Ukrainian side joined Sheriff Tiraspol, who became the first Moldavian club to ever reach the Champions League, after overcoming Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb (3-0) over two legs. Meanwhile, RB Salzburg also joined them after beating Danes Brondby 4-2 on aggregate.
Trailing 1-0 from the first leg, Monaco started brightly at Metalist stadium as they took a 2-0 lead courtesy of Wissam Ben Yedder’s first-half brace. However, substitute Marlos levelled the tie in the 74th minute and forced the match to extra time as the away goal rule was no longer in effect in European club competition.
The away side was full of intent right from the kick-off and got the deserved lead when Yedder fired in from the rebound, Kevin Volland’s initial strike was blocked by Shakhtar goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov. Moments later, defender Benoit Badiashile’s attempt hit the woodwork. And a minute after the missed attempt, Yedder latched on to a superb cross from left-back Caio Henrique to put the visitors on the driving seat.
Yedder missed two simple one-on-one opportunities with the goalkeeper, on either side of half-time, and in the end it proved to be costly. Meanwhile, Pyatov denied Volland with a superb stoppage-time save after Marlos had pulled one back for the home side with a clinical near post finish.
In the extra time, the French side missed a string of chances before their captain Ruben Aguilar’s 114th minute own goal sent the home side into the Champions League group stage. Aguilar stuck his foot out to block a pass and the looping clearance sailed over goalkeeper Alexander Nuebel into the back of the net.
Having stunned the Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb 3-0 at home in the first leg, Sheriff eased to a goalless draw in Croatia’s capital and secured a place among the elite of Europe.
Sheriff has won the Moldovan title in 19 of the 21 past seasons and will finally take its place alongside the best of Europe. The low-ranked team from Tiraspol had to get through all four qualifying rounds to reach the group-stage draw.
In Brondyvester, Salzburg raced to a 2-0 lead in the opening 10 minutes of the return leg against Brondby through Benjamin Sesko and Brenden Aaronson. Sesko struck with a clinical finish in the 4th minute, before Aaronson slid the ball under goalkeeper Mads Hermansen.
Although the home side pulled one back through defender Andreas Maxsoe in the 62nd minute, it proved to be just a consolation in the end as the Danish side held out comfortably to earn a 4-2 aggregate victory.
