Bodo/Glimt and Celtic took major steps toward qualifying for the Champions League league phase after securing decisive victories in their play-off first-leg ties on Wednesday.
Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt earned a 3-1 away victory against Dutch outfit NEC Nijmegen, while Scottish champions Celtic delivered a 3-0 home win over Austrian club LASK Linz in Glasgow.
The play-off round represents the final qualification hurdle in European football's premier club competition. Winning teams over the two-legged ties advance to the newly formatted 36-team Champions League league phase, securing substantial financial rewards and top-level competition.
Bodo/Glimt dominate in Nijmegen
Bodo/Glimt produced a dominant first-half performance at NEC Nijmegen, the Dutch team that had previously eliminated Greek club Olympiacos from the competition. The visitors took control of the match early and went into the half-time break with a 2-0 lead.
Sondre Fet opened the scoring for Bodo/Glimt in the 25th minute before Andreas Helmersen doubled the advantage from the penalty spot in the 44th minute. Shortly after the restart, defender Elbasan Alesami added a third with a header in the 50th minute to put the Norwegian side in complete control.
NEC Nijmegen pulled a goal back in the 85th minute through Kikanovic Bischof, giving the host side a slight glimmer of hope ahead of the return fixture in Norway. Bodo/Glimt, based in the Arctic Circle, have built a strong reputation for impressive European campaigns in recent seasons.
Celtic strike three past LASK
At Celtic Park in Glasgow, Celtic defeated Austrian Bundesliga club LASK Linz 3-0, although the final scoreline did not entirely reflect the flow of play. Celtic proved more fortunate and clinical than their opponents, converting key chances throughout the contest.
Benjamin Nygren opened the scoring for the Scottish side in the 26th minute. Colombian forward Camilo Duran then took center stage, scoring two impressive goals in the 38th and 67th minutes to establish a comfortable three-goal lead for Celtic heading into the second leg.
Hapoel Beer Sheva complete comeback
In Bucharest, Hapoel Beer Sheva staged a second-half comeback to defeat Azerbaijani side Sabah 2-1 in a clash between two Champions League debutants. Sabah took an early lead in the sixth minute through Simic, but Hapoel Beer Sheva responded before half-time when East equalized in the 43rd minute.
Zlatanovic scored the winning goal for the Israeli side in the 79th minute to give them a narrow advantage. The two teams will meet for the return leg in Azerbaijan on Tuesday, August 25, with the winner earning a historic debut spot in the Champions League league phase.
Draw in Bratislava and full play-off results
Slovan Bratislava and Slovenian side NK Celje played out a 1-1 draw in Slovakia. Slovan took the lead in the 15th minute through Tserepkai, but Celje equalized in the 41st minute through Avdili and held firm until the final whistle.
In the remaining play-off first-leg fixtures across Europe, Levski Sofia and AEK Athens played out a goalless 0-0 draw in Bulgaria. In Croatia, Dinamo Zagreb drew 2-2 with Norwegian side Viking FK. Beljo scored in the sixth minute and Lisica added a second in the 10th minute for Dinamo Zagreb, while Kristiansen in the 26th minute and Tripic in the 39th minute scored for Viking.
In Istanbul, Fenerbahce drew 1-1 against French club Lyon. Openda put Lyon ahead in the 40th minute before Greenwood equalized for Fenerbahce in the 47th minute. The decisive second-leg play-off matches will take place on August 25 and August 26.
