After 12 years, Rangers footballers will play in the Champions League group stage. The Glasgow team eliminated PSV Eindhoven in the final play-off, after a 2-2 draw at home, they won 1-0 in the Netherlands.
The next advance was Copenhagen, which drew goalless in the rematch at Trabzonspor. The Danish team won the opening match 2:1. Dinamo Zagreb became the last 32nd participant in this year’s main stage of the elite competition. The Croatian national team beat Bodö/Glimt 4:1 at home after extra time.
Rangers in Eindhoven secured the narrowest triumph in the 60th minute by Croatian striker Čolak after a mistake by the home defense and Tillman’s pass. Shortly before, Lawrence hit the crossbar of the PSV goal.
Copenhagen did not concede in Trabzon thanks to the performance of goalkeeper Ryan, who eliminated several promising domestic chances. The Danish champions will appear in the Champions League group stage for the first time in six years.
Dinamo, which lost 0:1 on artificial grass in Norway, already sent Oršič into the lead in the fourth minute, and half an hour later Petkovič increased the score with exhibition “scissors”. However, the visitors forced extra time with a goal from substitute Grönbaek in the 70th minute. In the end, the Zagreb team decided thanks to goals from substitutes Drmic and Bočkaj.
The Croatian champions advanced to the group stage for the first time since 2019, knocking out fellow Norwegian rivals Rosenborg Trondheim in the play-offs. Bodö/Glimt will not have their premier participation in the main part of the Champions League this year either.
The group stage of the most prestigious club competition, where Pilsen also made it, will be drawn on Thursday from 18:00 in Istanbul. All three of today’s advancers will be in the fourth performance basket, just like Viktoria.
Rematch of the 4th preliminary round of the Champions League:
Master part:
Trabzonspor – FC Copenhagen 0:0
First match: 1:2, Copenhagen advanced.
Dinamo Zagreb – Bodö/Glimt 4:1 after extra time. (2:1, 2:0)
Goals: 4. Oršič, 35. Petkovič, 117. Drmic, 120. Bočkaj – 70. Grönbaek. First match: 0:1, Dinamo advanced.
Non-championship part:
PSV Eindhoven – Glasgow Rangers 0:1 (0:0)
Goal: 60. Freshman. First match: 2-2, Rangers advance.
