Lisbon / Bern (dpa) – Former world champion Mario Götze has to worry about entry into the Champions League with PSV Eindhoven. The Dutch soccer runner-up lost the playoff first leg at Benfica Lisbon 1: 2 (0: 2) on Wednesday evening.
Rafa Silva gave the hosts the lead in front of around 21,000 spectators (11th minute), Götze’s former Dortmund club colleague Julian Weigl scored 2-0 (40th) before the break. The goal of Cody Gakpo (51.) gave the PSV trained by Roger Schmidt new hope to move into the group stage of the premier class. Götze and Co. gave the best chances to equalize after the break.
Former Schalke coach David Wagner created a favorable starting position for Young Boys Bern with a 3-2 (2-1) win against Ferencvaros Budapest. Mechak Elia (16th), Vincent Sierro (40th) and Ulisses Garcia (65th) scored for the Swiss series champion. After the red card for Silvan Hefti (25th), the hosts had to make do with nine field players for almost 70 minutes. Franck Boli scored both goals in the Wankdorf Stadium (14th / 82nd) for the Hungarian champions, who are coached by former Bundesliga coach Peter Stöger.
Malmö FF won against Bulgarian champions Ludogorez Razgrad 2-0 (1-0). The second leg will take place on August 24th. The winners of the playoff duels reach the group stage of the Champions League; the losers compete in the Europa League.