Three teams secured spots in the Champions League group stage after dramatic play-off victories on Tuesday, with LASK Linz staging an improbable 5-1 comeback against Celtic in Austria and Sabah Baku edging Hapoel Beer Sheva in Baku, all under the scrutiny of Romanian referee Istvan Kovacs.
The Champions League play-off drama unfolded across three matches, with LASK Linz, Sabah Baku, and Bodo/Glimt emerging as the latest entrants to the group stage. The outcomes, marked by last-minute goals and penalty misses, reshaped the competition’s landscape ahead of the final draw on Thursday.
LASK Linz’s Unbelievable Comeback Against Celtic
LASK Linz’s 5-1 victory over Celtic in Austria remains the most astonishing result of the night. After losing 3-0 in the first leg in Glasgow, the Austrian side faced a daunting task. However, they orchestrated a near-miraculous turnaround, with Samuel Adeniran scoring the decisive goal in the 109th minute to send them through 5-4 on aggregate. Adeniran also missed a penalty in the 115th minute, but it didn’t matter—LASK’s resilience secured their place in the group stage.
Moses Usor equalized in the 32nd minute, followed by Robert Ljubicic and Adeniran, who made it 3-1 by halftime. Florian Flecker added a fourth goal in the 90th minute, sending the match into extra time. Adeniran’s second goal in the 109th minute sealed the victory, marking LASK’s first Champions League group stage appearance.
Sabah Baku’s Dramatic Victory Over Hapoel Beer Sheva
In Baku, Sabah Baku overcame Hapoel Beer Sheva in a thrilling 5-2 win after extra time, securing their first-ever Champions League group stage qualification. Hapoel Beer Sheva led 2-1 in the second leg, but Sabah’s persistence paid off. Tellur Mutallimov scored the equalizer in the 90th minute, and Orphe Mbina and Joy-Lance Mickels added two more goals in extra time. The final scoreline of 6-4 on aggregate sent Sabah into the group stage, marking a historic moment for Azeri football.
The match, also officiated by Istvan Kovacs, saw Hapoel Beer Sheva reduced to 10 men after Djibril Diop was sent off in the 100th minute. Despite this, they remained in the game until the final moments.
Bodo/Glimt’s Confident Group Stage Qualification
Bodo/Glimt, the Norwegian side, secured their spot in the Champions League group stage with a 3-0 victory over NEC Nijmegen in the second leg. The Norwegians had already won the first leg 3-1, and their dominant performance in the return match ensured their progression. Fredrik Bjorkan and Sondre Auklend scored in the first half, while a own goal by Deveron Fonville sealed the 3-0 win.
Bodo/Glimt’s success continues their impressive form, having previously eliminated Inter Milan in the previous season’s play-offs.
The remaining four play-off matches will be played on Wednesday, with the final draw for the group stage scheduled for Thursday. The next key event will be the draw, which will take place in Monaco and will have significant implications for the teams’ schedules and potential matchups.
