Aleksandar Lazevski and Partizan advance to the group stages of the UEFA Champions League where they will face English giants Arsenal along with Shakhtar Donetsk and Braga, Goran Popov and Dynamo Kyiv will have to settle for the Europa League after being eliminated by Ajax, Darko Tasevski and Mirsad Mijadinoski will join Popov in the group stages of the Europa League, while Velice Sumulikoski, Boban Grncarov, and Ivan Trickovski were eliminated from the Europa League.
UEFA Champions League, Play-off Round, Ajax – Dynamo Kyiv 2:1
Goran Popov played the entire game for Dynamo Kyiv who lost 3:2 on aggregate and will have to settle for the group stages of the Europa League. Dynamo started the better side and had three great chances in the first half. First, Gusev received a great cross but his header from close range was over the goal. Later in the game, Gusev received a great through ball but his shot was saved by the Ajax keeper and it went for a corner. Finally, Dynamo had the best chance in the 34th minute when a Dynamo player got around his marker and sent a low pass to Yarmolenko but his shot from close range was straight at the keeper. Five minutes later, Ajax had their first chance when Luis Suarez easily went past Popov but Dynamo was saved as a dangerous shot was blocked. Ajax opened the scoring in the 43rd minute after a free kick was blocked but the ball fell perfectly to Suarez who went around the keeper and scored from a tight angle. Ajax added another in the 2nd half for a 2:0 lead before Dynamo got one back in the 84th minute on a penalty by Andriy Shevchenko. This game had a total of eight yellow cards and the Spanish referee lost control of the game. He kept on giving silly yellow cards and rewarding players that were diving so everyone started diving.
UEFA Champions League, Play-off Round, Anderlecht – Partizan 2:2 (Partizan advanced 3:2 on penalties)
Aleksandar Lazevski played all 120 minutes for Partizan who advance to the group stages of the Champions League for the first time since 2003. Partizan was better in the first 15 minutes and deserved the opener when Bralizian Cléo scored on a header from a corner. Partizan would take a 1:0 lead at halftime but Anderlecht completely dominated the 2nd half. Anderlecht kept pushing for an equalizer but it was Partizan who took a shock two goal lead in the 53rd minute when a long cross reached Cléo who provided a very good finish. The marking by Anderlecht was terrible as Cléo had a lot of space. Anderlecht didn’t quit and scored two quick goals int he 64th and 71st minute to tie the game at 2:2. Lukaku would then score for Anderlecht a couple of minutes later but the goal was ruled offside. By now, all the action was near Partizan’s goal but Anderlecht could not get another goal and it went to extra time. Partizan was able to keep it 2:2 after the 30 minutes of extra time so it went to penalty kicks where Partizan won 3:2. All three penalties missed by Anderlecht were over the goal so they didn’t even test the shaky Partizan keeper. Lazevski ran 13.89 kilometers in this game. The following day, the Champions League group stages draw was held and Partizan will be in group H along with Arsenal, Shakhtar Donetsk, and Braga.
UEFA Europa League, Play-off Round, PSV Eindhoven – Sibir 5:0
Velice Sumulikoski started for Sibir and played until the 71st minute when he was replaced by Arūnas Klimavičius. It was 3:0 at that point but PSV added two more goals to make it 5:0. PSV dominated the game and deservedly advances to the group stages of the Europa League.
UEFA Europa League, Play-off Round, APOEL – Getafe 1:1
Boban Grncarov played all 120 minutes for APOEL while Ivan Trickovski started on the bench before he came on in the 74th minute replacing Manduca. APOEL led 1:0 after 90 minutes and it was 1:1 on aggregate at that point so the game went into extra time. Trickovski had a chance in the 94th minute but his shot was just wide of the goal. Five minutes later, Getafe took a corner which was misplayed by APOEL and it went into their own goal. The APOEL players were stunned as they were the better team throughout the match and the away goal meant that APOEL would now have to score twice to advance. That didn’t happen and it finished 1:1 so APOEL was eliminated 1:2 on aggregate. Grncarov had a very good game for APOEL while Trickovski was active and also received a yellow card in the 104th minute.
UEFA Europa League, Play-off Round, Levski – AIK 2:1
Darko Tasevski started for Levski and played until the 66th minute when he was replaced by Aleksandar Aleksandrov. Levski was down 1:0 at halftime because of a mistake by the keeper but scored two quick goals in the 49th and 51st minute to get a narrow win and advance 2:1 on aggregate.
UEFA Europa League, Play-off Round, Litex Lovech – Debreceni 1:2
Mirsad Mijadinoski played the entire game for Debreceni and also received a yellow card in the 58th minute. His team advances 4:1 on aggregate.
Uzbekistan, Uzbek Oily League, Bunyodkor – Navbahor 2:0
Stevica Ristić played all 90 minutes for Bunyodkor and had a goal disallowed in the 81st minute.