UEFA Champions League
Third Qualifying Round
2
nd Leg Fixtures
August 14
th 2018:
Dynamo Kyiv (1) vs (1) Slavia Praha
BATE Borisov (1) vs (0) Qarabag
Spartak Moscow (2) vs (3) PAOK
Fenerbahce (0) vs (1) Benfica
Videoton (1) vs (1) Malmo
Dinamo Zagreb (2) vs (0) Astana
AEK Athens (1) vs (1) Celtic
Shkendija (0) vs (3) Red Bull Salzburg
Ahead of the draw for the group stage of this year’s competition on August 30
th, there are a handful of fixtures in the
UEFA Champions League qualifiers left to determine who will join PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands) and Young Boys (Switzerland) in the final playoff round.
SPARTAK MOSCOW VS PAOK – OTKRITIE ARENA, MOSCOW
The football season is back in full-swing following the month-long World Cup festival in Russia. The venue of England’s famous penalty shootout victory over Colombia in the Round of 16 will on Tuesday play host to a potentially thrilling UEFA Champions League qualifier. Spartak squandered an early two-goal lead in Greece as the visitors went into the half-time break 3-2 down. The two away goals scored could ultimately prove crucial over two legs however Massimo Carrera’s men have left themselves with an uphill battle to overturn the deficit. PAOK, the 2018 Greek Cup winners already have one giant killing under their belt having dispatched Swiss side FC Basel, who will miss out on the Group Stage of the competition for the first time in nine years.
Spartak Moscow recent results: (all competitions)
28/07/2018 – Spartak 1-0 Orenburg
04/08/2018 – Lokomotiv 0-0 Spartak
08/08/2018 – PAOK 3-2 Spartak (UCL)
11/08/2018 – Spartak 1-0 Anzhi
PAOK recent results: (UCL only)
24/07/2018 – PAOK 2-1 Basel
01/08/2018 – Basel 0-3 PAOK
08/08/2018 – PAOK 3-2 Spartak
FENERBAHCE VS BENFICA – SUKRU SARACOGLU STADIUM, ISTANBUL
The 2017-18 runners-up of their respective leagues Fenerbahce of Turkey and Portugal’s Benfica go head-to-head on Tuesday with one of four play-off places for the competition proper on the line. The Yellow Canaries followed up that first-leg defeat against Benfica by opening up their domestic campaign with a rather more convincing come-from-behind 2-1 win over a strong Bursaspor side. The Turkish outfit recently snapped up the signing of Leicester City’s centre-forward Islam Slimani on a season-long loan and the Algerian should be available to make his debut against the Portuguese giants.
Despite a difficult pre-season for The Eagles which included hard-fought draws against Borussia Dortmund and Juventus respectively as well as defeat at home to Lyon, Benfica began their quest to reclaim the Portuguese League crown from bitter rivals FC Porto with a 3-2 victory over Vitoria Setubal with Luis Pizzi netting a sublime first-half hat-trick.
AEK ATHENS VS CELTIC – OLYMPIC STADIUM, ATHENS
Brendan Rodgers and his Celtic side face the unenviably fate of failing to qualify for the Champions League at the first hurdle which would heap even more pressure on the former Swansea and Liverpool boss who witnessed a harrowing 1-0 defeat to title-rivals and log leaders Hearts in the Scottish Premier League on Saturday. The Hoops have now registered just one win from their last four matches in all competitions after Calum McGregor’s 17
th minute strike was cancelled out Viktor Klonaridis just before the break as the Greeks held on in the second half for a precious draw.
AEK Athens recent results:
08/08/2018 – Celtic 1-1 AEK
Celtic recent results: (all competitions)
11/08/2018 – Hearts 1-0 Celtic
08/08/2018 – Celtic 1-1 AEK (UCL)
04/08/2018 – Celtic 3-1 Livingston
01/08/2018 – Rosenborg 0-0 Celtic (UCL)
Betway Ghana Casino
The Betway Casino offers you a whole new world beyond Sports Betting! Give it a try at
betway.com.gh/Casino
For all the latest sports news, betting tips and promotions, follow
Betway Ghana on
Facebook,
Twitter,
Instagram,
Google+ and
YouTube