Benfica returned to the Champions League group stage, playing the last hour with 10 men at PSV Eindhoven to hang on for a 0-0 draw. A 2-1 win in the home leg last week was enough to lift coach Jorge Jesus’ team back into the Champions League elite after a one-year absence.
Benfica defender Lucas Verissimo was sent off in the 32nd minute and the two-time European champion held out with a veteran back-line pairing of captain Nicolas Otamendi and Jan Vertonghen.
Best chance wasted
PSV, the 1988 European Cup winner against Benfica in the final, wasted its best chance in the 62nd when Israel forward Eran Zahavi struck the bar with a close-range shot.
Malmo’s Veljko Birmancevic has been a star of the Swedish champion’s progress through four qualifying rounds.
The Serbia international’s fourth goal in five games — a free kick from distance — was key in a 2-1 loss at Ludogorets that carried Malmo through 3-2 on aggregate.
Young Boys advanced with a second 3-2 win against Ferencvaros to repeat the first-leg result in Switzerland last week.
The Swiss champion led early through defender Cedric Zesiger’s goal, then leveled at 2-2 early in the second half with Christian Fassnacht’s goal.
Ferencvaros had defender Aissa Laidouni sent off before Young Boys’ United States forward Jordan Siebatcheu saw his penalty saved. The win was sealed in stoppage time by substitute Felix Mambimbi.
Wagner is back
Young Boys coach David Wagner, the former U.S. international, will lead his team back into the Champions League less than one year after being fired by Schalke during a Bundesliga-record winless run of games.
The results: PSV Eindhoven 0 drew with Benfica 0 (Benfica wins 2-1 on aggregate).
Ludogorets Razgrad 2 (Nedyalkov 10, Sotiriou 60-pen) bt Malmo 1 (Birmancevic 42) (Malmo wins 3-2 on aggregate).
Ferencvaros 2 (Wingo 18, Mmaee 27) lost to Young Boys 3 (Zesiger 5, Fassnahct 56, Mambimbi 90+3) (Young Boys wins 6-4 on aggregate).
For all the latest Sports News Click Here
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Google News.
