Among the winners on Tuesday were Levski Sofia, who left it late to defeat Kairat Almaty 1-0 in the Bulgarian capital.
The hosts were in complete control of the match, where they did not face a single shot from their Kazakh opponents. With 71% possession and 13 attempts in the game, it looked like they were going to be held to a draw.
That was before Serginho stepped up and played the hero, with his shot from distance fooling the Kairat keeper and finding the bottom corner.
Levski, who are playing in the Champions League for the first time in 17 years, are one of two Bulgarian teams – the other being Ludogorets – to make the competition’s group phase. That occurred in 2006/07, when they lost all six group matches and scored just once.
Kairat, on the other hand, are trying to make the league phase for the second straight year. They have won five of their last six home games in qualifying, and will feel confident in turning things around a week later in Almaty.
Levski were not the only team to come out with a stoppage time winner, as Slovan Bratislava came from a goal down to beat Mjallby 2-1 on the road. Manasse Kianga got his side the winner in the 94th minute to help them take a vital first leg advantage back home.
The Slovak champions, coached by former Ivory Coast international Yaya Toure, fell behind at around the hour mark from a penalty, but were able to overturn the deficit in the closing stages.
Ararat-Armenia also won 2-1 in their match at home to Celje in one of just two ties at this stage to feature a pair of sides to have never reached the UCL proper.
A comeback was required from the hosts, who got their winner 20 minutes from time. It was their second win over Slovenia’s Celje, who had also lost to them six years ago at this stage of the UEFA Europa League. That match was a single leg game during covid.
Israeli side Hapoel Be’er Sheva held off former European Cup winners Crvena zvezda 1-0 thanks to a first half goal from Zahi Ahmed. Despite playing the final half an hour down a man, the visitors could not convert any of their chances, and will have to come from behind next week.
Dinamo Zagreb were the only ones to take a comfortable first leg advantage, getting past Kauno Zalgiris 5-0 at home.
Union and Bodo draw in chaotic match as Sparta finally beat Lyon
In the league path, Union Saint-Gilloise and Bodo/Glimt played to an exciting 3-3 draw in Oostende. The Norwegians, who made the knockout stage last term, twice took the lead in the first half, but could not hold on as Union’s Raul Florucz levelled on both occasions.
Les Unionistes thought they won the game when substitute Promise David fired them in front in the 88th minute, only for Odin Luras Bjortuft to find an equaliser three minutes later to help Bodo avoid defeat.
It was the second time in as many meetings between the pair that the match ended all square after they also drew 0-0 in the UEL two seasons ago.
Elsewhere, Sparta Praha finally came out on top against Olympique Lyon, defeating the French team 2-1.
An own goal just before the break put Lyon in front as they bid to make it back to the UCL proper for the first time since making the semi-finals in 2019/20.
However, Sparta refused to give up, scoring twice in six minutes midway through the second period to produce an impressive comeback and earn a key win.
It was the first time the Czech outfit got the better of Lyon after losing five of their six games beforehand.
Olympiakos Piraeus and NEC Nijmegen played to a goalless draw in Greece as both teams traded opportunities throughout the 90 minutes. In the end, neither could find the breakthrough, leaving next Tuesday’s decider in quite the interesting state.
There are two more matches in the third qualifying round that will occur on Wednesday, as AGF Aarhus will host Sabah Baku, and Fenerbahce take on Sturm Graz.
Follow the UEFA Champions League qualifiers on Flashscore.
