The painful classification of Lille and France will have four teams for the first time

Lille started the season in an unparalleled way thanks to Bruno Genesio, comfort in the bank Paulo Fonseca after his departure from Milan. The ‘dogues’ are co-leaders in Ligue 1 after winning their first two games and now they have gained access to the same group of the reformed Champions League after eliminating Slavia Prague while struggling.

After defeating José Mourinho’s Fenerbahçe in extra time in the previous qualifying round, Lille overcame the 2-0 lead they had from the first leg, played in Valenciennes as their stadium was unavailable due to the Paris Olympic Games, since in Eden Arena in Prague they lost 2-1 against a Slavia that put them in serious trouble for most of the match.

Zafeiris, the best, opens the scoring

In fact, the Czechs’ aggressive start allowed them to achieve their first goal: to score early to dream of a comeback. The Greek-Norwegian Christos Zafeiris, undoubtedly the best player of the match, opened the scoring in the 5th minute by receiving a header assist from Jan Boril and connect a shot at mid-height.

Alexander He responded with a powerful shot that covered the goal Antonin Kinsky (12′), but it is a mirage. Lille were at the mercy of Slavia’s pressure and their best players, such as Jonathan David, barely resisted the Czech pressure.

Slavia forgave

Slavia had two good chances to make it 2-0 in the first half. The first, very clearly, of Tomáš Chory, who missed his shot after receiving a back pass from all in his favor Lukáš Provod (22′). The second came on a free kick Zafeiris hits the crossbar (39′).

The break seemed to suit Lille but soon the goal Lucas Chevalier had to come to the rescue in the first of a series of outstanding interventions to get a tight shot from David Doudera (57′).

relationship with Zhegrova

Edon Zhegrova finally appeared with a long-range free kick that was poisoned and hit the crossbar to clear Kinsky (63′). This action galvanized the Kosovo winger, who soon seemed to seal the tie by tying it in with a left-footed shot from outside the area (77′).

In the end, this goal, along with the one that made it 2-0 in the first leg, ended the pass decision even though Lille still had to suffer the unspeakable because Slavia did not throw in the towel and advance again.

The extension did not come by miracle

Malick Diouf put a center, Chevalier took the first shot Mojmír Chytil, but Ivan Schranz At close range, he made it 2-1. With three minutes left in added time, it was enough for Slavia to have several clear chances to force extra time: a howitzer from Zafeiris that for the second time in the game he sent the ball over the crossbar which fell, alone, on Chytil before a Chevalier who had quick reflexes to avoid the goal and a final cross header from Matej Jurásek.

Lille, fourth at the last Ligue 1, returns to the Champions League for the first time since the 2021-2022 season and France will have four teams in the top European competition for the first time after PSG, Monaco and Brest will directly qualify.

Red Star, Slovan and Dinamo Zagreb, too

Red Star, European champions in 1991, had fewer problems, bouncing back from last week’s 2-1 draw at Bodo/Glimt after beating the Norwegian team 2-0 at the Little Maracana in Belgrade on Wednesday Brazilian Bruno Duarte from a penalty (26′) and the center back Uros Spajic (59′).

For its part, Slovak side Slovan Bratislava will return, after 31 years, to the top continental competition by beating Danish Midtjylland 3-2, after 1-1 in the first leg, with two goals in the last eight minutes from Croatian Marko Tolicwho also opened the scoring (33′), and the Armenian Tigran Barseghyan. Midtjylland managed to bring the score back with goals from Simsir (41′) and Franculino (50′).

Finally, Croatian Dinamo Zagreb met the predictions and confirmed their qualification after defeating Azerbaijani Qarabag 2-0, who they had already beaten in the first leg 3-0. They scored Marko Pjaca, with a spectacular shot from outside the area (32′) and Matheus Silva, own goal (53′).

Champions League final preview results (second leg)

Today

Qarabag (AZE) 0 – DINAMO ZAGREB (CRO) 2 (First leg: 0-3)

SLOVAN BRATISLAVA (SVK) 3 – Midtjylland (DEN) 2 (1-1)

RED STAR (SRB) 2 – Bodo/Glimt (NOR) 0 (1-2)

Slavia Prague (CZE) 2 – LILLE (FRA) 1 (0-2)

Tuesday

Galatasaray (TUR) 0 – YOUNG BOYS (SUI) 1 (2-3)

SPARTA PRAGUE (CZE) 2 – Malmoe (SWE) 0 (2-0)

SALZBURG (AUT) 1 – Dynamo kyiv (UKR) 1 (2-0)