European giants Liverpool and Juventus should be able to cruise through to the playoff round of the 2010/11 UEFA Europa League when the second leg matches of the third qualifying round are played on this evening.
The Reds, who have been boosted this week by the news of a possible takeover by a Chinese billionaire and striker Fernando Torres committing his future to the club, hold a 2-0 lead over Macedonian visitors Rabotnicki.
Manager Roy Hodgson is likely to again field a relatively inexperienced side after the reserves and youngsters he put his faith in for the first leg performed well, particularly two-goal French striker David Ngog.
Juventus are in the same position ahead of their return match with Ireland’s Shamrock Rovers in Turin, with new coach Luigi Delneri hailing his team’s “intensity and pace” in the first leg in Dublin last week and no doubt hoping for the same sort of performance tomorrow evening. Portuguese contenders Sporting Lisbon are also in an advantageous position, hosting Denmark’s Nordsjaelland and holding a 1-0 lead thanks to Simon Vukcevic’s first leg goal.
OFK v Galatasaray (2-2)
A dramatic conclusion to the first leg in Turkey has left this tie firmly in the balance, with the momentum firmly in the favor of the Serbia side, who trailed 2-0 in Istanbul at one stage. A brace of goals from Arda Turan seemed to have Gala cruising towards the next stage, but they were left rocking in the final 10 minutes as substitutes Milos Krstic and Nenad Injac leveled the tie. The second leg in Belgrade promises to be a cracker.
Goteborg – AZ (agg: 0-2)
Struggling to make a particularly positive impression in this season’s Allsvenskan, Goteborg have it all to do if they are to turn their European fortunes around against powerful Dutch outfit AZ. The Swedes trail 2-0 from the first leg, during which a four-minute lapse shortly after the break cost IFK. Goals from Ragnar Klavan and Johann Gudmundsson have AZ firmly in the driving seat and it would take a brave punter to back against them progressing from this position.
Besiktas – Plzen (agg: 1-1)
It’s not been an easy start to the European season for Turkish sides. Besiktas would have wanted an advantage to carry back home after the first leg of their tie against Czech side Plzen but had to settle for a 1-1 draw in the town located to the west of the country. David Limbersky had given the Gambrinus Liga side the lead on 28 minutes, but a penalty from Matias Delgado leveled matters. Besiktas certainly start the second leg as favorites to progress, however.
Maccabi Tel Aviv – Olympiacos (agg: 1-2)
For a long period of the first leg it seemed that a shock could be brewing in Athens as home favourites Olympiacos trailed to underdogs Maccabi Tel Aviv. A penalty from Haris Medunjanin had given the Israeli side the advantage midway through the first half, but a red card flourished to Albert Baning on the hour mark proved the watershed moment. Olympiacos struck twice in the closing stages through Jaouad Zairi and Dennis Rommedahl to turn the opening fixture around, but this tie is by no means dead.
Slovan Bratislava – Crvena Zvezda (agg: 2-1)
Slovan Bratislava would seem to hold all the cards as they ready themselves to host Crvena Zvezda, who know they will need to score at least twice if they are to progress to the Europa League proper. The Slovakian outfit has yet to trail in this tie, having taken the lead in the first leg on the cusp of half-time through Milan Ivana. Though substitute Milos Trifunovic levelled with one of his first touches, the guests were quickly back ahead when Kornel Salata struck a deserved winner on 68 minutes.
Hajduk Split – Dinamo Bucharest (agg: 1-3)
An away goal from Marin Tomasov midway through the second half of the first leg has kept Croatian outfit Hajduk Split in with a chance of claiming victory over Dinamo Bucharest, who claimed a comfortable first leg advantage without ever overwhelming their opponents. Andrei Cristea slotted away an early penalty, followed before the break by a Juan Pablo Garat strike, but it may be Djakaridja Kone’s 70th minute goal that proves decisive over the two legs.
Sporting – Nordsjaelland (agg: 1-0)
Other fixtures Portuguese giants Sporting CP are in control of their tie against Nordsjaelland, despite only claiming a one-goal lead in Denmark last week. The Portuguese outfit dominated their opponents but struggled to get just reward for their efforts, finding the net only through Simon Vukcevic after 24 minutes. On home soil they must be heavily fancied to pick up another victory and make their way through to the Europa League proper.
Other fixtures
Teteks – Elfsborg
Banik – Dnepr
Zestafoni – Karpaty
Qarabag – Wisla Krakow
Dinamo Minsk – Maccabi Haifa
Dinamo Tbilisi – Sturm
Anorthosis – Cercle Brugge
Dnipro – Spartak Zlatibor
Timisoara – MYPA
Brondby – Buducnost Podgorica
Lausanne – Randers
Luzern – Utrecht
Levski – Kalmar
Aris – Jagiellonia Bialystok
Genk – Inter Turku
Jablonec – APOEL
Bangor City – Maritimo
Austria Wien – Ruch Chorzow
Cliftonville – CSKA Sofia
Hibernian – Maribor
Montpellier – Gyor
Motherwell – Aalesund
Zrinjski - Odense
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