LONDON: Olympiakos and Dinamo Zagreb took big steps towards returning to the Champions League group stage with convincing wins in the first leg of their playoff-round games on Wednesday.

Olympiakos scored three late goals to beat Russian debutants Krasnodar 4-0 although their fans could be in trouble after a Russian journalist claimed he was attacked and had his nose broken in an assault, and Croatian champions Dinamo struck twice in the first half hour in a 2-0 win over Norwegian league winners Rosenborg.

Young Boys were the only home team not to win, needing a 76th-minute penalty awarded by video review and scored by French veteran Guillaume Hoarau to secure a 2-2 draw with Red Star Belgrade.

Former European champions Red Star, playing their seventh qualifying game in seven weeks, are trying to advance from the first qualifying round to the group stage in back-to-back seasons.

Olympiakos played the first of their 18 Champions League campaigns more than a decade before Krasnodar, who eliminated former European champions Porto in the last round, were founded in 2008 and a late flurry from the Greek runners-up virtually settled their tie.

Miguel Angel Guerrero curled in the first on the half hour and, although Krasnodar kept it down to a single goal until the 78th minute, they were undone by a brace from substitute Lazar Randjelovic.

The Serb opened his account two minutes after coming on and netted the second from outside the penalty area in the 86th minute. Daniel Podence produced a neat dinked finish for the fourth and give Krasnodar a daunting task in the second leg next Tuesday.

Once Champions League regulars, Rosenborg trailed to Dinamo when Marius Lundemo bundled over Bruno Petkovic who converted the penalty himself in the eighth minute.

Dinamo added a second with a route one goal as goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic’s clearance came off the head of a defender and fell into the path of Mislav Orsic who shot under Andre Hansen.

HOARAU PENALTY DENIES RED STAR

In a gripping match, Red Star fell behind to an early goal, then hit back to lead 2-1 before Young Boys substitute Hoarau levelled with his first touch of the ball.

“We put in a good performance but we were perhaps too nice — we gave them two gifts, goals we could have avoided,” Hoarau told UEFA.com.

“We’re frustrated because we dominated the match, created a lot of chances but didn’t win. It’s a good result for them but it’s not over,” he added.

While the Swiss side had qualified directly for the playoff round, Red Star battled their way through three rounds, overcoming opponents from Lithuania, Finland and Denmark with the last tie against FC Copenhagen going to a remarkable 22-penalty shootout.

Both teams took part in the group stage for the first time last season and it was Young Boys who went ahead in the seventh minute when Roger Assale was sent clear of the defence and the Ivorian forward drove his shot past Milan Borjan.

Milos Degenek levelled 11 minutes later with a looping header at the far post which caught goalkeeper David van Ballmoos out of his ground.

Borjan made three outstanding saves to keep Red Star level at halftime and they went ahead immediately after the restart.

Marko Gobeljic sent in a low cross from the right and Argentine Mateo Garcia turned it in at the far post for a goal on his debut.

The drama continued as Nicolas Moumi Ngamaleu burst into the Red Star area and went down under a challenge from Richmond Boakye. The referee initially gave a goal kick but changed his mind after a VAR review and Hoarau fired in the equaliser.

The 35-year-old former France international went close to winning the game for the Swiss champion with a glancing header in the 89th.

Red Star, despite the draw, have the upper hand ahead of next week’s return leg thanks to their away goals.

Published in Dawn, August 23rd, 2019