Ajax were turfed out of the Champions League at the third qualifying round stage by Rapid Vienna, who scored three times in Amsterdam to win the second leg by the odd goal in five and advance 5-4 on aggregate.
The Austrian team led 2-0 at half-time thanks to goals from Robert Beric and Louis Schaub, but a youthful Ajax, with an average age of 21, were on level terms through Arkadiusz Milik and Nemanja Gudelj. Schaub scored 13 minutes from the end, however, to send Rapid into the play-off round where they could meet Manchester United.
Louis van Gaal’s team could also be paired with Monaco in Friday’s draw, after the Ligue 1 team had no problem in dismissing Young Boys. Having won the away leg 3-1, Monaco scored four in 23 second half minutes at the Stade Louis II to inflict a 7-1 aggregate hammering on the Swiss. Ivan Cavaleiro broke the deadlock after 54 minutes, Lavyin Kurzawa scored the second 10 minutes later, while Anthony Martial and Stephan El Shaarawy added a goal each.
Dinamo Zagreb advanced by the skin of their teeth having taken a 3-0 lead away to Molde only to let it slip and rely on away goals to progress. Marko Pjaca, Arijan Ademi and Marko Rog put the Croatians in a commanding position, 4-1 up on aggregate, after 23 minutes. However Etzaz Hussain pulled one back before the break and Mohamed Elyounoussi and Ola Kamara struck to level the tie. Molde had Vegard Forren sent off 18 minutes before the end, though, and could not find a winner.
Apoel Nicosia were also thankful for the away goals rule against FC Midtjylland. Leading 2-1 from the away leg, the Cypriots fell behind after only two minutes as Erik Sviatchenko put the visitors in front, while the Danish team were given another lifeline when Apoel’s Vincius was shown a red card half an hour in. Midtjylland, owned by Brentford’s Matthew Benham, could not find a second goal however and bowed out 2-2 on aggregate.
