Fenerbahce secured their spot in the Champions League group stage with a commanding performance against Lyon on Wednesday. After a 1-1 stalemate in the first leg held in Istanbul, the Turkish side took control early in the second leg played in southeastern France, racing to a 2-0 lead in the first half thanks to goals from Vedat Muriqi and English defender Archie Brown.
Despite a late response from Lyon’s promising Belgian winger Malick Fofana, who pulled a goal back in the second half, Fenerbahce managed to withstand pressure as two further Lyon goals from Lois Openda and Kail Boudache were disallowed for offside. Holding firm under mounting pressure, Fenerbahce sealed their return to the Champions League’s premier competition.
Other Qualifiers Confirm Their Places
Meanwhile, AEK Athens made a statement of intent by crushing Levski Sofia 4-0 to advance into the Champions League group phase. After a goalless draw in Bulgaria during the first leg, the Greek side dominated the return fixture. Barnabas Varga emerged as the star of the night, netting twice, while former Real Madrid forward Luka Jovic and Romanian midfielder Razvan Marin — who scored a crucial penalty — also contributed to the emphatic victory.
Elsewhere, Norwegian club Viking Stavanger celebrated a historic qualification by overcoming Dinamo Zagreb 3-1 at home to progress 5-3 on aggregate. After falling behind early to an Arber Hoxha goal for Dinamo, Viking responded swiftly with a penalty from Zlatko Tripic just eight minutes later. The decisive moment arrived early in the second half when Edvin Austbo and Tobias Moi scored within two minutes, cementing Viking’s first-ever appearance in the Champions League group stage.