Epress.am News from Armenia
Peter Crouch struck a hat-trick to help Tottenham Hotspur complete a great comeback against Young Boys and reach the Champions League for the first time while Luis Suarez led Ajax Amsterdam back to the elite in a 2-1 win over Dynamo Kiev.
Tottenham’s 4-0 win at White Hart Lane on Wednesday took them through 6-3 on aggregate—a prospect that had looked highly unlikely when they trailed 3-0 after less than half an hour of last week’s first match, which they eventually lost 3-2.
Uruguay World Cup striker Suarez got the first goal as four-times European champions Ajax overcame Dynamo 3-2 on aggregate to reach the group stage for the first time since 2005-06—the last occasion their Ukrainian opponents failed to qualify.
Slovakian champions Zilina reached the group stage for the first time, beating Sparta Prague 1-0 thanks to a spectacular bicycle kick from Gambian Momodou Ceesay to complete a 3-0 aggregate win.
FC Copenhagen went through on away goals, beating Rosenborg Trondheim 1-0 for a 2-2 aggregate draw, and Auxerre beat nine-man Zenit St Petersburg 2-0 to qualify for the first time since 2002-03 with a 2-1 aggregate win.
Zenit St Petersburg could not match a spirited challenge from Auxerre and had two players sent off in the second half.
The team from Burgundy, who had lost the first leg 1-0, scored early in each half, both from corners. The first was a superb header by defender Cedric Hengbart and the second an acrobatic volley by Poland striker Ireneusz Jelen.
Zenit, by far the wealthier club, had goalkeeper Vyacheslav Malafeev sent off for handling the ball outside the area and Tomas Hubocan for a second yellow card.