Galatasaray, Young Boys, Braga head to Champions League group stage after playoff wins

LONDON: Galatasaray hung on to their lead and Young Boys survived having the frame of their goal struck three times but both ended Tuesday back in the Champions League group stage.

Galatasaray defender Angeliño’s deflected free kick in stoppage time sealed a 2-1 win over Molde in the second leg of their qualifying playoff, and a 5-3 aggregate score, minutes after the Norwegian champion had a possible equalizing goal overruled by video review.

Young Boys eventually eased past Maccabi Haifa 3-0, after a scoreless draw in Israel last week, though the Swiss champions rode their luck in the first half.

Braga also booked their place in the 32-team group stage draw Thursday by winning 1-0 at Panathinaikos to complete a 3-1 aggregate score.

Once a Champions League regular, Galatasaray will be back on the elite stage for the first time since 2019 having come through three qualifying rounds.

Mauro Icardi scored for the third straight game, including in the 3-2 win in Norway last week, when he converted a penalty in the seventh minute.

Molde, once the club of a teenaged Erling Haaland, pressed hard in the second half and Eirik Hestad pulled a goal back midway through the second half. Though Veton Berisha put the ball in Galatasaray’s net in the 81st, an offside was spotted on review.

On Thursday, Galatasaray will join Newcastle, Real Sociedad and Union Berlin in an unusually strong group of lowest-ranked teams in seeding pot 4 of the draw.

Young Boys will play in the group stage for the third time in six seasons. They got home wins against Juventus and Manchester United in 2018 and 2021, respectively, though never advanced to the knockout rounds.

The Swiss team took control against Maccabi Haifa when Congolese winger