Benfica, PSV, Red Star through to Champions League group stage

Benfica, PSV Eindhoven, and Red Star Belgrade secured their passages into the Champions League proper on Wednesday.The trio - who advanced through the qualification playoffs at the expense of PAOK Thessaloniki, BATE Borisov, and Red Bull…

29.08.2018 20:52

Benfica, PSV Eindhoven, and Red Star Belgrade secured their passages into the Champions League proper on Wednesday.

The trio - who advanced through the qualification playoffs at the expense of PAOK Thessaloniki, BATE Borisov, and Red Bull Salzburg, respectively - will be included in Thursday's group stage draw. The ceremony will commence at 12 p.m. ET in Monaco.

Related: Pots finalized for Champions League draw

Two-time continental kings Benfica fashioned a 3-1 lead by the interval despite Aleksandar Prijovic putting PAOK ahead via a well-worked set-piece. Eduardo Salvio notched his second of the evening from the penalty spot four minutes after the restart to complete a 5-2 win across two legs for the Portuguese outfit.

PSV, whose defeat to NK Osijek denied them a place in the Europa League group stage last season, completed an easy 6-2 aggregate victory over Belarusian side BATE. Hirving Lozano, a protagonist for Mexico at the World Cup, registered on the scoresheet in both tussles between the two teams.

2010 - There will be two Dutch teams in the @ChampionsLeague group stage for the first time since 2010/11 (FC Twente & @AFCAjax). Revolt. pic.twitter.com/aDMy6pR2Zl
— OptaJohan (@OptaJohan) August 29, 2018

Red Star staged a spirited second-half comeback to quash Munas Dabbur's double and advance on away goals. Salzburg are the seventh consecutive Austrian champions to fall short in the Champions League qualification rounds after they succumbed to a 2-2 draw on home soil.

PAOK, BATE, and Salzburg will participate in this season's Europa League.