Defending champion Liverpool made it to the group stage of Champions League on Tuesday despite losing 1-0 to visiting CSKA Sofia, and Swiss team Thun joined the powerhouses after beating Malmo 3-0.
Also, Panathinaikos overturned a 3-1 deficit to beat Wisla Krakow 4-1 after extra time, and Austria's Rapid Vienna scored a late winner in another third round qualifying game to capture a spot in the last 32 of European soccer's most prestigious competition.
They were joined by another surprise qualifier, Artmedia Bratislava. The Slovakian champions won a penalty shootout against Partizan Belgrade after 210 minutes of scoreless soccer over two legs and extra time.
PHOTO: AFP
Real Betis of Spain, Norway's Rosenborg and Italy's Udinese also made it to the group stage.
Among the 16 teams already in Thursday's draw in Monte Carlo are nine-time winner Real Madrid, six-time champion AC Milan, FC Barcelona, Juventus, Chelsea, Arsenal and four-time winner Bayern Munich. Eight more clubs will qualify on Wednesday.
After five straight qualifying victories and a 14-2 combined score, Liverpool was stunned at home by CSKA, which got a goal from Valentin Iliev in the 16th minute. Liverpool won the first leg 3-1 and advanced 3-2 on aggregate.
Liverpool is a five-time champion and one of Europe's most respected clubs, but few outside Switzerland have heard of Thun.
The Swiss club with no domestic titles finished second in its league last season. After beating the Swedes 4-0 on aggregate, the team is now mixing with the powerhouse clubs in what looks like the strongest field ever assembled.
Mauro Lustrinelli scored twice as Thun outplayed Malmo 3-0 at home.
Panathinaikos appeared to be going out while trailing 3-1 from the first leg and with no score after 62 minutes of the return.
But South Africa defender Nasief Morris and Poland international Emmanuel Olisadebe scored before Radoslaw Sobolewski replied for Wisla. Dimitris Papadopoulos then forced extra time with another Panathinaikos goal in the 87th.
In the 113th, Ilias Kotsios scored a fourth for Panathinaikos.
Jozef Valachovic headed in the winner in the 84th in Rapid Vienna's 1-0 victory at Lokomotiv Moscow to put the Austrian club into the group stage 2-1 on aggregate. Valachovic also scored from the penalty spot in the first leg.
Real Betis advanced 3-2 on aggregate after a 2-2 draw with Monaco. Ricardo Oliveira scored both goals for Betis, while Gerard Lopez and Toifilou Maoulida answered for Monaco.
Udinese advanced to the group stage for the first time by beating Sporting Lisbon 3-2 and 4-2 on aggregate. If Inter Milan advances on Wednesday, four Italian clubs will be in the last 32.
Rosenborg held off 1986 European champion Steaua Bucharest to win 3-2 and advance 4-3. The Norwegian champions were leading 3-0 before Steaua scored two goals in three minutes late in the match.
Mark Viduka scored twice as Middlesbrough won its first match of the season by romping to a 3-0 victory at Birmingham City on Tuesday.
The Australia striker, who has recovered from hamstring and back injuries that have troubled him for eight months, scored in the 16th and the 45th minute, before Franck Queudrue netted in the 71st. They were Boro's first goals of the season after a 0-0 draw with Liverpool and a 2-0 loss at Tottenham.
In other games, Manchester City won 2-1 at promoted Sunderland and Portsmouth and Aston Villa drew 1-1.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Forget Real Madrid, Manchester City or Paris Saint-Germain, the world’s best soccer team — statistically speaking — might be a little-known outfit from the closed central Asian nation of Turkmenistan. Founded last year, Arkadag, named in honor of former Turkmen president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, have been unstoppable, notching up 36 consecutive domestic victories in a run still ongoing. The side have not lost a single competitive match and swept to a league and cup double in their inaugural season — success unthinkable almost anywhere else. However, in Turkmenistan, it could hardly have gone any other way. The energy-rich country is one of the most closed
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
Taiwan’s Lee Jhe-huei and Yang Po-hsuan on Saturday won the men’s doubles bronze medal at the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, China, after they were bested by the hosts in their semi-final. The Taiwanese shuttlers lost to China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang, who advanced to yesterday’s final against Malaysia’s Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzudin. The Chinese pair outplayed Lee and Yang in straight games. Although the Taiwanese got off to a slow start in the first game, they eventually tied it 14-14, before Liang and Wang went on to blow past them to win 21-17. In the second game, Lee and