Bodo/Glimt Return to Champions League as Debutants Sabah Stun Hapoel Beer-Sheva

Bodo/Glimt have secured their place in the UEFA Champions League for a second consecutive season, alongside Austria's LASK and Azerbaijani debutants Sabah. Bodo/Glimt comfortably advanced past NEC Nijmegen in the second leg of their qualifying playoff, while Sabah, a club founded just eight years ago, overcame Hapoel Beer-Sheva in extra time following a dramatic late equalizer in regulation.

LASK completed a stunning comeback against Celtic after trailing 4-0 on aggregate from the first leg in Glasgow. Florian Flecker's close-range header forced extra time, and Samuel Adeniran added a fifth goal in the 109th minute to seal a 5-1 victory on the night and 5-4 on aggregate, sending Celtic into the Europa League. Four additional playoff second-leg matches are scheduled for Wednesday to determine the final participants for the 36-team main phase ahead of the Monaco draw on Thursday.

Bodo/Glimt's previous victories against Manchester City, Atletico Madrid, and Inter Milan establish the Norwegian side as seasoned competitors compared to Sabah. On Tuesday, NEC Nijmegen suffered a 3-0 defeat at Aspmyra Stadium, bringing the aggregate score to 6-1 after goalkeeper Gonzalo Crettaz was sent off early in the match.

Sabah secured their historic qualification when substitute Tellur Mutallimov scored in the final minute of stoppage time to level the aggregate score against Hapoel Beer-Sheva. Orphe Mbina and Joy-Lance Mickels added goals in extra time to complete a 5-2 win on the night and a 6-4 aggregate victory, as Hapoel Beer-Sheva finished the match with nine players following red cards to Guy Mizrahi, Djibril Diop, and Eliel Peretz.