Braga stun Sevilla in Champions League

Spain may have claimed the World Cup this summer, dumping out neighbouring Portugal along the way – but the boot was on the other foot Tuesday as Braga denied Sevilla a place in the lucrative Champions League group phase.

Werder Bremen also qualified by the skin of their teeth, ousting Italy’s Sampdoria in extra-time after coming back from three goals down, the 3-2 final scoreline enough to give the Germans a 5-4 win as ex-Chelsea man Claudio Pizarro struck crucially to make the difference.

Braga won their home leg by the only goal a week ago but they swiftly built on their advantage with Brazilian Matheus putting them ahead on the half hour before Rodrigo Lima hit a second-half hattrick to send the Portuguese into the pool stage for the first time.

Luis Fabiano and Jesus Navas briefly gave Sevilla hope in levelling at 2-2 but Lima then weighed in with his second and third goals before Kanoute notched a late consolation.

Werder had meanwhile looked to have a foot in the group phase despite losing their German World Cup star Mesut Ozil to Real Madrid for 16 million euros as goals by Clemens Fritz, captain Torsten Frings and Pizzaro brought a 3-1 home leg advantage against Sampdoria.

But Samp, European Cup runners-up to Barcelona in 1992, were a different side to the one which had struggled in North Germany and within 13 minutes of the first whistle they had levelled matters courtesy of a stunning double by Giampaolo Pazzini.

Antonio Cassano, one of the ‘bad boys’ of Italian football – he famously fell out with former coach Fabio Capello in an unproductive spell at Real Madrid – nudged home the third to spark scenes of wild celebration.

But those celebrations were premature as Markus Rosenberg fired across home a fine low drive on the run to force extra-time and Pizarro drove home low after latching onto a Marko Marin pass.

Also going to an extra half-hour were Belgium’s Anderlecht, who came from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Partizan Belgrade – the same result as in the first game.

In the ensuing penalty shootout it was Partizan who held their nerve 3-2 with millions of Champions League dollars at stake as Mbarek Boussoufa blasted the decisive kick over.

Eren Zahavi’s late goal meanwhile helped Israeli side Hapoel Tel-Aviv to edge through after seeing off Austrian outfit Salzburg. Having on the away leg 3-2 the Israelis advanced after a 1-1 draw in their return as Salzburg fell at this stage for the fourth time in five seasons.

Also through are Swiss side Basel who are into the group stages for the third time after 2002 and 2008 after a thumping 3-0 win at Moldovan outfit Sheriff Tiraspol, adding to a 1-0 away success.

Marco Streller scored the opener in the 74th minute and Alex Frei added two coups de grace in the closing stages.