Champions League wrap: Dyanmo hold off Gladbach, Lille survive

A late goal from Ideye Brown has handed Dynamo Kiev a 4-3 aggregate win over Borussia Moenchengladbach in the Champions League playoffs.

After losing the first leg 3-1 at home, Gladbach scored two goals in eight second-half minutes to give themselves a sniff of an overall victory.

But Brown’s delightful chip in the 88th minute settled Kiev’s nerves and sent the Ukrainian club through to the group stage of this season’s Champions League.

After a goalless first half on Wednesday, Gladbach brought the two-legged tie to life with goals in the 70th and 78th minutes.

Dynamo defender Evgen Khacheridi was the unfortunate scorer of the first goal, heading the ball into his own net and eight minutes later Juan Arango powered a header into the net from a corner to draw Gladbach level on aggregate, although they still trailed on away goals.

But any chance the German club had of pulling off a stunning comeback was ruined when Brown got in behind the visitors’ defence and delightfully chipped the ball over Gladbach goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen to ensure just a 2-1 loss for Kiev on the night and a 4-3 aggregate victory.

In France, Lille required extra time to knock out Copenhagen 2-1 on aggregate and qualify for the Champions League group stage.

Having lost the first leg in Denmark 1-0, Lille drew level on aggregate when Lucas Digne was allowed to burst into the penalty area and thump Salomon Kalou’s cross into the top corner of the net with a minute to go in the first half.

Copenhagen held on for 90 minutes, however, to force extra-time, but the Danish club were eventually finished off when Tulio de Melo headed Nolan Roux’s cross home in the final minute of the first extra period.

In Turkey, Spartak Moscow grabbed a 1-1 draw, which was enough to complete a 3-2 aggregate win.

Brazilian striker Ari scored Spartak’s goal after four minutes, before Moussa Sow equalised in the 69th minute.

Other teams to qualify for the main draw of the Champions League were Celtic, who defeated Helsingborg 4-0 over two legs, and Cluj, who defeated Basel 3-1 on aggregate.