All four Hungarian entrants safely through in Europe

Serhiy Rebrov had promised that his Ferencváros side wouldn’t sit back and defend their slender 2-1 lead, and true to his word, they were two goals ahead midway through the first half in Razgrad, Igor Haratin heading home an Oleksandr Zubkov corner in the 17th minute and Michal Škvarka scoring from an acute angle in the 21st, Zubkov again the provider. Ludogorets were soon back in the game, Georgi Terziev scoring with a 24th minute header, and squandered a great opportunity to equalise five minutes later when Dénes Dibusz saved Jakub Świerczok’s Panenka-style penalty kick.

Tokmac Nguen, scorer of the first and provider of the second goal in the first leg, put the result beyond doubt just three minutes after the restart and although Marcel Heister put through his own net midway through the second half, Fradi held on to record a famous 5-3 aggregate victory against opponents who had reached the group stages in five of the previous six seasons. Rebrov’s side now take on Maltese champions Valletta, who edged out last season’s Europa League surprise package, Dudelange, on away goals following a 1-1 draw in the Maltese capital.

All three Europa league entrants also safely manoeuvred their way into round two, albeit none managed to win on the night. 5-1 up from the first leg in Podgorica against FK Zeta, Fehérvár were held to a 0-0 draw in the second leg at the Pancho Aréna in Felcsút. Marko Nikolic’s side now face Vaduz of Liechtenstein in round two, with the first leg in Felcsút this coming Thursday.

Having missed a penalty and conceded an injury-time goal in a 3-1 first-leg victory at the Illovszky Rudolf Stadion last week, Budapest Honvéd were aware they had to tread carefully in the second leg in Vilnius against FK Žalgiris. The home side took an early lead through Romanian forward Liviu Antal and had numerous opportunities thereafter, Honvéd’s new goalkeeper Robi Levkovich making a series of fine stops to keep the Lithuanians at bay before captain Djordje Kamber came up with the all-important away goal in the 62nd minute. Giuseppe Sannino’s side will be happier with the 1-1 scoreline than the performance and face a sterner test in round two in the shape of Romanians Universitatea Craiova, the first leg being played at ETO Park in Győr this coming Thursday.

3-0 ahead after the first leg at home, Debrecen also fell behind to an early second-leg goal, Valon Ethemi firing home from nine yards in the 17th minute. Csaba Szatmári equalised in the 58th minute, tapping home from close-range after goalkeeper Stivi Frasheri had palmed a Nikola Trujić cross into his path, as Debrecen ease into round two where they will face Italians Torino, the first leg being played in Alessandria this Thursday.

Champions League qualifying round 1, second leg

Ludogorets 2-3 Ferencváros (3-5 on aggregate)
Goalscorers: LUD: Terziev (24’), Heister (69’); FER: Haratin (17’), Škvarka (21’), Nguen (48’)

Europa League qualifying round 1, second leg

FK Kukësi 1-1 Debreceni VSC (1-4 on aggregate)
Goalscorers: KUK: Ethemi (17’); DEB: Szatmári (58’)

Fehérvár 0-0 FK Zeta (5-1 on aggregate)

Žalgiris Vilnius 1-1 Budapest Honvéd 1-1 (2-4 on aggregate)
Goalscorers: ZAL: Antal (18’); HON: Kamber (62’)