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Rangers, Celtics in main phase of champions league
London, Aug 29: Scottish soccer enjoyed a perfect night Wednesday as Glasgow rivals Rangers and Celtic reached the main phase of the lucrative champions league.
London, Aug 29: Scottish soccer enjoyed a perfect night Wednesday as Glasgow rivals Rangers and Celtic reached the main phase of the lucrative champions league.
Rangers won 2-1 at FC Copenhagen, advancing 3-2 on aggregate in the third round, second-leg qualifying match. Celtic won at home 1-0 over Hungary's MKT to go through 5-0 on aggregate.
The draw for the champions league on Thursday in Monte Carlo, Monaco, begins a long journey that ends with the European champion being crowned in May.
Reaching the big stage of the champions league _ Europe's no. 1 club competition _ is worth at least US$15 million, although Rangers officials said qualifying was worth about 18 million pounds (us$29 million) to the debt-ridden club.
Several other big-name European teams cashed in including Spain's Celta Vigo, Turkish side Galatasaray, Italy's Lazio, former champion Marseille, four-time European champion Ajax and Partizan Belgrade.
On Tuesday, four other clubs reached the main phase: Sparta Prague, England's Chelsea, Anderlecht of Belgium and Spain's Deportivo La Coruna.
In Wednesday games: At Newcastle, England, Partizan Belgrade upset English side Newcastle. Partizan advanced after winning a penalty shootout 4-3. The Serbs won the match 1-0 on Ivica Iliev's goal in the 50th minute to draw the two-legged tie even on aggregate 1-1.
Bureau Report
Rangers won 2-1 at FC Copenhagen, advancing 3-2 on aggregate in the third round, second-leg qualifying match. Celtic won at home 1-0 over Hungary's MKT to go through 5-0 on aggregate.
The draw for the champions league on Thursday in Monte Carlo, Monaco, begins a long journey that ends with the European champion being crowned in May.
Reaching the big stage of the champions league _ Europe's no. 1 club competition _ is worth at least US$15 million, although Rangers officials said qualifying was worth about 18 million pounds (us$29 million) to the debt-ridden club.
Several other big-name European teams cashed in including Spain's Celta Vigo, Turkish side Galatasaray, Italy's Lazio, former champion Marseille, four-time European champion Ajax and Partizan Belgrade.
On Tuesday, four other clubs reached the main phase: Sparta Prague, England's Chelsea, Anderlecht of Belgium and Spain's Deportivo La Coruna.
In Wednesday games: At Newcastle, England, Partizan Belgrade upset English side Newcastle. Partizan advanced after winning a penalty shootout 4-3. The Serbs won the match 1-0 on Ivica Iliev's goal in the 50th minute to draw the two-legged tie even on aggregate 1-1.
Bureau Report