Galatasaray advances in Europa League qualifier after defeating Neftçi
Galatasaray players celebrate a goal during a Europa League qualifier match against Neftçi in Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 17, 2020. (IHA Photo)


Galatasaray moved to the Europa League third-qualifying round after beating Azerbaijan’s Neftçi 3-1 on Thursday.

The Istanbul side finished the first half ahead with a 19th-minute opener by Mbaye Diagne. Seconds after the second half began, Mamadou Mbodj equalized the score with a 46th-minute goal.

But the home side’s hopes were crushed within two minutes after Christian Luyindama scored for Galatasaray at the 48th minute. A second goal by Diagne at the 63rd minute extended the Istanbul club’s lead.

Thursday’s victory also made Galatasaray the sole Turkish club to achieve 100 wins in European competitions.

The Süper Lig side will take on Croatian team Hajduk Split in the third qualifying round on Sept. 24.

Also in Thursday’s matches, Portugal’s Rio Ave defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Borac Banja Luka 2-0 to match with Turkey’s Beşiktaş in the third round.

Alanyaspor, the third Turkish club in the Europa League, will face Norway’s Rosenborg, which hammered Latvia’s Ventspils 5-1 on Thursday.

All matches in the second qualifying round were played in a single-leg format instead of the usual double-leg due to COVID-19 precautions taken by European football’s governing body, UEFA.

Elsewhere, Tottenham scored two late goals to secure a 2-1 victory over nine-man Lokomotiv Plovdiv.

Tottenham went 1-0 down in the 71st minute but Harry Kane equalized from the penalty spot 10 minutes from time, before substitute Tanguy Ndombele netted the winner five minutes later to send Spurs through to the third qualifying round.

Milan beat Shamrock Rovers 2-0 in Dublin with Zlatan Ibrahimovic scoring the opener in the first half before Hakan Çalhanoğlu completed the victory in the second.

Rangers routed Lincoln Red Imps 5-0 in Gibraltar, while Copenhagen beat Swedish club IFK Gothenburg 2-1.