Ferencváros End 25-year Wait To Reach Champions League

Molde FK's Etzaz Hussain, centre, vies for the ball with Ferencvaros' Somalia, left, and Tokmac Nguen, during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Ferencvaros and Molde FK in Groupama Arena, in Budapest, Hungary, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020. (Tamas Kovacs/MTI via AP)

Molde FK's Etzaz Hussain, centre, vies for the ball with Ferencvaros' Somalia, left, and Tokmac Nguen, during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Ferencvaros and Molde FK in Groupama Arena, in Budapest, Hungary, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020. (Tamas Kovacs/MTI via AP)

Ferencvros ended a 25year wait to return to the Champions League group stage on Tuesday, giving Hungary a rare place on European club soccers biggest stage.

GENEVA: Ferencvros ended a 25-year wait to return to the Champions League group stage on Tuesday, giving Hungary a rare place on European club soccers biggest stage.

A 0-0 draw at home to Molde in the second leg of the qualifying playoffs took Ferencvros through on the away goals rule after a 3-3 draw in Norway last week.

Coach Serhiy Rebrovs team will be the first from Hungary in the 32-team group stage since Debrecen 11 years ago.

Ferencvros, which last played in the group stage in 1995, will be the lowest-ranked team in Thursdays draw in Geneva.

Rebrovs former team, Dynamo Kiev, also advanced Tuesday by beating visiting Gent 3-0 to complete a 5-1 aggregate score.

Dynamo scored from the penalty spot in each half to seal its first group-stage place in four years under new coach Mircea Lucescu. The veteran coach was a Champions League regular during a long spell at Dynamos main rival Shakhtar Donetsk.

Olympiakos sealed its 20th Champions League entry by drawing 0-0 in Cyprus against Omonia for a 2-0 aggregate win.

The last three playoff matches are played Wednesday. All qualifying games in UEFA club competitions are being played without fans in the stadiums during the coronavirus pandemic.

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