Lyon well placed to reach group stages

LYON look set to advance to the group stages of the Champions League after downing Rubin Kazan 3-1 in their play-off first leg tie, although the French side needed to fight back from an early deficit.

Rubin enjoyed a dream start as Vladimir Dyadyun put them ahead after three minutes at the Stade Gerland. But Les Gones were level soon after through Bafetimbi Gomis, and an own goal from Solomon Kverkvelia just before half-time combined with Jimmy Briand’s 71st-minute effort gave them the victory.

Czech champions Viktoria Plzen are in an even better position after recording a 3-1 away win over an FC Copenhagen side who saw off the challenge of Shamrock Rovers in the previous round.

All the goals came in the second-half, with an own goal from Solvi Ottesen putting Plzen ahead in the 52nd minute before Vaclav Pilar put the visitors 2-0 up seven minutes later.

Copenhagen pulled a goal back in the 69th minute when Ottesen netted, the defender helping to make amends for his earlier own goal, but Plzen restored their two-goal advantage within 10 minutes thanks to Martin Fillo.

FC Twente and Benfica shared a 2-2 draw in their first-leg tie. Hosts Twente took the lead in the sixth minute through Luuk de Jong but Benfica led 2-1 at half-time thanks to goals from Oscar Rene Cardozo and Manuel Nolito.

That was not enough to earn the visitors a lead to take back to Portugal, though, as Costa Rica forward Bryan Ruiz drew the Dutch outfit level 10 minutes from the end.

In last night’s other fixture, BATE Borisov and Sturm Graz played out a 1-1 draw in Belarus.

Manuel Weber put visitors Sturm ahead in the 10th minute but Marko Simic levelled the scores up in the 59th minute.