#Champions League Playoffs: Rooney Hat-trick Sends United To Champions League Group Stage

The second round of return fixtures of the 2015/2016 UEFA Champions league playoffs have been concluded with Manchester United (helped by a Wayne Rooney hat-trick), Bayern Leverkusen making it to the group stages.

Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney celebrates after scoring his third goal

Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney celebrates after scoring his third goal during the UEFA Champions League playoff football match between Club Brugge and Manchester United at Jan Breydel Stadium in Bruges, on August 26, 2015. AFP PHOTO/Emmanuel Dunand (Photo credit should read EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images)

The first leg of the following fixtures were played last week Tuesday, August 18.

APOEL Nicosia 1 –  1 FC Astana: Astana came into this tie with a one goaal lead at home. Semir Stilic looked to have spoilt the party for the Eastern Europe club before Nemanja Maksimovic scored in the 84th minute to restore the lead for Astana. Aggregate (1-2).

Apoel’s Vander and FC Astana’s Dmitri Shomko in action

Bayer Leverkusen – Lazio: After Baldo Keita scored a late goal in the first leg, Lazio must haave thought they were half-way through to the group stages but, goals from Hakan Calhanoglu, Admir Mehmedi, Karim Bellarabi turned the tie in favour of the Germans. Maurico’s red card in the 68th minute didn’t help the cause of the Italians. (Aggregate 3-1).

Leverkusen’s Swiss forward Admir Mehmedi (L), Leverkusen’s forward Stefan Kiessling (C) and Leverkusen’s striker Karim Bellarabi celebrate

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CSKA Moscow – Sporting CP: Nigeria’s Ahmed Musa was the hero as CSKA overcame a first leg 2-1 defeat. Teofilo Gutierrez seemed to have extended the Portugese club’s lead but two goals from Seydou Doumbia and an 85th minute Ahmed Musa strike ensured CSKA made it to the group stages of the champions leagues for the fifth consecutive year. (Aggregate 4-3).

CSKA Moscow’s forward from Ivory Coast Seydou Doumbia (L) fights for the ball with Sporting’s defener Paulo Oliveira

Club Brugge – Manchester United: Wayne Rooney silenced his critics with a morale boosting hat-trick. Anders Herrera added one more goal for formalities.

Manchester’s Wayne Rooney (R) celebrates with his teammate Ander Herrera after scoring a goal.

Partizan Beograd – BATE Borisov: BATE will thank  Igor Stasevich for scoring that early goal that put them in the group stages thanks to the away goal rule. Maksim Zhavnerchik’s own goal  and Ivan Saponjic’s 90th minute strike could not take Partizan to the group stages. (Aggregate 2-2, BATE qualify on away goals).

Aleksandr Hleb (L) of BATE in action against Darko Brasanac (R) of Partizan Belgrade

All aggregate winners have now qualify for the group stages of the 2015/2016 Champions League. Draws for the group stage will be held on Thursday August 27.

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