Benfica have edged PSV Eindhoven to book their spot in the UEFA Champions League group stage despite being reduced to 10 men in a 0-0 draw on Tuesday.
The Portuguese runners-up had won the first leg at home 2-1, but were pushed hard by PSV, particularly after having Lucas Verissimo sent off in the 32nd minute.
Noni Madueke had PSV’s best chance of the first half, skimming a shot wide while Eran Zahavi had a second-half effort hit the crossbar.
PSV boss Roger Schmidt said: It was a big disappointment. We have shown this season that we can create chances and score goals, but today we didn’t succeed.
“It’s a blow, everyone feels it. We had to score and they didn’t make it easy for us. We have had great opportunities, but we also have to take it to them. It’s part of football that sometimes you don’t get what you deserve.”
Elsewhere, Swiss champions Young Boys scored twice in the second half to get past Ferencvaros 3-2 in their second leg.
Young Boys had won the first leg 3-2 in Bern, but Ryan Mmaee’s 27th minute goal for Ferencvaros levelled the tie on aggregate, making it 2-1 on the night at 4-4 overall.
But second-half goals from Christian Fassnacht and Felix Mambimbi settled the contest, with the Hungarian not helped by Aissa Laidouni’s red card.
Malmo also reached the group stage despite a 2-1 loss at Bulgarian champions Ludogorets, winning 3-2 on aggregate.
