Tottenham and Slovakian champions Zilina qualified for the Champions League for the first time on Wednesday, while Auxerre, Ajax and FC Copenhagen also reached the group stage of Europe’s top club competition.
Peter Crouch scored a hat-trick as Tottenham thrashed Swiss side Young Boys 4-0 to overturn a 3-2 first-leg away deficit and reach the top flight in Europe for the first time since 1962.
“It’s fantastic, it’s been a long time since Tottenham played in the top European competition,” Spurs manager Harry Redknapp said. “To get in the main competition and the group stages ... when I came here that was the dream for me.”
PHOTO: REUTERS
Zilina beat Sparta Prague 1-0 to build on their 2-0 victory in the Czech Republic last week and Auxerre beat nine-man Zenit St Petersburg 2-0 to advance 2-1 on aggregate and reach the Champions League for the first time since 2002.
Ajax, four-time European champions, beat Dynamo Kiev 2-1 after being held 1-1 last week. Copenhagen qualified on away goals by beating Rosenborg 1-0 at home to secure a 2-2 aggregate result.
FC Braga, Werder Bremen, Hapoel Tel Aviv, FC Basel and Partizan Belgrade advanced to the group stage on Tuesday.
Tottenham’s victory ensures England was the only country with four teams yesterday’s draw, with Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United securing automatic qualification.
In the first leg in Berne, Young Boys scored three goals inside 30 minutes to nearly end Tottenham’s Champions League bid at the first hurdle, but after reducing the deficit by two goals last week, Spurs responded with an electric start of their own at White Hart Lane.
Crouch headed in Gareth Bale’s corner in the fifth minute, while Jermain Defoe scored a contentious second in the 32nd after controlling a through-ball from Bale with his left hand.
Bale provided again for Crouch as the England striker headed in a corner from the Wales midfielder in the 61st. Crouch completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot in the 78th after Bale was fouled by Senad Lulic, who received a second yellow card.
In Zilina, Momodou Ceesay scored in the 18th minute after latching onto Emil Rikle’s pass as Sparta Prague failed to qualify for the Champions League group stage for five straight seasons.
“We are extremely happy that we got there,” Zilina coach Pavel Hapal said.
Ajax are back among Europe’s elite for the first time since 2005.
Luis Suarez turned Jan Vertonghen’s free-kick past goalkeeper Maxim Koval just before halftime and Mounir El Hamdaoui added Ajax’s second in the 75th after receiving a pass from substitute Miralem Sulejmani.
Veteran striker Andriy Shevchenko scored a late penalty for Dynamo.
“This is really important for the club,” Suarez said. “It’s been a long time since we made it to this stage. I am really happy. With this group, we can win everything.”
In Copenhagen, Solvi Ottesen rose high in the penalty area to head in Claudemir’s long throw in the 33rd minute and settle the Scandinavian derby against Rosenborg of Norway.
In Auxerre, Zenit St Petersburg, who won the first leg 1-0, were 2-0 down by the time they had two players sent off in the second half.
Goalkeeper Vyacheslav Malafeev handled the ball outside the area in the 65th and was dismissed. Fourteen minutes later, defender Tomas Hubocan picked up a second yellow card for handling the ball.
Cedric Hengbart jumped higher than the Zenit defense to head home Benoit Pedretti’s corner in the ninth minute.
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