Champions League Roundup, Jul. 28
Four-time European champion Ajax was held to a 1-1 draw on the road by PAOK, and FC Braga beat Celtic 3-0 in the third round of qualifying for the Champions League on Wednesday.
Luis Suarez put Ajax ahead with a 13th-minute overhead kick, but Vladimir Ivic scored a crucial away goal for PAOK after a counterattack in the 72nd minute of the first leg at Amsterdam Arena.
Ajax had a penalty appeal in the final seconds dismissed when Anis Boussaidi appeared to handle a cross from Suarez, whose goal-line handball against Ghana helped Uruguay reach the World Cup semifinals.
It was a worse night for another former European champion, with Celtic failing to get a single shot on target at Braga.
Alan scored first from the penalty spot after Ki Sung-Yeung had handled the ball. Uwa Elderson Echiejile hit a debut goal and substitute Nascimento Matheus scored from a free kick.
The winners of the 15 qualifiers next week will have another playoff before reaching the 32-team group stage.
Ivica Ilijev, Sasa Ilic and Gabriel Cleo gave Partizan Belgrade a 3-0 victory over HJK Helsinki. Rosenborg defeated AIK Stockholm 1-0 in a Scandinavian derby thanks to 18-year-old Markus Henriksen's goal, and Kazakhstan champion Aktobe downed Hapoel Tel Aviv 1-0 following captain Samat Smakov's penalty kick.
Swiss champion FC Basel won 2-0 at Debreceni VSC, while Young Boys drew 2-2 at home against Fenerbahce after twice falling behind.
Alexander Erokhin scored an away goal for Dinamo Zagreb in a 1-1 draw with Sheriff in Moldova, while BATE Borisov drew 0-0 at home with FC Copenhagen.