Mourinho's Fenerbahce into UCL qualifying playoffs after stirring comeback

ISTANBUL, Turkey (AP) — Jose Mourinho is now one round away from taking Fenerbahce back into the Champions League for the first time in 17 years.

The storied coach's team surged into the Champions League qualifying playoffs by overturning a two-goal deficit Tuesday against Feyenoord coached by Robin van Persie.

Fenerbahce had lost 2-1 in the Netherlands last week and fell further behind in the second leg of the third qualifying round clash when Feyenoord defender Tsuyoshi Watanabe scored the opener in the 41st minute.

Mourinho saw his players rally quickly with two goals before halftime — the second by Colombia forward Jhon Duran, on a season-long loan from Saudi club Al-Nassr — on the way to a 5-2 win Tuesday.

Fenerbahce advanced 6-4 on aggregate score and must beat one more opponent to be in the 36-team league phase draw on Aug. 28 in Monaco. Its biggest rival, Galatasaray, already is in the draw as the Turkish league champion.

Fenerbahce last played in the old group stage of the Champions League in the 2008-09 season and will host Benfica or Nice in the first leg of the playoff round next week. Benfica started the second leg against Nice with a 2-0 lead at home later Tuesday.

Rangers advanced to the playoffs 4-2 on aggregate against Viktoria Plzen despite a 2-1 loss Tuesday in the Czech Republic.

The Scottish club will host the first leg of its playoff next week against Club Brugge, which got three second-half goals in a 3-2 comeback win over Salzburg to advance 4-2 on aggregate.

Salzburg was playing in the FIFA Club World Cup just six weeks ago but is unlikely to qualify for the next one in 2029, now missing out on Champions League play for the first time in seven seasons.

Russian-owned Pafos, the champion of Cyprus, beat Dynamo Kyiv of Ukraine 2-0 to advance 3-0 on aggregate.

Copenhagen beat its near neighbor Malmo 5-0, one week after a scoreless draw on the other side of the Oresund Bridge that connects Denmark and Sweden. Copenhagen's reward is a two-legged playoff against Swiss champion Basel.

Qarabag of Azerbaijan routed North Macedonian champion Shkendija 5-1 Tuesday, and 6-1 on aggregate.

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