wraps up evening's action after Valencia also qualify

Deutsche Presse Agentur
Published: Tuesday August 22, 2006

Hamburg- European giants AC Milan and Liverpool both advanced to the group stage of the Champions League after overcoming tricky away matches in the third round of the qualifying stage Tuesday. Joining them in the lucrative 32-team group stage was Germany's Hamburg, who edged out Spain's Osasuna on the away goals rule, Portugal's Benfica, who defeated Austria Vienna 3-0 for a 4-1 aggregate score, and Spain's Valencia, who made it a bleak night for Austria by downing Red Bull Salzburg thanks to a 3-0 home win.

Liverpool, the 2005 European champions, edged out Maccabi Haifa after earning a 1-1 draw against the Israeli side in a third-round qualifying match played on neutral ground in Kiev due to the security situation in the Middle East.

The result gave the Premiership side a 3-2 aggregrate victory after the Reds won 2-1 at Anfield Road two weeks ago when they needed a late goal from Mark Gonzalez to win the game.

England striker Peter Crouch struck for Liverpool with a header in the 54th minute from a Jermain Pennant cross. Maccabi's Roberto Damian Colautti levelled nine minutes later but the goal was not enough.

Six-time European Cup winners AC Milan, the team Liverpool beat on penalties in the 2005 final, meanwhile overcame Red Star Belgrade 2-1 away to advance 3-1 on aggregate.

Filippo Inzaghi and Clarence Seedorf scored in the 29th and 79th minutes before Red Star pulled a goal back through Dusan Dokic in the 80th.

Valencia, who played in two successive finals in 2000 and 2001, reversed a 1-0 first-leg defeat at Red Bull Salzburg by defeating the Austrians 3-0.

Fernando Morientes in the 13th minute and David Villa 20 minutes later put Valencia in charge, and David Silva struck a third for the Spanish side in the third minute of injury time.

Bundesliga side Hamburg came from behind to peg Spanish outfit Osasuna to a 1-1 draw in Pamplona to go through on the away goals rule after the first-leg match finished goalless.

Osasuna, who finished fourth in Spain's Primera Division last season, looked to be advancing after Javier Cuellar headed a 6th-minute goal from a corner against Hamburg.

But the Germans hit the vital equalizer in the 74th minute when a free-kick from Rafael van der Vaart was headed across goal by Collin Benjamin for Dutch midfielder Nigel de Jong to net from close range.

Osasuna fought desperately for a winning goal and substitute Pierre Webo had a glorious chance in injury time but headed over from close range, allowing Hamburg to reach the group stage for the first time in six years.

Coach Thomas Doll said: "We worked very hard in the Bundesliga last season to qualify for the Champions League and we knew we would be facing two hard games. This is a very important moment for the club to be able to measure ourselves against the best in Europe."

© 2006 DPA - Deutsche Presse-Agenteur