UCL Qualifying R2 Begins as Shakhtar Reach League Stage

The second qualifying round of the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League got underway on Tuesday, with several clubs taking important first-leg advantages, while Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk secured direct qualification for the league stage without entering the qualifying rounds.

The opening day of the second qualifying round produced a mix of expected victories and surprise results as clubs battled for a place in the next stage of Europe's premier club competition.

Lech Poznań recorded one of the biggest away wins of the night, defeating Danish side Aarhus 4-1, while Serbian champions Crvena Zvezda cruised to a commanding 4-0 victory over Larne in Northern Ireland.

Sturm Graz also took a significant step toward the third qualifying round with a dominant 4-0 home victory over Hearts, while Swedish club Mjällby defeated Gibraltar's Lincoln Red Imps 3-0.

Elsewhere, Slovan Bratislava earned a comfortable 2-0 away win over Georgian side Iberia 1999, Ararat-Armenia beat Shamrock Rovers 2-0, and Sabah edged Finland's KuPS 1-0.

Fenerbahçe secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Poland's Górnik Zabrze, while Dinamo Zagreb were held to a 1-1 draw away at Swiss side Thun. KI Klaksvík and Kauno Žalgiris played out a goalless draw, while Iceland's Víkingur Reykjavik claimed a 2-1 win over Hapoel Be'er Sheva.

The qualifying campaign follows an eventful opening round, which featured several upsets. 

Irish side Shamrock Rovers overturned a two-goal first-leg deficit to eliminate Floriana with a 5-1 victory, while Levski Sofia advanced emphatically after defeating Borac 4-0. Ararat also completed a dramatic comeback against FK Riga after losing the first leg.

Seven clubs will eventually qualify for the Champions League league stage, joining the 29 teams that have already secured automatic qualification. 

Among them is Shakhtar Donetsk, who booked their place directly in the competition without the need to navigate the qualifying rounds.

The second-leg matches of the current round continue this week, with Omonia facing Kairat, Levski Sofia taking on Universitatea Craiova, and Egnatia meeting Celje. 

The winners will progress to the third qualifying round, while the losing teams will continue their European campaigns in the UEFA Europa League qualifying rounds.