Leading lights win through

Compatriots Grazer AK and FK Austria Wien reached the UEFA Cup first round tonight, and will be joined in Friday's draw by, among others, FK Crvena Zvezda and Beşiktaş JK.

Comfortable GAK
While Zlatko Junuzovic's 33rd-minute goal gave GAK a 1-0 victory against Moldova's sole survivors FC Nistru Otaci for a 3-0 aggregate win, Austria's progress through the second qualifying round was less smooth. They had triumphed 2-1 in Slovakia against MŠK Žilina a fortnight ago, but tonight in Vienna trailed the tie by the time 31 minutes had elapsed.

Austria relief
Marián Cišovský struck for the visitors in the 26th minute, and Michael Gottwald swiftly put Žilina ahead overall. Roland Linz, who gave Austria a last-minute advantage in the first leg, was again the hero, though, equalising on 65 minutes and securing a 4-3 aggregate success five minutes later.

Vaduz vanquished
Beşiktaş joined arch-rivals Galatasaray SK in the first round thanks to a 5-1 win against FC Vaduz, having previously been 1-0 victors in Liechtenstein. Gaspar Odirlei De Souza scored first for Vaduz, but Ailton soon responded. Ahmet Hasan registered after the hour mark and Ahmet and Adem Dursun both scored before Daniel Pancu rounded matters off.

Crvena Zvezda through
Former European champions Crvena Zvezda stormed through. Already 3-1 up against Croatia's NK Inter Zaprešic, the home side secured a 4-0 win tonight, with both teams having a player sent off with the score at 3-0. However, the other Serbo-Montenegrin representatives playing tonight bowed out .

OFK out
OFK Beograd won 2-1 in the first leg at PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv 1936, but the Bulgarian side ensured they emulated PFC Levski Sofia and PFC Litex Lovech's second qualifying round successes with a 1-0 home victory tonight, Metodi Stoinev's 75th-minute winner taking them through on away goals. FK Zeta's exit was more comprehensive, a 4-2 loss at Bosnia-Herzegovina's NK Široki Brijeg leaving the aggregate at 5-2.

Mainz progress
1. FSV Mainz 05, making their European debut courtesy of the Fair Play draw, won 2-0 in Iceland against Keflavík, matching their identical victory in Germany. Michael Thurk and Tom Geissler scored in each half. KRC Genk will play alongside fellow Belgian team KFC Germinal Beerschot Antwerpen FC in the next stage, their 3-0 home win against Latvia's FHK Liepajas Metalurgs making the overall score 6-2.

Zürich zeal
Legia Warszawa had hopes of a comeback at FC Zürich when, having lost their home leg 1-0, they scored 20 minutes in tonight through Sebastian Szalachowski. But Alhassane Keita swiftly responded for the Swiss side and teenager Blerim Dzemaili made it 3-1 overall. Keita and a Clederson Cesar penalty later took the aggregate to 5-1.

Scandinavian success
Otherwise it was a tale of Scandinavian success. SK Brann had been held 0-0 at home by AC Allianssi, but in Finland, Trond Henrik Ludvigsen and Charlie Miller struck second-half goals to ensure Tromsø IL and Viking FK have Norwegian company in the draw. FC København travelled to Wales to play Carmarthen Town AFC leading 2-0 from the first leg in Denmark, and two Peter Møller goals late in the first half sealed a similar success.

Happy Halmstad
Sweden's Halmstads BK were also in the United Kingdom, to play Northern Ireland's Linfield FC with the first-leg score 1-1. Travelling clearly did not worry Halmstad, as Gunnar Thorvaldsson, Tommy Jönsson and Yaw Preko scored before half-time, and although Tim Mouncey pulled one back, Dusan Djuric converted a free-kick to ensure Glenn Ferguson's late goal could only reduce Linfield's aggregate arrears to 5-3. The home side's misery was complete when Michael Gault was dismissed.