UEFA Youth League domestic champions path ties: AZ, Genk, Hajduk, Hibernian, MTK, Panathinaikos, Ruh, Young Boys into play-offs

AZ Alkmaar, Genk, Hajduk Split, Hibernian, MTK Budapest, Panathinaikos, Ruh Lviv and Young Boys won through to the UEFA Youth League play-offs after coming through the two-round domestic champions path.

The 32 clubs that competed in the UEFA Champions League path were those that take part in this season's group stage of the senior competition, with the same fixture list. They were joined in the competition by the 32 domestic youth champions from the highest-ranked entering associations whose senior side have not qualified for the UEFA Champions League group stage – these teams took part in the domestic champions path. Where the senior side of a domestic youth champion qualified for the UEFA Champions League group stage, the vacant place was filled by the domestic youth champion of the next-ranked entering association.

The domestic champions path teams competed in two rounds of two-legged knockout ties. The eventual eight second-round winners now progress to the play-offs where they face the runners-up in the eight UEFA Champions League path groups. The winners of those ties progress to the round of 16 alongside the UEFA Champions League path group winners.

Second round

• Hibernian, Panathinaikos and Ruh Lviv are through on debut.
• MTK are the first Hungarian side to progress past the domestic champions path.
• Genk made the round of 16 from this path last season.
• AZ have got past this round on penalties for the second year running; Mexx Meerdink and Fedde de Jong scored both in this season's shoot-out against Crvena zvezda and also in 2021/22 versus Angers.
• Hajduk also got past this stage last season.
• Young Boys became the first team to overturn a three-goal first-leg deficit in an away second leg in this competition, despite having their keeper sent off, and then won the joint longest shoot-out in competition history (and the first to have 17 successful kicks). They are into the play-offs for the first time.
• Bilal Mazhar of Panathinaikos top scored with nine goals, one off the domestic champions path record.

Second legs

Wednesday 2 November
Ruh Lviv 3-1 Galatasaray (agg: 6-2)
Genk 6-1 Coleraine (agg: 10-1)
Hajduk Split 3-1 Apolonia (agg: 6-1)
MTK Budapest 0-1 Ashdod (agg: 2-1)
Trenčín 3-4 Panathinaikos (agg: 3-6)
Nantes 1-2 Hibernian (agg: 1-3)
AIK 0-3 Young Boys (agg: 3-3, 8-9 pens)

Tuesday 1 November
Crvena zvezda 1-1 AZ Alkmaar (agg: 3-3, 3-4 pens)

Hajduk are into the play-offs for the second year runningHNK Hajduk Split

First legs

Wednesday 26 October
Galatasatay 1-3 Ruh Lviv 
Apolonia 0-3 Hajduk Split 
Coleraine 0-4 Genk
Ashdod 0-2 MTK Budapest
Young Boys 0-3 AIK
Panathinaikos 2-0 Trenčín 
Hibernian 1-0 Nantes

Tuesday 25 October
AZ Alkmaar 2-2 Crvena zvezda

Ethan Laidlaw after scoring Hibernian's first-leg winner against NantesSPORTPIX.ORG.UK

First round

• Mazhar equalled the competition record of five goals in a game in Panathinaikos's first leg against Slavia Sofia.
• The first team from Northern Ireland to play in this competition, Coleraine progressed; Apolonia, Ashdod, Hibernian, Nantes, Panathinaikos, Ruh Lviv and Trenčín are also through on debut.

Second legs

Wednesday 12 October
Borac Banja Luka 0-3 Ashdod (agg: 0-5)

Wednesday 5 October
Jelgava 0-1 MTK Budapest (agg: 0-4)
Slavia Praha 2-4 Genk (agg: 4-5)
Apolonia 3-1 Astana (agg: 4-2)
Pobeda 2-2 Coleraine (agg: 4-5)
Omonoia 1-2 Crvena zvezda (agg: 1-3)
Pyunik 0-3 Nantes (agg: 0-5)
Slavia Sofia 2-2 Panathinaikos (agg: 2-10)
Galatasaray 4-0 Csikszereda Miercurea Ciuc (agg: 5-1)
Domžale 2-2 Young Boys (agg: 2-5)
Trenčín 4-0 Žalgiris Vilnius (agg: 5-2)
Zagłębie Lubin 0-0 Ruh Lviv (agg: 0-1)
Racing Union 2-3 AIK (agg: 2-8)
Hibernian 2-1 Molde (agg: 2-2, 5-4 pens)

Tuesday 4 October
Gabala 1-2 Hajduk Split (agg: 1-5)
Shamrock Rovers 1-1 AZ Alkmaar (agg: 1-6)

Tom Kerssens enjoys scoring for AZ at Shamrock RoversSPORTSFILE

First legs

Wednesday 28 September
Coleraine 3-2 Pobeda

Thursday 15 September
Astana 1-1 Apolonia

Young Boys celebrate against DomžaleBSC Yoiung Boys

Wednesday 14 September
Genk 1-2 Slavia Praha 
MTK Budapest 3-0 Jelgava
Csikszereda Miercurea Ciuc 1-1 Galatasaray
Ruh Lviv 1-0 Zagłębie Lubin 
Panathinaikos 8-0 Slavia Sofia
Young Boys 3-0 Domžale 
AZ Alkmaar 5-0 Shamrock Rovers 
Žalgiris Vilnius 2-1 Trenčín 
Ashdod 2-0 Borac Banja Luka
Crvena zvezda 1-0 Omonoia 
Nantes 2-0 Pyunik
AIK 5-0 Racing Union 
Molde 1-0 Hibernian 

Monday 12 September
Hajduk Split 3-0 Gabala

Ruh Lviv delight in their winner against Zagłębie LubinFC Ruh Lviv

Team guide

• Pyunik and Coleraine are the first UEFA Youth League entrants from Armenia and Northern Ireland respectively, taking the number of different associations represented at least once in the nine editions to 45.

• Nantes are the 11th different French entrants respectively, equalling Spain's record (as do Germany, with Eintracht Frankfurt in the UEFA Champions League path).

• Along with Coleraine, Nantes and Pyunik, there are debuts for Apolonia, Ashdod, Borac Banja Luka, Csikszereda Miercurea Ciuc, Hibernian, Jelgava, Omonoia, Panathinaikos, Pobeda, Racing Union, Ruh Lviv, Shamrock Rovers, Slavia Sofia, Trenčín and Zagłębie Lubin.

Knockout dates

Play-off draw: 8 November, Nyon
Play-offs: 7/8 February
Knockout draw (round of 16 onwards): 13 February, Nyon
Round of 16: 28 February/1 March
Quarter-finals: 14/15 March
Semi-finals: 21 April, Colovray Stadium, Nyon
Final: 24 April, Colovray Stadium, Nyon