UEFA Youth League play-offs: Ajax, AZ, Dortmund, Genk, Hajduk, Porto, Ruh, Salzburg through
Wednesday, February 8, 2023
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Ajax, AZ, Dortmund, Genk, Hajduk, Porto, Ruh and Salzburg completed the last 16 line-up.
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Ajax, AZ Alkmaar, Borussia Dortmund, Genk, Hajduk Split, Porto, Ruh Lviv and Salzburg won their UEFA Youth League play-offs to complete the line-up for Monday's knockout draw.
The eight teams that progressed from the domestic champions path were at home to the runners-up from the UEFA Champions League path group stage. The winners progress to join the teams that topped the eight groups in the round of 16, with a straight knockout from then on to decide the four teams that reach April's Nyon finals.
Through to Youth League round of 16
Play-off winners: Ajax, AZ Alkmaar, Borussia Dortmund, Genk, Hajduk Split, Porto, Ruh Lviv, Salzburg
Group winners: AC Milan, Atlético, Barcelona, Liverpool, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Sporting CP
Play-off matches
Wednesday 8 February:
- Vitalii Roman converted the winning sudden death penalty to take debutants Ruh into the last 16. Pio Esposito had struck early in the second half in Stalowa Wola, Poland, for Inter to cancel out Serhii Panchenko's opener. In the shoot-out Inter were one penalty from progress but Aessandro Fontanarosa missed, Marko Sapuha converted and Sviatoslav Vanivskyi, brought on in Ruh's goal just before full time, denied Aleksandar Stanković prior to Roman's winner.
- Genk goalkeeper Vic Chambaere saved Juve's first shoot-out kick and went on to convert his team's fifth before Kenan Yıldız decisively hit apost, 12 months on from the Belgian side eliminating Chelsea at this stage. Juventus had two players sent off in the second half but with nine men perhaps came closest to scoring in regulation when Lorenzo Anghelè hit the woodwork in the 76th minute.
Hajduk Split 1-0 Shakhtar Donetsk
- Luka Vušković struck for Hajduk with eight minutes left against the former runners-up and although he was later sent off, Hajduk held on to go one better than last season and make the round of 16 for the first time.
- Gabriel Misehouy's penalty just before the hour mark sent Ajax into the last 16 for the sixth time. MTK's run was the best ever for Hungary in this competition.
AZ Alkmaar 5-0 Eintracht Frankfurt
- AZ cruised through to the last 16, just as on debut a year ago, as they eliminated one of this season's newcomers. Mexx Meerdink starred with the first-ever hat-trick in a UEFA Youth League play-off as AZ equalled the record win in this round, also 5-0 by Middlesbrough against Dynamo Kyiv in 2015/16.
- Jorge Meireles got the only goal with 19 minutes to go to end the debut run of Panathinaikos and send the 2018/19 champions into the round of 16 for the fifth time, with a perfect record from the previous four.
Tuesday 7 February:
- At this stage for the first time, Young Boys went two up but the 2016/17 champions and 2021/22 runners-up roared back, Mario Pejazic hitting Salzburg's winner in added time before the home side hit the crossbar in a frantic finish.
Hibernian 1-2 Borussia Dortmund
- In front of a crowd of nearly 8,000, debutants Hibernian were 20 minutes from being the first Scottish side to reach the round of 16. Instead, Dortmund made it for the second year running, Hendry Blank scoring in the 90th minute and Hibernian hitting the post with virtually the final kick.
Is there extra time in the Youth League?
In all UEFA Youth League knockout ties, if scores are level at the end of normal time, the game progresses straight to a penalty shoot-out with no extra time.
Knockout dates
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