NK Celje vs Ararat-Armenia

Celje pulled off a dramatic Champions League qualifying comeback, beating Ararat-Armenia 2-0 in the second leg to overturn a first-leg deficit, with both goals arriving in a frantic final ten minutes at home. For most of the night the tie hung in the balance, but Celje's late surge turned the contest on its head just when Ararat-Armenia looked set to hold on. Yaya Dukuly broke the deadlock in the 83rd minute, finishing off a chance created by M. Avdyli, before Benjamin Verbic doubled the lead just two minutes later. Bookings piled up throughout, with Hugo Oliveira and A. Tera cautioned early for the visitors and several Celje players, including Verbic himself, picking up late yellow cards as tempers flared amid the frantic finish. Having lost the first leg 2-1 in Yerevan, Celje's second-half heroics secured a 3-2 aggregate win and a spot in the next qualifying round. For Ararat-Armenia, it's a cruel exit after controlling much of the tie, now facing a drop into Europa League qualifying instead.