All three Tuesday Champions League playoff first legs end level

The first three Champions League playoff ties remain level after Tuesday’s opening matches. Dinamo Zagreb drew 2-2 with Viking, Levski Sofia and AEK Athens finished 0-0, and Fenerbahce drew 1-1 with Lyon.

Every place in the league phase will therefore be decided in the return legs. The second matches take place on 26 August. None of the six teams carries a lead into that final ninety minutes.

Dinamo lost a two-goal advantage in Zagreb

Dinamo Zagreb made the strongest start among the six teams. The Croatian side scored twice before half-time and reached the interval with a 2-0 lead. Viking had not found an answer during that opening period. The Norwegian visitors changed the match after the break. They reduced the deficit and then scored again to make the final result 2-2. Dinamo’s early control therefore produced no advantage for the return game.

A two-goal recovery gives Viking evidence that it can trouble the same opponent at home. Dinamo still created enough chances to show its attacking threat. Both teams now begin the second leg from an equal aggregate score. The result also changes the emotional position of the tie. Viking finished the night with momentum after its comeback. Dinamo has one week to review why its defensive control disappeared.

Levski and AEK produced the only scoreless match

Levski Sofia and AEK Athens did not score in Bulgaria. The 0-0 result leaves the Greek club without an away lead. It also gives Levski a direct chance to advance with a victory in the second leg. A scoreless first match does not mean the tie lacked important moments. Both teams protected their penalty areas and avoided the mistake that could have changed the contest.

Their next meeting cannot end with the same aggregate uncertainty.

AEK will host the return match on 26 August. Home support may change the atmosphere, but it does not add a goal. Levski travels knowing that one successful finish could alter the whole tie. Extra time remains possible if the aggregate score is level after the second match. Penalties would follow if neither side separates itself during that additional period. The first leg provided no numerical advantage.

Openda and Greenwood scored in Istanbul

Lyon took the lead against Fenerbahce through Lois Openda. His first-half header completed a move from the right side. The visitors carried that 1-0 advantage into the interval. Mason Greenwood equalised soon after the restart. Fenerbahce then searched for a second goal, while Lyon protected its position and used substitutions later in the match. The final whistle confirmed a 1-1 draw.

The return game will be held in Lyon on 26 August. Lyon has the home fixture but no aggregate lead. Fenerbahce needs at least one goal if the tie is to finish without extra time. Both teams entered the playoff after completing two earlier qualifying rounds. One more match now separates the winner from the league phase. The loser moves into the Europa League league phase.

The return legs carry the entire decision

UEFA no longer uses the away-goals rule in these ties. A goal scored outside a team’s home stadium has no extra value. Only the combined score across both matches determines progress. That rule keeps all three pairings completely open.

Dinamo and Viking carry two goals each. Fenerbahce and Lyon carry one each, while Levski and AEK begin again without a goal.

The teams have a week to prepare and may play domestic matches before the returns. Injuries, suspensions and selection changes can affect the second line-ups. Completed first-leg scores remain the only firm starting point. Tuesday produced six teams and three draws. The return matches will provide the seven-day conclusion to each tie. There is no need for an invented favourite when every aggregate score is level.

Every tie returns with the aggregate score level

Levski and AEK produced the only scoreless match of the three fixtures. Neither side created a lead to protect in the second leg. One goal in Athens can therefore change the full direction of that tie. Dinamo Zagreb and Viking shared four goals. Viking scored twice away from home but did not leave Croatia with an aggregate advantage. Both teams begin the return in Norway with the score at 2-2. Fenerbahce and Lyon each scored once in Istanbul. The French club now hosts the deciding match. Home advantage may influence the atmosphere, but it does not provide an extra goal under the current competition rules.

UEFA removed the away-goals rule before these ties. Goals scored on another team’s ground do not settle an equal aggregate score. Extra time and penalties are possible if a second match ends with the combined total level. The three return legs take place on 26 August. Team sheets, injuries and suspensions can change during the week. The confirmed first-leg scores leave all six clubs with a direct route into the league phase.