Trabzonspor lose to Copenhagen but still hopeful for return match

By Can Erozden

ANKARA (AA) - Trabzonspor were beaten 2-1 by Danish club Copenhagen in a UEFA Champions League playoff match Tuesday, but the Turkish football team returned home with hope.

Home team Copenhagen's Swedish midfielder Viktor Claesson scored the opener in the ninth minute at Parken Stadium.

Danish midfielder Lukas Lerager put the ball into Trabzonspor’s net in the far post in the 48th minute to give his team a 2-0 lead.

Trabzonspor's Greek midfielder Anastasios Bakasetas fired outside the box, but the ball was deflected by a Copenhagen player and misjudged by the goalkeeper before going inside.

Bakasetas' strike in the 79th minute made the final result 2-1.

Trabzonspor lost in Denmark but kept their hopes alive for the next match in Türkiye.

Copenhagen, who held on for a narrow victory, will visit Trabzonspor at Senol Gunes Spor Kompleksi in the playoffs' second leg on Aug. 24.

The winning club of this tie will advance to the Champions League group stage, which will start on Sept. 6.

- Tuesday's results:

Copenhagen (Denmark) - Trabzonspor (Türkiye): 2-1

Rangers (Scotland) - PSV Eindhoven (The Netherlands): 2-2

Bodo/Glimt (Norway) - Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia):​​​​​​​ 1-0

- Wednesday's fixtures:

Qarabag (Azerbaijan) - Viktoria Plzen (Czech Republic)

Maccabi Haifa (Israel) - Crvena zvezda (Serbia)

Dynamo Kyiv (Ukraine) - Benfica (Portugal)