Football: Napoli ease into Champions League group stage

Jose Callejon of Napoli celebrates after scoring the 1-0 lead. PHOTO: EPA

ZURICH (REUTERS) - Napoli eased into the Champions League group stage when they won 2-0 away to Nice on Tuesday (Aug 22) to complete a 4-0 aggregate win over the Ligue 1 side.

Second-half goals from Jose Callejon and Lorenzo Insigne in the second leg of the play-off tie ensured that Serie A will have three teams in the group stage.

Sevilla suffered a fright, going 1-0 down at home to Istanbul Basaksehir, before drawing 2-2 to win 4-3 on aggregate.

Former European champions Celtic also progressed when they won 8-4 on aggregate against Kazakhstan's Astana, although they lost the second leg 4-3 and, at one stage, trailed 4-1.

Slovenian champions Maribor overcame Israel's Hapoel Beer-Sheva on away goals after a 1-0 win in the second leg and Olympiakos beat Rijeka 1-0 away to qualify 3-1 on aggregate.

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