PARIS, Aug 25: Club-record signing Gylfi Sigurdsson scored a stunning long-range volley just after half-time to secure Everton�s place in the Europa League group stage following a 3-1 aggregate victory over Hajduk Split on Thursday.
The Iceland midfielder fired home from 40 yards within seconds of the restart in Croatia as Everton held on for a 1-1 draw in the return leg of their play-off tie after Jordan Pickford saved a second-half penalty from Ahmed Said.
Josip Radosevic drilled the home side into a 1-0 lead on the night in the closing minutes of the first half, but Everton�s �45 million ($58 million, 49.4 million euros) newcomer combined with Pickford to help the Toffees clinch qualification.
Patrick Cutrone scored the only goal as AC Milan won 1-0 away to Macedonian outfit Shkendija to complete a thumping 7-0 aggregate victory, but last season�s runners-up Ajax crashed out against Rosenborg.
The Dutch giants trailed after last week�s 1-0 reverse in Amsterdam but looked to have turned the tie around in Norway before two late goals from Nigerian substitute Samuel Adegbenro sent Rosenborg through 4-2 on aggregate.
Marseille cruised to a 3-0 home win over Domzale of Slovenia courtesy of a Valere Germain brace and a goal from Florian Thauvin to advance 4-1 over the two legs.
Zenit St Petersburg overturned a 1-0 first-leg deficit as Russia international Aleksandr Kokorin netted a brace, including the winner on 105 minutes, to sink Utrecht 2-1 on aggregate following extra time.
However, Fenerbahce joined fellow Turkish giants Galatasaray on the European sidelines after slumping to an embarrassing 4-1 aggregate defeat to Macedonians Vardar after a shock 2-1 home loss. � AFP
