Socceroo's UEFA Champions League joy

2 min read 26 August 2015

Socceroo Mat Ryan’s Valencia withstood Monaco's late charge to qualify for the group stages of the UEFA Champions League overnight, but Tom Rogic’s Celtic failed to progress.

Valencia lost 2-1 at the Stade Louis II ensuring they scraped past the French outfit 4-3 on aggregate after a 3-1 win at home in the first leg.

Meanwhile, Celtic lost 2-0 to Malmo away after winning their first leg 3-2 in Scotland meaning the Bhoys crashed out 4-3 on aggregate.

Socceroo keeper Ryan started for the La Liga outfit in France but might have done better from a cross in the 17th minute which resulted in Andrea Raggi levelling after Alvaro Negredo had opened the scoring for Los Che.

Ryan made up for that later in the half dealing with a cross expertly.

It was 1-1 at half-time but the French side kept pressing and with 15 minutes left, Ryan saved a first effort but couldn’t keep out a second as Uwa Elderson Echiejile made it 2-1.

Ryan’s Valencia hung on in a frantic final few minutes to ensure their passage through to the group stage.

Meanwhile Tom Rogic sat on the bench as Malmo’s Markus Rosenberg and a Boyata own goal meant their group stage dream was over at the Swedbank Stadium in Malmo losing 2-0 and 4-3 on aggregate.

Head here for official Valencia website