Porto ease through to Champions League group stage

Porto have booked their place in the group stages of the Champions League courtesy of a 3-0 aggregate victory over Lille in their playoff.

The Portuguese side eased to a comfortable 2-0 victory this evening, having taken control of the tie with a 1-0 win in France last week.

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The hosts almost took the lead just 10 minutes into the second leg as Jackson Martinez latched on to Danilo's cross, only to put his effort wide of the mark.

Lille's first sight of goal came on the half-hour mark as Idrissa Gueye received the ball inside the box, but he couldn't get his shot away in time as the defence scrambled the ball clear.

Porto almost made a perfect start to the second half when Hector Herrera directed a header towards the corner, but Vincent Enyeama reacted in time to make a fine stop.

They would not be denied for long, however, as Yacine Brahimi fired the hosts ahead in spectacular fashion, curling a 25-yard free kick over the wall and into the top corner.

Porto doubled their advantage 20 minutes later as Brahimi turned provider, slipping the ball through for Martinez, who picked out the bottom corner with deadly accuracy.

There was no way back for Lille after that as the Ligue 1 outfit bowed out of the Champions League in the qualifying stages.