Amoo's Copahagen takes first step to the Champions League group stage following 2-1 win

Nigerian midfielder Akinkunmi Amoo was an unused substitute Danish side Copenhagen got one leg into the 2022/23 UEFA Champions League group stages thanks to a 2-1 first-leg victory over Trabzonspor.

Goals from in either half by Viktor Claesson and Lukas Lerager meant that Trabzonspor’s quest for their second-ever Champions League group stage appearance was dealt a heavy blow, amid a second-half consolation goal by Anastasios Bakasetas.

Should the Danish giants avoid defeat in next week's second-leg tie in Turkey, they will reach the tournament proper for the first time in six years.

Copenhagen jumped off to an impressive lead within the first ten minutes, showing that they were unconcerned with Trabzonspor's recent three-match winning streak.

In the ninth minute of the game, Viktor Claesson struck an impressive first-time shot into the bottom corner after the hosts quickly launched a counterattack.

Backed by their vociferous home crowd, the Danes thought they had doubled their lead - twice - just after the half-hour mark, but couldn't find the back of the net for the rest of the half, with Trabzonspor, failing to register a single shot on target before the break.

In the second half, Copenhagen got off to a great start, increasing their advantage within three minutes of the game's restart thanks to a point-blank goal from Lerager.

The Danish midfielder succeeded in finding the back of the following a well-hit corner kick that was flicked his way by towering defender Denis Vavro. 

With ten minutes to go, Greek attacker, Bakasetas fired a long-range shot that took a terrible deflection off a defender to give Trabzonspor a lifeline ahead of the second leg.

Both sides will now meet next week Tuesday at Trabzonspor's Senol Gunes Stadium with the aggregate winner of the tie, joining other qualified teams in this season's 32-team group stage.