Bayern cruise

Villarreal striker Giuseppe Rossi (R) is about to score one of his two goals during their Champions League play off against Odense at the El Madrigal on Tuesday.Photo: AFP

Bayern Munich and Villarreal avoided embarrassing exits from the Champions League on Tuesday as they cruised into Thursday's group stage draw after winning their respective play-off clashes.
Bayern - making a rare appearance at this stage of the competition after finishing third in the league last season - beat FC Zurich 1-0 away thanks to a Mario Gomez first-half strike to win 3-0 on aggregate.
Villarreal - who could be forgiven for lacking match sharpness after the first round of Spanish league matches were called-off last weekend because of a players strike - trounced Danish league runners-up Odense 3-0, to win 3-1 on aggregate.
Villarreal's highly-rated striker Giuseppe Rossi grabbed a double to ensure the 'Yellow Submarine's place in the group stages for the third time in what was an ill-tempered match that saw a player from each side sent-off.
Malmo nearly pulled-off a remarkable win, as regarded as no-hopers after losing the first leg 4-1, going 2-0 up four minutes from time against Dinamo Zagreb but they couldn't find the goal that would have seen them progress on the away goal rule.
Belgian side Genk and Israeli outfit Maccabi Haifa's clash went all the way to penalties - the match having finished 2-2 on aggregate - with Genk prevailing 4-1.
The losers at least have the consolation of going into the Europa League group stage draw.
Gomez's goal ensured Bayern will go into Thursday's draw as one of the ten play-off winners who join the 22 automatic entrants.
Bayern - who are hoping to go all the way to the final which is being staged at Munich's Allianz Arena on May 19 next year - join fellow German sides Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen in the main draw.
Munich had few problems in Zurich as the hosts rarely troubled Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer while Munich barely got out of second gear.
Rossi showed why he is one of Europe's most-coveted strikers with a second-half double to set Villarreal on their way to victory.
The Spanish side must have been beginning to wonder where a goal was going to come from as Stefan Wessels saved everything that came his way until five minutes into the second half, when Rossi stabbed home a low Nilmar cross.
That goal cancelled out Hans-Henrik Andreasen's strike which had given Odense the narrowest of first-leg leads.
The spectators at the El Madrigal was on it's feet again midway through the second half when a wonderful cross from deep on the right flank from Cani was met by Rossi, leaving Wessels with no chance.
RESULTS
APOEL Nicosia (CYP) 3 (Pareiko 29-og, Ailton 54, 87) Wisla Krakow (POL) 1 (Wilk 71)APOEL win 3-2 on aggregate
Genk (BEL) 2 (Vossen 35, Buffel 41) Maccabi Haifa (ISR) 1 (Golasa 37) aet
Genk won 4-1 on penalties after match finished 2-2 on aggregate
Malmo (SWE) 2 (Wilton Figueiredo 69, Jansson 86) Dinamo Zagreb (CRO) 0
Dinamo win 4-3 on aggregate
Villarreal (ESP) 3 (Rossi 50, 66, Marchena 82) OB Odense (DEN) 0
Villarreal win 3-1 on aggregate
FC Zurich (SUI) 0 Bayern Munich (GER) 1 (Gomez 7)
Bayern win 3-0 on aggregate