AMSTERDAM – New recruit Terrence Boyd played the hero in Rapid Vienna's most recent Europa League win, earning the tie-deciding penalty kick in stoppage time on Thursday before firing home the another in a 2-0 win against third qualifying-round guests Vojvodina Novi Sad.
The Serbian club arrived holding a one-goal lead from leg one, but tempted fate five minutes from the aggregate win when Vladan Pavlović was sent off. Moments later, Boyd was upended in the area by Branislav Trajković, offering Deni Alar the opportunity to pull Rapid ahead in the tie on away goals from the spot.
The US goal shark wasn't done, however, as he then capped a counterattack with a calm finish to notch his first career Europa League goal. On the evening, busybody Boyd fired three of six shots on target and picked up a yellow card.
Elsewhere, Steve Cherundolo skippered Hannover 96 as the second-leg hosts cruised to a 2-0 (5-0 aggregate) victory over St. Patrick's Athletic. Last year's quarterfinalists made light work of the Irish side and will be seeded for Friday's playoff-round draw.
The news was not so good for Etchu Tabe and KuPS, whose Cinderella run ended rough with a 6-0 (6-1) defeat at Bursaspor. The Finnish mites held their advantage until midway through the opening frame, but five home-side goals inside 24 minutes flipped the tie on its head.
Meanwhile, Mikkel Diskerud's new employers Rosenborg grabbed a seed for the next round by holding visiting Servette to a 0-0 stalemate. The Troll Kids ended up level on aggregate at 1-1, but move on by virtue of the away goal.
Joining the tourney as seeds for Friday's draw will be Jozy Altidore's AZ Alkmaar and Oguchi Onyewu's Sporting CP. Having dropped from Champions League qualifying, Molde FK enter the Europa League unseeded.
