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Olympique Lyon virtually guaranteed their place in the Champions League group stage after thumping Anderlecht 5-1 in the first leg of their play-off.

Lyon raced into a 4-0 half-time lead and, barring an unlikely reversal in next week's second leg, will go into the draw for the competition proper when it takes place in Monaco on August 27.

Lyon, taking part in the qualifying rounds for the first time since 2000-01 after their seven-year reign as champions came to an end in May, wasted no time in gaining control of the match with goals from their new summer signings.

Teenage Bosnian international Miralem Pjanic blasted them into the lead with a stunning 10th minute free-kick before new Argentine striker Lisandro doubled their lead five minutes later with a penalty.

Michel Bastos put Lyon 3-0 ahead with a superb left-foot strike that went in off a post before another new face, Bafetimbi Gomis added the fourth just before half-time.

Matias Suarez pulled one back for Anderlecht before Gomis scored his second of the night to complete the rout.

Zurich look set to join them after scoring a convincing 3-0 away win over Latvian champions Ventspils and are now just 90 minutes away from a return to Europe's elite competition for the first time for 28 years.

Johan Vonlanthen, Silvan Aegerter and Dusan Djuric were on target for the Swiss champions.

Atletico Madrid also grabbed the advantage in their tie, winning 3-2 at Panathinaikos in Athens.

The visitors took a 1-0 lead in the 36th minute when Diego Forlan set up Maxi Rodriguez who took the ball around Panathinaikos goalkeeper Mario Galinovic to score.

Panathinaikos levelled in the 47th minute when Dimitris Salpingidis flicked the ball over Atletico keeper Sergio Asenjo.

However, Forlan restored the Spaniards' lead in the 63rd minute when he followed-up Rodriguez's blistering drive which had come back off the post.

Argentine striker Sergio Aguero made it 3-1 in the 70th minute, but Panathinaikos substitute Sebastian Leto narrowed the gap four minutes later to keep the Greeks in touch for the away leg.

Debrecen's 2-1 win at Levski Sofia means they have a good chance of becoming the first Hungarian side to reach the last 32 since Ferencvaros in 1995-96.

Laszlo Bodnar gave the Hungarians the lead but Levski levelled at the start of the second period with a fine strike from Cedric Bardon. Fourteen minutes from time, Peter Czvitkovics claimed Debreceni's second.

Israeli champions Maccabi Haifa were also winners on the road with a goal six minutes from time from substitute Shlomi Arbeitman earning a 2-1 win at FC Salzburg.

Georgian striker Vladimer Dvalishvili headed Haifa in front before Alexander Zickler equalised on 57 minutes for the Austrians.

The second legs will be played next Tuesday.

AFP / Reuters