GENEVA -- Former European Cup winners Porto and Celtic took big steps toward the Champions League group stage on Wednesday, as home teams struggled in their playoff round, first-leg matches. Doug West Jersey . Two-time champion Porto won 1-0 in Lille, and Celtic took advantage of a reprieve from UEFA to play in the competition by drawing 1-1 at Maribor. Russian league leader Zenit St. Petersburgs 1-0 victory at Standard Liege helped ensure all five home teams failed to win. APOEL is favoured to advance next week in Cyprus after drawing 1-1 against Aalborg in Denmark. BATE Borisov took a 1-1 draw back to Belarus after Slovan Bratislava got an 80th-minute equalizer from veteran Slovakia forward Robert Vittek. Second-leg matches are played next Tuesday, two days before the 32-team group stage is drawn in Monaco. Each club is then guaranteed at last 8.6 million euros ($11.5 million) in prize money from UEFA. Porto and Lille both finished third in their national leagues last season, and it was Portugal which looked the classier act on this evidence. The only goal, in the 61st minute, had a World Cup flavour to it. Portos Mexico midfielder Hector Herrera pounced from close-range after Lilles Nigeria goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama parried a header by Jackson Martinez, the Colombia forward. Lille rarely threatened, though defender Sebastien Corchia shot over from eight meters (yards) in the 45th after his first shot was blocked. Celtic, the 1967 champion, owed its appearance in the playoffs to UEFAs lawyers after losing home and away to previous opponent Legia Warsaw. Celtic advanced when the Polish champion was punished for fielding a suspended player. The Scottish side led in the sixth minute from a third goal in the competition by Callum McGregor, who seized on a loose ball after Jo Inge Bergets shot was saved. Maribor, seeking a first group-stage appearance for 15 years, levelled eight minutes with Damjan Bohars goal. Celtic would have retaken the lead but Stefan Johansen, standing on the goalline, inadvertently blocked teammate Virgil van Dijks header. After four straight wins in its national league, coach Andre Villas-Boas Zenit team also won in Belgium. Brazil forward Hulks pass across the penalty box set up Oleg Shatovs winning goal in the 16th minute. APOEL, a surprise quarterfinalist three seasons ago, made its first shot on target count in the 54th minute at Aalborg. Brazilian midfielder Vinicius finished a surging run into the penalty area with a rising shot into the net. The Danish champion Aalborg had dominated the first half and took the lead with Nicolaj Thomsens shot in the 16th from 15 metres (yards). BATE are well set to reach the group stage for the fourth time since 2008. It led with a 44th-minute own goal by Slovan defender Tomas Jablonsky. Vittek, whose four goals at the 2010 World Cup included two to eliminate defending champion Italy, came off the bench late to level the match with a left-foot shot from a tight angle. 17:22ET 20-08-14 Wholesale Timberwolves Jerseys . -- League scoring leader Anthony Mantha had two goals and two assists to lead the Val-dOr Foreurs over the Blainville-Boisbriand Phoenix 6-3 on Wednesay in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League play on Wednesday. Pooh Richardson Jersey . scored 18 of his career- high 28 points in the first half, as fifth-ranked Ohio State dominated No. https://www.cheaptimberwolves.com/350j-jonny-flynn-jersey-timberwolves.html . Chris Heisey connected for his first grand slam and Devin Mesoraco homered and drove in a career high-tying four runs as Cincinnati took advantage of Tampa Bays depleted pitching staff for a 12-4 victory on Sunday.NEW YORK -- Curtis Granderson is heading across town, where the New York Mets hope his home run swing wont suffer at Citi Field. The free-agent outfielder agreed to a $60 million, four-year contract with the Mets, according to a person familiar with the situation. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Friday because the deal was pending a physical and no announcement had been made. Granderson, who turns 33 in March, comes over from the crosstown Yankees and gives the Mets much-needed power in their punchless outfield. He batted .229 with seven homers and 15 RBIs this year, when wrist and hand injuries limited him to 61 games. But he surpassed 40 homers in each of his previous two seasons in pinstripes. The move marks general manager Sandy Aldersons most expensive free-agent signing -- by far -- after three years of bargain shopping as the Mets rebuilt. A three-time All-Star, Granderson provides proven thump from the left side of the plate to complement right-handed hitter David Wright in a lineup that managed only 130 home runs last season -- tied for 25th among 30 major league teams. New York also signed free-agent outfielder Chris Young to a $7.25 million, one-year contract this off-season. Granderson has played centre field most of his career but spent time in both left and right last season. He figures to fill a corner spot with the Mets, who plan to use defensive whiz Juan Lagares or Young in centre. New Yorks outfield combined to hit .238 this year (29th in the majors) with 50 homers (tied for 24th) and 209 RBIs (16th), according to STATS. The group also includes speedy left fielder Eric Young Jr., the NL stolen base leader. Granderson turned down a $14.1 million qualifying offer from the Yankees to test the open maarket. Keita Bates-Diop Jersey. The Mets, however, would not have to forfeit their first-round draft pick to sign him because they own the 10th overall selection. The top 10 picks are protected. Granderson hit 41 home runs in 2011, when he led the American League in runs (136) and RBIs (119) and finished fourth in MVP voting. He had 43 homers and 106 RBIs in 2012, taking advantage of the short right-field porch at Yankee Stadium. The Mets hope his power will translate to spacious Citi Field, where its more difficult to clear the fences. Grandersons numbers have declined the past two years, down to a .317 on-base percentage and .407 slugging mark last season. He also is prone to strikeouts -- whiffing 364 times from 2011-2012 -- and joins a Mets lineup that fanned 1,384 times this year, tied with Atlanta for most in the NL. But his bat is a significant upgrade for the Mets, starved for offence following their fifth straight losing season since moving into Citi Field. Now, the club can focus on other areas of need -- shortstop, first base, the pitching staff -- heading into baseballs winter meetings next week. Granderson was on the disabled list twice last season after getting hit by pitches. He missed the first 38 games after breaking his right wrist when he was plunked by Toronto left-hander J.A. Happ in his first spring training plate appearance on Feb. 24. Not long after he returned, Granderson broke a knuckle on his left pinkie when he was hit at Tampa Bay on May 24. That kept him out until August, making Granderson one of several Yankees stars to be sidelined much of the season. New York was unable to overcome all the injuries, missing the playoffs for only the second time in 19 years. Grandersons agreement with the Mets was first reported by the New York Post. ' ' '