Berlin, 24 August 2022 (dpa/MIA) - Former European kings Benfica on Tuesday ended the Champions League dream of Dynamo Kiev with a comprehensive 3-0 win in their play-off second leg in Lisbon. Benfica already led 2-0 from last week's first leg, played in Poland's Lodz due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and dominated from the start. Nicolas Otamendi, Rafa Silva and David Neres all struck in the first half as Benfica claimed their place among Europe's elite with ease. "Qualifying as one of our first goals and we have achieved it with a great result," Benfica defender Grimaldo told Eleven Sports. "We were dynamic and our fans gave us strength. "I believe that one of our best attributes is to start strong and quickly gain an advantage. The team is at a great level, we have to keep it that way, and improve." Kiev have played a string of friendlies over summer to raise money for good causes in their homeland and Champions League qualifying victories over Fenerbahce and Sturm Graz took them to the brink of the group phase. But Benfica proved a step too far on the day Ukrainian domestic football resumed with the start of a new season behind closed doors in Kiev and Dynamo will now drop into the Europa League instead. They will be joined in the second-tier competition by Qarabag, who lost 2-1 at Viktoria Plzen on the night and on aggregate. Another former champion meanwhile, Red Star Belgrade, crashed out 5-4 on aggregate after conceding a last minute own goal in a 2-2 draw with Maccabi Haifa. Three more play-offs are settled Wednesday, including former champions PSV Eindhoven taking on Rangers. The draw for the group phase is made Thursday in Istanbul, which will also host the final on June 10, 2023, in the Atatürk Olympic Stadium. The first round of group fixtures including defending champions Real Madrid and Europa League winners Eintracht Frankfurt begins September 6.