Wednesday 26 August 2020

WELSH, SCOTTISH, IRISH AND NORTHERN IRISH CLUBS IN EUROPEAN ACTION TONIGHT AND TOMORROW

WEDNESDAY 26th AUGUST

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SECOND QUALIFYING ROUND 
AZ Alkmaar (Holland) v Viktoria Plzen (Czech Rep) 
Celje (Slovenia) v Molde (Norway)
Celtic (Scotland) v Ferencváros (Hungary)
CFR Cluj-Napoca (Romania) v Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia)  
Dynamo Brest (Belarus) v FK Sarajevo (Bosnia & H)  
FK Qarabağ (Azerbaijan) v FC Tiraspol (Moldova)  
FK Sūduva (Lithunia) v Maccabi Tel-Aviv (Israel)
Legia Warsaw (Poland) v Omonia Nicosia (Cyprus)  
Lokomotiva Zagreb (Croatia) v Rapid Vienna (Austria)
Ludogorets (Bulgaria) v FC Midtjylland (Denmark)
Young Boys (Switzerland) v KÍ Klaksvík (Faroe Islands)  

UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE FIRST QUALIFYING ROUND
Progrès Niederkorn (Luxembourg) v FK Zeta (Montenegro)

Celtic's European campaign takes another step when they face Hungarian champion's Fenrencvaros behind closed doors at Celtic Park. It's unchartered territory for Faroese side KI Klaksvik who have never been to the second qualifying round of the Champions League. They were awarded their tie against Slovan Bratislava last week when players and staff from the Slovakian team were tested positive for C19. In their two previous Champions League campaigns they were beaten by Skonto (Latvia) in 1992 and by Red Star Belgrade in 2000. 

It's a very tough tie for them against reigning Swiss Super League winner's Young Boys - Anything but a home win would be a major shock! 

THURSDAY 27th AUGUST 

UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE FIRST QUALIFYING ROUND
Aberdeen (Scotland) v NSI Runavík (Faroe Islands)

Aberdeen play their first game in the Europa League against NSI Runavik who are currently in fourth place of the Faroe Island Premier League and finished the 2019 season in third place. NSI have an all Faroese squad with their most famous player being their Captain Kalemint Olsen who has 27 International caps for the Faroe Islands. Abderdeen have not played in the group stages of a European competition since the 07/08 season when they played in Group B of the then titled UEFA Cup. Last season they were beaten 4-0 on aggregate by Croatian side Rijeka at the third qualifying round stage. 

AGF Aarhus (Denmark) v FC Honka (Finland) 
Alashkert FC (Armenia) v Renova (North Macedonia)  
Apollon Limassol (Cyprus) v Saburtalo (Georgia)  
B36 Tórshavn (Faroe Islands) v Levadia Tallinn (Estonia)  
Budapest Honvéd (Hungary) v FC Inter Turku (Finland)  
CSKA Sofia (Hungary) v Sirens FC (Malta) 
Dynamo Minsk (Belarus) v Piast Gliwice (Poland)
FC Vaduz (Liechenstein) v Hibernians (Malta) 
FH Hafnarfjarðar (Iceland) v Dunajská Streda (Slovakia)  
FK Borac Banja Luka (Bosnia)  v Sutjeska Niksic (Montenegro) 
FK Kukësi (Albania) v Slavia Sofia (Bulgaria)  
FK Partizan (Serbian) v Rīgas FS (Latvia)
FK Ventspils (Latvia) v Dynamo-Auto (Moldova) 
Gjilani (Kosovo) v Apoel Nicosia (Cyprus) 
Hammarby (Sweden) v Puskas (Hungary) 

Hapoel Be-er Sheva (Israel) v Dynamo Batumi (Georgia) 
Iskra-Stal Ribnita (Montenegro) v Lokomotiv Plovdiv (Bulgaria) 
Kairat Almaty (Kazakhstan) v Noah (Armenia)  
Kesla (Azerbaihjan) v Laçi (Albania)  
KS Teuta Durres (Albania) v Beitar Jerusalem (Israel) 
Lech Poznań (Poland) v Valmiera (Latvia)  
Lincoln Red Imps (Gibraltar) v Union Titus Pétange (Luxembourg)
Lincold Red Imps qualified for this stage at the expense of Kosovan side Prishtina - their Preliminary Round tie was awarded to the Gibraltarian side due to some of the opposing squad testing positive for C19 and the game not being able to be played.  They face a club who were formed when Petange (played in the UEFA Cup in 05/06) and FC Titus Lamadelaine merged in 2015. They have defender Sonhy Sefil on their books who was recently released by League Two side Oldham Athletic and has played for Northern Premier League Ashton United on loan in 2019. 

Lokomotivi Tbilisi (Georgia) v CS Universitatea Craiova (Romania) 
Maccabi Haifa (Israel) v FK Sarajevo (Bosnia & H) 
Malmö FF (Sweden) v Cracovia (Poland) 
Motherwell (Scotland) v Glentoran (Northern Ireland) 
A huge game for both sides. The Northern Irish side are back in European competition for the first time since the 2015/16 season and beat Faroese side HB Torshavn 1-0 in the Preliminary Round - Former Leeds United and Lincoln City player Robbie McDaid got the all important goal in that tie. The Scottish side are managed by former Northern Ireland International Stephen Robinson which adds a bit more spice to the game. It's their first European game since the 14/15 season when they were knocked out 4-5 on aggregate by Icelandic side Stjarnan.  

Neftchi Baku (Azerbaijan) v Shkupi (North Macedonia)  
NK Maribor (Slovenia) v Coleraine (Northern Ireland)  
A tough game for Coleraine who travel to Slovenia to face NK Maribor who have won the Slovenian top division 15 times since 1996. Their most famous player is Marcos Tavares who is a Brazilian born striker aged 36. He has been with the club since 2008 and has played over 350 times for the club and scored over 150 goals. 


Nomme Kalju (Estonia) v NS Mura (Slovenia)
Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia) v Vikingu (Iceland) 
Ordabasy (Kazakhtstan) v Botosani (Romania)  

Petrocub-Hincesti (Moldova) v Backa Topola (Serbia) 

Rosenborg (Norway) v Breiðablik (Iceland)  
Servette (Switzerland) v MFK Ružomberok (Slovakia)
Shakhtyor Soligorsk (Belarus) v FC Sfintul Gheorghe (Moldova) 
Shamrock Rovers (Rep Ireland) v Ilves (Finland) 
Rovers have a rich history in European competition going back to 1957/58 season when Manchester United won 9-2 on aggregate in the Preliminary Round of the European Cup. A huge crowd of 45,000 saw the home leg which ended 0-6 thanks to goals from Tommy Taylor (2), Billy Whelan (2), Johnny Berry and David Pegg. Dennis Viollet (2) and Pegg got the goals in the game at Old Trafford watched by 33,754 people. Sadly just a few months later in February 1958 Taylor, Pegg and Whelan died in the Munich air disaster along with several other players from the Busby Babes squad who played in the famous games. 

Rover's opponents are from Finland with their full name being TAMPEREEN ILVES. Ilves translates to the word 'Lynx'. The club were formed in 1975 after a merger of two clubs but suffered financial troubles in the late 1990s when the team was reformed in Tampere United who took the team's place in the then second tier of the Finnish game. The club did not have a team from 1999 to 2007 - They finished fourth in the 2019 Veikkausliiga (top division) and are currently in sixth place after eleven games have been played. 


Steaua Bucharest (Romania) v FC Shirak (Armenia)
Sumqayit (Azerbaihjan) v Shkëndija Tetovo (North Macedonia) 
The New Saints (Wales) v MSK Žilina (Slovakia) 
Valletta (Malta) v Bala Town (Wales)  
Bala Town have played a total of five ties in European competition all in the Europa League. They have never won a tie losing on aggregate in all five - they have won three of the home ties but lost every one away by a combined score of 2-14. Their opponents are one of the most successful and famous clubs in Malta - they have played in Europe on a regular basis since the European Cup of 1963/64 when they lost to Dukla Prague. They had to wait until 1999 for a victory when they overcame Barry Town 3-2 on aggregate in the Champions League. Their 1983 Cup Winners Cup tie against Rangers ended up 0-18 (0-8 and 0-10) 


Videoton FC Fehervar (Hungary) v Bohemians (Rep Ireland) 
VMFD Žalgiris (Lithuania) v Paide Linnameeskond (Estonia) 
Zrinjski Mostar (Bosnia & H) v FC 03 Differdange (Luxembourg) 

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