FC Vorskla Poltava can take comfort from Ukrainian clubs' exceptional record against Danish counterparts as they prepare to take on FC København in their opening UEFA Europa League Group B game.

Previous meetings
• The sides are meeting for the first time in Europe and this is also København's first meeting with Ukrainian opponents in their current form.

• B 1903 København, who merged with Kjøbenhavns BK to form FCK in 1992, played FC Dynamo Kyiv in the 1973/74 UEFA Cup second round, losing 1-0 away and 2-1 at home.

• Vorskla's only previous meeting with Danish opponents came in the 1998 UEFA Intertoto Cup second round; they drew 2-2 with Akademisk Boldklub in Soberg, winning the tie on away goals following a 1-1 draw in the return fixture.

• They are thus yet to win or lose over 90 minutes against a Danish side.

Match background
• In 16 UEFA games between Danish and Ukrainian sides, the Danish side has won just once, Brøndby IF triumphing 1-0 at Dynamo in the 1997/98 UEFA Champions League second qualifying round. Ukrainian sides' record in those ties reads W10 D5 L1 (W6 D2 L0 in Denmark).

• FCK have won two and lost two at home in Europe since holding UEFA Champions League winners FC Barcelona to a 1-1 draw in last season's group stage. In their last UEFA Europa League home game, they went down 3-1 to Olympique de Marseille in the 2009/10 round of 32.

• Vorskla are on a seven-game unbeaten run in Europe (including six games this season) comprising six wins and a draw. They have won all three of their 2011/12 UEFA away games.

• Of Vorskla's 16 European matches to date, 14 have come in qualifying competitions. In their only previous appearance in a UEFA competition proper, they lost 2-1 home and away against Boavista FC in the 2000/01 UEFA Cup first round.

Team facts
• Roland Nilsson replaced Ståle Solbakken as FCK boss this year, after winning the 2010 Swedish title with Malmö FF. This is his first European season as a coach, but the 116-times capped former Sweden defender has extensive European experience.

• Nilsson came up against Vorskla's Ukrainian rivals FC Karpaty Lviv in the 1999/2000 UEFA Cup first round tie; both legs ended in 1-1 draws, with Helsingborg winning 4-2 on penalties in Ukraine.

• Vorskla goalkeeper Serhiy Dolganskiy celebrates his 37th birthday on the day of the match.

• Vorskla boss Mykola Pavlov won a Ukrainian title as Dynamo Kyiv coach in 1995/96, and guided both FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk and FC Illychivets Mariupil in European games.

• Pavlov has a decent record on the road in Europe, earning five wins and three defeats in his eight continental away fixtures as a coach.

• Vorskla take their name from the river that runs through Poltava.