Fulham learn Europa League qualifying fate
Monday, June 20, 2011
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Runners-up in 2010, Fulham FC begin the long road to next year's Bucharest final against the Faroe Islands' NSÍ Runavík after the draws for the first and second qualifying rounds were made.
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The 105 teams participating in the UEFA Europa League first and second qualifying rounds learned their fate in Monday's draw in Nyon.
Losing finalists in 2010, Fulham FC will meet NSÍ Runavík of the Faroe Islands in the first qualifying round on 30 June and 7 July. Fulham's fellow Respect Fair Play winners, Norway's Aalesunds FK and BK Häcken of Sweden, face Neath FC and UN Käerjéng 97 respectively. Ferencvárosi TC, 1975 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup runners-up, begin their campaign against Ulisses FC of Armenia.
The second qualifying round, which takes place on 14 and 21 July, could see Fulham take on Crusaders FC of Northern Ireland should the Cottagers overcome Runavík. North of the border in Scotland, meanwhile, 1987 UEFA Cup runners-up Dundee United FC have been pitted against Polish outfit WKS Śląsk Wrocław.
MŠK Žilina, UEFA Champions League group stage contenders last season, start the new European season against either ÍF Fuglafjørdur or KR Reykjavík. Austrian side FC Sazlburg face Latvia's SK Liepājas Metalurgs, while CD Nacional of Portugal – looking to emulate 2011 finalists FC Porto and SC Braga – take on FH Hafnarfjördur from Iceland.
The 80 second qualifying round entrants will join 30 other clubs – including inaugural winners Club Atlético de Madrid – in the third qualifying round draw on 15 July. A total of 38 teams will come through qualifying – concluding with the play-offs – to join ten sides who are eliminated from the UEFA Champions League play-offs in the group stage. The tournament concludes with the final at Bucharest's National Stadium on Wednesday 9 May 2012.
First qualifying round draw (30 June and 7 July)
1 KR Reykjavík (ISL) v ÍF Fuglafjørdur (FRO)
2 FC Daugava Daugavpils (LVA) v Tromsø IL (NOR)
3 IL Elfsborg (SWE) v CS Fola Esch (LUX)
4 The New Saints FC (WAL) v Cliftonville FC (NIR)
5 FC Honka Espoo (FIN) v JK Nõmme Kalju (EST)
6 Fulham FC (ENG)* v NSÍ Runavík (FRO)
7 ÍBV Vestmannaeyjar (ISL) v Saint Patrick's Athletic FC (IRL)
8 BKHäcken (SWE)* v UN Käerjéng 97 (LUX)
9 Aalesunds FK (NOR)* v Neath FC (WAL)
10 FK Renova (MKD) v Glentoran FC (NIR)
11 FC Koper (SVN) v FC Shakhter Karagandy (KAZ)
12 FK Banga (LTU) v Qarabağ FK (AZE)
13 Paksi SE (HUN) v UE Santa Coloma (AND)
14 FK Rabotnicki (MKD) v JK Trans Narva (EST)
15 FK Rad (SRB) v SP Tre Penne (SMR)
16 FK Budućnost Podgorica (MNE) v KS Flamurtari (ALB)
17 Ulisses FC (ARM) v Ferencvárosi TC (HUN)
18 Jagiellonia Białystok (POL) v FC Irtysh Pavlodar (KAZ)
19 FC Minsk (BLR) v Olimpik-Şüvälan PFK (AZE)
20 FC Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO) v FC Milsami Orhei (MDA)
21 NK Varaždin (CRO) v FC Lusitans (AND)
22 FC Banants (ARM) v Metalurgi Rustavi (GEO)
23 Birkirkara FC (MLT) v KS Vllaznia (ALB)
24 NK Široki Brijeg (BIH) v NK Olimpija Ljubljana (SVN)
25 FC Spartak Trnava (SVK) v FK Zeta (MNE)
*Respect Fair Play entrants
Second qualifying round draw (14 and 21 July)
1 FC Banants (ARM)/Metalurgi Rustavi (GEO) v Jagiellonia Białystok (POL)/FC Irtysh Pavlodar (KAZ)
2 FK Sūduva (LTU) v IL Elfsborg (SWE)/CS Fola Esch (LUX)
3 FK Metalurg Skopje (MKD) v PFC Lokomotiv Sofia (BUL)
4 UE Sant Julià (AND) v Bnei Yehuda Tel-Aviv FC (ISR)
5 FK Željezničar (BIH) v FC Sheriff (MDA)
6 KuPS Kuopio (FIN) v AS Gaz Metan Mediaş (ROU)
7 FC Minsk (BLR)/Olimpik-Şüvälan PFK (AZE) v Gaziantepspor (TUR)
8 FC Iskra-Stal (MDA) v NK Varaždin (CRO)/FC Lusitans (AND)
9 FK Tauras (LTU) v ADO Den Haag (NED)
10 FK Renova (MKD)/Glentoran FC (NIR) v FC Vorskla Poltava (UKR)
11 AC Juvenese-Dogana (SMR) v FK Rabotnicki (MKD)/JK Trans Narva (EST)
12 Örebro SK (SWE) v FK Sarajevo (BIH)
13 Crusaders FC (NIR) v Fulham FC (ENG)/NSÍ Runavík (FRO)
14 Llanelli AFC (WAL) v FC Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO)/FC Milsami Orhei (MDA)
15 Floriana FC (MLT) v AEK Larnaca FC (CYP)
16 FC Shakhtyor Soligorsk (BLR) v FK Ventspils (LVA)
17 FK Budućnost Podgorica (MNE)/KS Flamurtari (ALB) v FK Jablonec (CZE)
18 KR Reykjavík (ISL)/ÍF Fuglafjørdur (FRO) v MŠK Žilina (SVK)
19 FC Mika (ARM) v Vålerenga Fotball (NOR)
20 NK Široki Brijeg (BIH)/NK Olimpija Ljubljana (SVN) v Bohemian FC (IRL)
21 NK Domžale (SVN) v RNK Split (CRO)
22 FC Differdange 03 (LUX) v FC Levadia Tallinn (EST)
23 KF Tirana (ALB) v FC Spartak Trnava (SVK)/FK Zeta (MNE)
24 Ulisses FC (ARM)/Ferencvárosi TC (HUN) v Aalesunds FK (NOR)/Neath FC (WAL)
25 SK Liepājas Metalurgs (LVA) v FC Salzburg (AUT)
26 FK Rad (SRB)/SP Tre Penne (SMR) v Olympiacos Volou FC (GRE)
27 The New Saints FC (WAL)/Cliftonville FC (NIR) v FC Midtjylland (DEN)
28 Kecskeméti TE (HUN) v FC Aktobe (KAZ)
29 BKHäcken (SWE)/UN Käerjéng 97 (LUX) v FC Honka Espoo (FIN)/JK Nõmme Kalju (EST)
30 FC Gagra (GEO) v Anorthosis Famagusta FC (CYP)
31 FC Vaduz (LIE) v FK Vojvodina (SRB)
32 FK Rudar Pljevlja (MNE) v FK Austria Wien (AUT)
33 WKS Śląsk Wrocław (POL) v Dundee United FC (SCO)
34 FC Koper (SVN)/FC Shakhter Karagandy (KAZ) v ÍBV Vestmannaeyjar (ISL)/Saint Patrick's Athletic FC (IRL)
35 EB/Streymur (FRO) v FK Banga (LTU)/Qarabağ FK (AZE)
36 FH Hafnarfjördur (ISL) v CD Nacional (POR)
37 Paksi SE (HUN)/UE Santa Coloma (AND) v FC Daugava Daugavpils (LVA)/Tromsø IL (NOR)
38 TPS Turku (FIN) v KVC Westerlo (BEL)
39 Xäzär Länkäran FK (AZE) v Maccabi Tel-Aviv FC (ISR)
40 Birkirkara FC (MLT)/KS Vllaznia (ALB) v FC Thun (SUI)