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Sunday July 19, 2009

Roma will visit Belarus or Belgium for Europa League tie

NYON: Italy’s AS Roma will travel to Belarus or Belgium to progress in the inaugural Europa League after the draw for the third qualifying round was made on Friday.

Roma, the highest-ranked team among the 110 involved, was drawn away to Naftan Novopolotsk or Gent, who complete their two-leg tie in the second qualifying round next week.

Three former European champions featured in a competition which replaces the UEFA Cup as the continent’s second-tier club event behind the Champions League.

Dutch club PSV Eindhoven, European Cup winner in 1988, were drawn at home in the first leg against Cherno More of Bulgaria or Moldova’s Iskra-Stali.

Hamburg, the 1983 European champion from Germany, will travel for the first match to FK Suduva of Lithuania or Denmark’s Randers.

Steaua Bucharest, the 1986 European Cup winners from Romania, must advance against Hungary’s Ujpest next week to play Motherwell of Scotland or Albania’s Flamurtari in the third qualifying round.

Fulham, who finished seventh in the English Premier League last season, were drawn away to face Vetra of Lithuania or Finland’s HJK Helsinki.

The two-leg ties are played on July 30 and Aug 6, with winners advancing to a play-off round when a further 41 teams enter.

That stage will include losing teams from the Champions League third qualifying round, plus domestic cup winners and other teams from Europe’s strongest football nations. — AP

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