Balzan drawn with Keşla FK in UEFA Europa League

Balzan were paired with Keşla FK of Azerbaijan in the first qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League while Birkirkara and Gzira United know their possible opponents following the draw which was held in Nyon on Wednesday.

The winner of the Preliminary Round clash Birkirkara/KÍ Klaksvík were drawn with Žalgiris Vilnius of Lithuania. On the other hand, the winner of the Gzira/UE Sant Julià will be facing Radnički Niš of Serbia.

First legs are scheduled for July 12 with the return matches on July 19. Balzan, and possibly Birkirkara, play the first leg at home.

Meanwhile the possible opponents for the three Maltese clubs in the UEFA Europa League Second qualifying round main path were revealed in the draw.

Should Balzan eliminate Keşla FK, they would face Milsami Orhei of Moldova or Slovan Bratislava of Slovakia. In case Birkirkara eliminate both KÍ Klaksvík and Žalgiris Vilnius they would face FC Vaduz of Liechtenstein or PFC Levski Sofia of Bulgaria while Gzira United, in case of success over UE Sant Julià and Radnički Niš, would meet Ferencváros of Hungary or Maccabi Tel-Aviv of Israel.

Second qualifying round matches are scheduled for July 26 and August 2.

Balzan’s opponents, Keşla FK, formerly known as Khazar University and Inter Baku, are based in Keshla – a municipality in the capital city of Baku, Azerbaijan. The club have won the Premier League title two times – 2007/08 and 2009/10. Last season, they placed sixth but won the Cup after defeating Gabala 1-0 in the final.

They have been taking part in UEFA competitions for the last fourteen years. They reached the second round of the Intertoto Cup in 2004 after eliminated Bregenz but lost to Tampere United. In 2008/09, they eliminated Rabotnicki from the first qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League but were eliminated by Partizan Belgrade. The following season, they had an early exit from the Europa League after losing to Spartak Trnava in the second qualifying round. Same thing happened the following season as they were eliminated by Lech Poznan from the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round. In 2012/13, they eliminated Narva Trans in the first round of the Europa League but were eliminated by Asteras Tripoli. In the Europa League 2013/14, they eliminated IFK Mariehamn but lost to Tromso and the following season, they eliminated FC Tiraspol but lost to IF Elfsborg.

Their best performance was in season 2015/16 when they eliminated Laci and FH from the first two qualifying rounds of the Europa League but were eliminated by Athletic Bilbao in the third round. Last season, they eliminated Mladost Lucani from the first qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League but were then eliminated by Fola Esch.

First Qualifying Round

Stjarnan (ISL) v Nõmme Kalju (EST)
Ilves Tampere (FIN) v Slavia Sofia (BUL)
Birkirkara (MLT) / KÍ Klaksvík (FRO) v Žalgiris Vilnius (LTU)
Fola Esch (LUX) v Europa (GIB) / Prishtina (KOS)
Glenavon (NIR) v Molde (NOR)

Dunajská Streda (SVK) v Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO)
Stumbras (LTU) v Apollon Limassol (CYP)
Široki Brijeg (BIH) v Domžale (SVN)
Rangers (SCO) v Shkupi (MKD)
Progrès Niederkorn (LUX) v Gabala (AZE)

Racing Union (LUX) v Viitorul (ROU)
Samtredia (GEO) v Tobol Kostanay (KAZ)
Partizani (ALB) v Maribor (SVN)
Neftçi (AZE) v Újpest (HUN)
Budućnost Podgorica (MNE) v Trenčín (SVK)

Derry City (IRL) v Dinamo Minsk (BLR)
B36 Tórshavn (FRO) / St Joseph’s (GIB) v OFK Titograd (MNE)
Zaria Balti (MDA) v Górnik Zabrze (POL)
Spartak Subotica (SRB) v Coleraine (NIR)
Pyunik (ARM) v Vardar (MKD)

Shamrock Rovers (IRL) v AIK (SWE)
Connah’s Quay (WAL) v Shakhtyor Soligorsk (BLR)
Lahti (FIN) v Hafnarfjördur (ISL)
Ventspils (LVA) v Luftëtari (ALB)
Cliftonville (NIR) v Nordsjælland (DEN)

Banants (ARM) v Sarajevo (BIH)
Engordany (AND) / Folgore (SMR) v Kairat Almaty (KAZ)
Petrocub (MDA) v Osijek (CRO)
Anorthosis Famagusta (CYP) v Laçi (ALB)
Ferencváros (HUN) v Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR)

Balzan (MLT) v Keşla (AZE)
Budapest Honvéd (HUN) v Rabotnicki (MKD)
Rudar Pljevlja (MNE) v Partizan (SRB)
CSKA Sofia (BUL) v Riga (LVA)
Milsami Orhei (MDA) v Slovan Bratislava (SVK)

Radnički Niš (SRB) v UE Sant Julià (AND) / Gzira United (MLT)
Lech Poznań (POL) v Gandzasar-Kapan (ARM)
Chikhura Sachkhere (GEO) v Beitar Jerusalem (ISR)
Vaduz (LIE) v Levski Sofia (BUL)
Željezničar (BIH) v Narva Trans (EST)
Cefn Druids (WAL) / Trakai (LTU) v Irtysh (KAZ)

Hibernian (SCO) v NSÍ Runavík (FRO)
Rudar Velenje (SVN) v Tre Fiori (SMR) / Bala Town (WAL)
Levadia Tallinn (EST) v Dundalk (IRL)
ÍBV (ISL) v Sarpsborg (NOR)
København (DEN) v KuPS Kuopio (FIN)
Liepāja (LVA) v Häcken (SWE)

Second Qualifying Round
Glenavon (NIR) / Molde (NOR) v Anorthosis Famagusta (CYP) / Laçi (ALB)
Banants (ARM) / Sarajevo (BIH) v Atalanta (ITA)
Birkirkara (MLT) / KÍ Klaksvík (FRO) / Žalgiris Vilnius (LTU) v Vaduz (LIE) / Levski Sofia (BUL)
Engordany (AND) / Folgore (SMR) / Kairat Almaty (KAZ) v AZ Alkmaar (NED)
Aberdeen (SCO) v Burnley (ENG)

Rudar Pljevlja (MNE) / Partizan (SRB) v Cefn Druids (WAL) / Trakai (LTU) / Irtysh (KAZ)
Balzan (MLT) / Keşla (AZE) v Milsami Orhei (MDA) / Slovan Bratislava (SVK)
Cliftonville (NIR) / Nordsjælland (DEN) v Shamrock Rovers (IRL) / AIK (SWE)
Rudar Velenje (SVN) / Tre Fiori (SMR) / Bala Town (WAL) v FCSB (ROU)
Hapoel Haifa (ISR) v Lahti (FIN) / Hafnarfjördur (ISL)

Levadia Tallinn (EST) / Dundalk (IRL) v AEK Larnaca (CYP)
Zaria Balti (MDA) / Górnik Zabrze (POL) v Budućnost Podgorica (MNE) / Trenčín (SVK)
Ferencváros (HUN) / Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR) v Radnički Niš (SRB) / UE Sant Julià (AND) / Gzira United (MLT)
CSKA Sofia (BUL) / Riga (LVA) v Admira Wacker Mödling (AUT)
Spartak Subotica (SRB) / Coleraine (NIR) v Sparta Praha (CZE)

RB Leipzig (GER) v Liepāja (LVA) / Häcken (SWE)
Stjarnan (ISL) / Nõmme Kalju (EST) v København (DEN) / KuPS Kuopio (FIN)
Ufa (RUS) v Široki Brijeg (BIH) / Domžale (SVN)
Samtredia (GEO) / Tobol Kostanay (KAZ) v Pyunik (ARM) / Vardar (MKD)
Jagiellonia Białystok (POL) v Rio Ave (POR)

LASK Linz (AUT) v Lillestrøm (NOR)
Budapest Honvéd (HUN) / Rabotnicki (MKD) v Progrès Niederkorn (LUX) / Gabala (AZE)
Petrocub (MDA) / Osijek (CRO) v Rangers (SCO) / Shkupi (MKD)
B36 Tórshavn (FRO) / St Joseph’s (GIB) / OFK Titograd (MNE) v Beşiktaş (TUR)
Dunajská Streda (SVK) / Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO) v Derry City (IRL) / Dinamo Minsk (BLR)

Ventspils (LVA) / Luftëtari (ALB) v Bordeaux (FRA)
Željezničar (BIH) / Narva Trans (EST) v Stumbras (LTU) / Apollon Limassol (CYP)
Racing Union (LUX) / Viitorul (ROU) v Vitesse (NED)
St Gallen (SUI) v ÍBV (ISL) / Sarpsborg (NOR)
Dinamo Brest (BLR) v Atromitos (GRE)
Sevilla (ESP) v Neftçi (AZE) / Újpest (HUN)

Connah’s Quay (WAL) / Shakhtyor Soligorsk (BLR) v Lech Poznań (POL) / Gandzasar-Kapan (ARM)
Hibernian (SCO) / NSÍ Runavík (FRO) v Asteras Tripolis (GRE)
Chikhura Sachkhere (GEO) / Beitar Jerusalem (ISR) v Partizani (ALB) / Maribor (SVN)
Genk (BEL) v Fola Esch (LUX) / Europa (GIB) / Prishtina (KOS)
Djurgården (SWE) v Mariupol (UKR)
Hajduk Split (CRO) v Ilves Tampere (FIN) / Slavia Sofia (BUL)