CHAMPIONS LEAGUE AND EUROPA LEAGUE THIRD QUALIFYING ROUNDS:BOHEMIANS WILL face either Pyunik Yerevan or Dinamo Zagreb in the third qualifying round of the Champions league if they can capitalise on Wednesday's 1-1 draw in Salzburg and eliminate Red Bull at Dalymount next week.
Pat Fenlon has cautioned his players not to get carried away with the away result, insisting he had personal experience of ties being lost through complacency after a good first-leg result and yesterday he said he was not planning to do any scouting work on either of the potential third round opponents until his own side’s fate is known.
“I don’t think getting anyone out there for Tuesday night (when Pyunik play in Zagreb after the two sides played out a goalless draw in the first leg) is a runner, really,” he said. “I have a good contact out there and I’ll make a few calls if the situation arises but I’m not going to pursue anything before that.”
Pyunik beat Derry City in the qualifying rounds a couple of years ago when they won the home leg 2-0 after securing a goalless draw at the Brandywell but Zagreb, who won the Croatian league last season by six points and are due to start their defence of the title next week, will start Tuesday’s game as favourites to progress. Bohemians face Salzburg again 24 hours later in Phibsborough.
City, meanwhile, face a tough Europa League clash with CSKA Sofia if they can overcome Skonto Riga next Thursday night. Stephen Kenny’s side also drew the first-leg away to start next week’s game in a reasonably strong position but CSKA, who lost the Bulgarian title on the last day of the season, would represent a significant step up in terms of the challenge they would present for the Candystripes.
St Patrick’s Athletic’s potential difficulties in the event that they can salvage a place in the next round by eliminating Valletta after conceding a second-half equaliser in Thursday’s first-leg in Inchicore won’t end with the qualifying of the opposition next time out.
Krylya Sovetov are currently fifth in the Russian league after 13 games which makes them a daunting enough prospect but Samara, the city where they are based, is usually very hot (around 40 degrees) in late July and early August and is likely to prove fairly tricky to get to.
Celtic were also handed Russian opposition in yesterday’s Champions league qualifying draw although it’s questionable whether Tony Mowbray will be taking any consolation from the fact his side will be travelling to the country’s capital in a couple of weeks’ time.
Dinamo Moscow are presently two places behind Krylya in the league but the Scots probably would have been hoping for something a little challenging for their first competitive outings of the new season.
“It was going to be what it was going to be,” said the Celtic manager yesterday. “We are happy to take whoever it was and I don’t have any preferences in cup draws.
“We are not in the industry of making excuses. They are 13 games into their season and I’m sure they will be a quality side.
“Russian teams are very fit, methodical and organised and I’m sure they will give us a tough test but I’m sure they are looking at the draw and thinking it is a big ask for them.”
Third Qualifying Round
Champions League
Celtic (Scot) v Dynamo Moscow (Rus); Salzburg (Aut)/Bohemians (Ire) v Pyunik Yerevan (Arm)/Dinamo Zagreb (Cro);
FH (Ice)/Aktobe Lento (Kaz) v Maccabi Haifa (Isr)/Glentoran (NIre).
(Matches July 28th-29th, Aug 4th-5th)
Europa League
Falkirk (Sco)/FC Vaduz (Lie) v Slovan Liberec (Cze); St Patrick’s Ath (Ire)/Valletta FC (Mal) v Krylya Sovietov
Samara (Rus); CSKA Sofia (Bul)v Skonto FC (Lat)/Derry City (Ire); Rabotnicki Skopje (Mac)/Crusaders (NIre) v OB Odense (Den); Vetra Vilnius (Lit)/HJK Helsinki (Fin) v Fulham (Eng).
(Matches July 30th Aug 6th)
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