Birkirkara and Hibernians were drawn to meet Cypriot opponents in the first qualifying round. The two local sides were drawn to play the first leg on 14 July at home. The second leg is to be played on 28 July.
At first it was thought that such a draw would give the two local sides – as well as those of Cyprus – to stage the matches on the same day and at the same venue. But later UEFA reversed the Hibernians-Omonia draw and now the first leg of this match is being played in Cyprus.
Cypriot clubs strengthened
Apoel, who finished second in the league behind champions Anorthosis, have appointed Dighenis Akritas Morphou FC coach Marios Konstantinou to lead them next season, He is replacing Werner Lorant, the German trainer who parted company with Apoel after the 3-1 cup semi-final defeat by Akritas earlier last month.
Konstantinou has been given a two-year contract starting from today. He will be reunited with Greek striker Giorgos Nasiopoulos, 32, who is heading to Apoel after two seasons as Akritas’s star player.
Also, Apoel have been strengthened with the signing of experienced Australian midfielder Paul Okon.
The 33-year-old former Socceroos captain has had a varied career, playing in England for Leeds United, Middlesbrough and Watford and in Italy with Lazio, Fiorentina and Vicenza.
Cyprus Cup winners Omonia, who finished third in the league, have signed the 28-year-old Serbian defender Sinisa Dobrasinovic from Akritas.
Omonia have also signed Greek striker Georgios Vakouftsis from fellow UEFA Cup first qualifying round entrants Apoel. The 25-year-old joins on a two-year contract having top-scored for Apoel in 2003/04 and registered a further eight goals last term.
Draw (1st leg 14 July; 2nd leg 18 July)
Baskimi (Macedonia) vs. Zepce (Bosnia-Herzegovina); BIRKIRKARA (Malta) vs. APOEL (Cyprus); Sant Julia (Andorra) vs. Rapid Bucharest (Romania); Teuta (Albania) vs. Siroki Brijeg (Bosnia-Herzegovina); Elbasani (Albania) vs. FK Vardar (Macedonia); AC Omonia (Cyprus) vs. HIBERNIANS (Malta); SP Domagnano (San Marino) vs. NK Domzale (Slovenia); Ferencvaros (Hungary) vs. MTZ-RIPO Minsk (Belarus); FC Banants (Armenia) vs. Lokomotiv Tbilisi (Georgia); BATE Borisov (Belarus) vs. Torpedo Kutaisi (Georgia); FC Vaduz (Liechtenstein) vs. Dacia Chisinau (Moldova); FK Baku (Azerbaijan) vs. MSK Zilina (Slovakia); Mainz 05 (Germany) vs. FC MIKA (Armenia); Nistru Otaci (Moldova) vs. Khazar Lenkoran (Azerbaijan); Longford Town (Ireland) vs. Carmarthen Town AFC (Wales); Ekranas (Lithuania) vs. Cork City (Ireland); IBV Vestmannaeyjar (Iceland) vs. B36 Torshavn (Faeroe Islands); AC Allianssi (Finland) vs. Petange (Luxembourg); Linfield (Northern Ireland) vs. Ventspils (Latvia); NSI Runavik (Faeroe Islands) vs. FHK Liepajas Metalurgs (Latvia); Etzella Ettelbrück (Luxembourg) vs. Keflavik (Iceland); Viking FK (Norway) vs. Portadown (Northern Ireland); TVMK Tallinn (Estonia) vs. Myllykosken Pallo-47 (Finland); Rhyl (Wales) vs. Atlantas (Lithuania); Esbjerg (Denmark) vs. FC Flora (Estonia).