Goal in sight for third qualifying round hopefuls
Thursday, July 25, 2013
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FC Zenit St Petersburg and Olympique Lyonnais line up with FC Shakhter Karagandy and KS Skënderbeu in the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round.
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FC Shakhter Karagandy and KS Skënderbeu are within sight of a first group stage campaign as the lineup for the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round takes shape following this week's second qualifying round deciders.
Full third qualifying round fixture list
After battling past FC BATE Borisov and PFK Neftçi respectively, the champions of Kazakhstan and the Albania title holders meet in the next round. The victors will reach the UEFA Champions League play-offs, where – win or lose – they will be sure of a place in one of the two UEFA club competition group stages. Other modest clubs with similar dreams include Estonia's JK Nõmme Kalju, Iceland's FH Hafnarfjördur and Bulgaria's PFC Ludogorets Razgrad.
Elsewhere, GNK Dinamo Zagreb are meeting up with FC Sheriff at this stage for the third time in four seasons, while APOEL FC will look for a repeat of their 2002/03 success against NK Maribor in the second qualifying round. The third qualifying also round marks the start of the league route to the group stage, with FC Zenit St Petersburg, Olympique Lyonnais and PSV Eindhoven among the biggest entrants.
Third qualifying round draw (30/31 July, 6/7 August)
Champions route
FC Basel 1893 (SUI) v Maccabi Tel-Aviv FC (ISR)
Molde FK (NOR) v Legia Warszawa (POL)
PFC Ludogorets Razgrad (BUL) v FK Partizan (SRB)
FC Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO) v FC Steaua Bucureşti (ROU)
APOEL FC (CYP) v NK Maribor (SVN)
Celtic FC (SCO) v IF Elfsborg (SWE)
FC Shakhter Karagandy (KAZ) v KS Skënderbeu (ALB)
FK Austria Wien (AUT) v FH Hafnarfjördur (ISL)
JK Nõmme Kalju (EST) v FC Viktoria Plzeň (CZE)
GNK Dinamo Zagreb (CRO) v FC Sheriff (MDA)
League route
FC Nordsjælland (DEN) v FC Zenit St Petersburg (RUS)
FC Salzburg (AUT) v Fenerbahçe SK (TUR)
PAOK FC (GRE) v FC Metalist Kharkiv (UKR)
PSV Eindhoven (NED) v SV Zulte Waregem (BEL)
Olympique Lyonnais (FRA) v Grasshopper Club (SUI)
* The participation of Fenerbahçe SK in the 2013/14 UEFA Champions League and/or 2013/14 UEFA Europa League is subject to the final decision of the CAS.
