Dortmund handed Austria test
Friday, August 29, 2003
Article summary
BV Borussia Dortmund have been paired with double-winners FK Austria Wien in the UEFA Cup first round.
Article body
Tricky tie
Seven past winners of the European Champion Clubs' Cup were among the 96 teams in the draw, including a Dortmund side who face another tricky tie after losing on penalties in the final qualifying round of the Champions League in midweek to Club Brugge KV. FC Steaua Bucuresti, the champions of Europe in 1986, face England's Southampton FC in another eye-catching tie.
Spanish challenge
The top seeds in the draw, Valencia CF, will play AIK Solna of Sweden. FC Barcelona, who last won a European competition in 1997, begin their challenge against SKM Púchov of Slovakia, while the Primera División's other representatives, RCD Mallorca and Villarreal CF, meet APOEL FC and Trabzonspor respectively.
Olimpija for Liverpool
Liverpool FC, four-times champions of Europe and UEFA Cup winners on three occasions, most recently in 2001, will face Slovenian opposition in the form of NK Olimpija Ljubljana. The Premiership was also well represented, with Blackburn Rovers FC drawn against Gençlerbirligi SK and Manchester City FC against KSC Lokeren OV.
Vardar rewarded
FK Vardar of F.Y.R Macedonia enjoyed an excellent Champions League qualifying campaign, defeating Russian league leaders PFC CSKA Moskva before being denied a place in the group stage by AC Sparta Praha. Their reward is a tie against AS Roma. AC Perugia, fresh from their UEFA Intertoto Cup success, play Dundee FC of Scotland, while AC Parma, twice winners of the UEFA Cup in the 1990s, play FC Metalurh Donetsk of Ukraine.
Scandinavian tests
Norwegian champions Rosenborg BK - absent from the UEFA Champions League group stage for the first time since 1994/95 - have been paired with Latvia's FK Ventspils. Sporting Clube de Portugal will face Sweden's Malmö FF, while another Scandinavian contender, Odense BK, will play former European champions FK Crvena Zvezda.
Match dates
Any tie reversals or changes of date will be announced at 14.30CET. Matches in the first round are due to be played on 24 September and 15 October. The eight clubs which finish third in their Champions League groups will enter the UEFA Cup in the third round.
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* Second leg to be played on Thursday 16 October