Maribor hear echoes of glory years

'Adios Villarreal, hello UEFA Cup' read a triumphant sign welcoming visitors to NK Maribor's official website following perhaps the greatest result in the Slovenian club's history. Saturday's 1-1 draw at home to UEFA Champions League semi-finalists Villarreal CF saw them complete a 3-2 aggregate victory and take their place in the UEFA Cup second qualifying round.

Kiev victory
In terms of magnitude, the feat is only rivalled by the 1-0 win away against FC Dynamo Kyiv on Maribor's only appearance in the UEFA Champions League group stage in 1999/00. That season the Slovenian club's challenge petered out, but now confidence is high as they enter a draw containing Club Brugge KV and FK Partizan along with fellow UEFA Intertoto Cup victors Olympique de Marseille and Newcastle United FC. They will know their fate on Friday at 13:30CET when the draw takes place in Nyon.

'Great success'
"Marvellous! Villarreal played in the Champions League semi-finals last year. Don't forget that," said veteran centre-back Žikica Vuksanovič. "This is a great success. They underestimated us in the first leg and we won. We had a great approach for the second leg in Maribor and we played very well again." Coach Marijan Pusnik said: "The fans were really great. I would like to thank them. On the other hand I have to congratulate all the players. They showed the right spirit. It is a great success for a team that has a lot of young players. I am glad I gave them a chance. What a great feeling."

Late goals
Five players aged 20 or less started the home leg - goalkeeper Marko Ranilovič, midfielders Rene Mihelič and David Tomažič, and forwards Dragan Jelič and Gorazd Zajc. All proved fearless in the face of superstar opposition, not least Zajc who scored the 89th-minute equaliser that confirmed Maribor's progression, and Rene Mihelič who shocked Villarreal with a late winner in Spain.

Trophy drought
But dreams of continental glory cannot obscure the task of restoring Maribor's domestic dominance. Between 1996 and 2003 Maribor lifted seven titles in a row, but have not won since and last season came fourth in a ten-team top flight after winning just two matches more than they lost. For 10,000 violet-and-yellow-clad fans at the Ljudski Vrt stadium, Saturday's triumph brought back memories of the good old days and fresh hope that they could return.

No fluke
"We do not have a lot of time for celebration, we have to prepare for the Slovenian championship, which kicks off next week," said Pusnik ahead of their league opener at home to NK Drava on Saturday. "We have to win against Drava to prove that our European victory wasn't a fluke."