UEFA Europa League quest continues

The ranks have swelled to include seven of last season's group stage contenders as 40 UEFA Europa League second qualifying round fixtures get under way this week.

With two-time UEFA Cup winners IFK Göteborg and the side that won the1982/83 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, Aberdeen FC, making it through the first qualifying round, along with last season's group stage contenders FC Shakhter Karagandy, the competition will have a little more in terms of star quality as it enters its next phase – not least as recent UEFA Champions League group stage hopefuls CFR 1907 Cluj and one-time regulars Rosenborg BK are among the sides involved.

The big target for all 80 teams is six games away, with the third qualifying round and the play-offs to follow the conclusion of this tie, with 48 teams then having the chance to compete for a place in the round of 32 next year. Aside from Shakhter, six new entrants at this stage made it to the group stage last season: FC Slovan Liberec, Tromsø IL, HNK Rijeka, SV Zulte Waregem, IF Elfsborg and Esbjerg fB. The latter face the longest journey of the round, travelling nearly 5000km to meet FC Almaty in Kazakhstan.

At this stage, we also welcome the first entrants from Russia, Ukraine and the Netherlands – the nations ranked seven to nine in UEFA's coefficients. Russia's FC Krasnodar make their continental debut in Estonia against JK Sillimaë Kalev, while Ukraine's FC Zorya Luhansk visit KF Laçi – who made it through a two-legged European tie for the first time last week. FC Groningen, meanwhile, return to Europe for the first time since 2007 with a tricky-looking visit to Aberdeen.

The UEFA Europa League third qualifying round draw will be streamed live from 13.00CET on 18 July.

Second qualifying round*
Győri ETO FC (HUN) v IFK Göteborg (SWE)
Molde FK (NOR) v ND Gorica (SVN)
FK Željezničar (BIH) v FK Metalurg Skopje (MKD)**
JK Nõmme Kalju (EST) v KKS Lech Poznań (POL)
FC Dinamo Minsk (BLR) v Myllykosken Pallo-47 (FIN)
FC Neman Grodno (BLR) v FH Hafnarfjördur (ISL)
Hapoel Beer Sheva FC (ISR) v RNK Split (CRO)
FC Slovan Liberec (CZE) v MFK Košice (SVK)
Víkingur (FRO) v Tromsø IL (NOR)
FC Petrolul Ploieşti (ROU) v KS Flamurtari (ALB)
FK Čukarički (SRB) v SV Grödig (AUT)
CFR 1907 Cluj (ROU) v FK Jagodina (SRB)
Motherwell FC (SCO) v Stjarnan (ISL)
FC Spartak Trnava (SVK) v FC Zestafoni (GEO)
Crusaders FC (NIR) v IF Brommapojkarna (SWE)
Aberdeen FC (SCO) v FC Groningen (NED)
Bursaspor (TUR) v FC Chikhura Sachkhere (GEO)
Neftçi PFK (AZE) v FC Koper (SVN)
Linfield FC (NIR) v AIK Solna (SWE)
HNK Rijeka (CRO) v Ferencvárosi TC (HUN)
FK Budućnost Podgorica (MNE) v AC Omonia (CYP)
FK Mladá Boleslav (CZE) v NK Široki Brijeg (BIH)
FC Luzern (SUI) v Saint Johnstone FC (SCO)
KF Laçi (ALB) v FC Zorya Luhansk (UKR)
Rosenborg BK (NOR) v Sligo Rovers FC (IRL)
FK Atlantas (LTU) v FC Shakhter Karagandy (KAZ)
FK Sarajevo (BIH) v FK Haugesund (NOR)
SV Zulte Waregem (BEL) v Zawisza Bydgoszcz (POL)
JK Sillamäe Kalev (EST) v FC Krasnodar (RUS)
PFC CSKA Sofia (BUL) v FC Zimbru Chisinau (MDA)
Derry City FC (IRL) v FC Shakhtyor Soligorsk (BLR)
Ruch Chorzów (POL) v FC Vaduz (LIE)
Hapoel Tel-Aviv FC (ISR) v FC Astana (KAZ)
FK AS Trenčín (SVK) v FK Vojvodina (SRB)
PFC Litex Lovech (BUL) v Diósgyőri VTK (HUN)
PFC Botev Plovdiv (BUL) v SKN St Pölten (AUT)
Asteras Tripolis FC (GRE) v RoPS Rovaniemi (FIN)
HNK Hajduk Split (CRO) v Dundalk FC (IRL)
FC Kairat Almaty (KAZ) v Esbjerg fB (DEN)
IF Elfsborg (SWE) v İnter Bakı PİK (AZE)

*Some fixtures are pending CAS/other decision
**2nd leg 22 July