The opponents of HJK and KuPS in the next round were drawn.
HJK must win one more Euro round to reach the group stage. KIMMO BRANDT / AOP
Helsinki Football Club and Kuopio Palloseura will continue to represent the Veikkausliiga in the Euro tournament qualifiers.
HJK will continue this week in the Champions League qualifiers and face the Norwegian champion Molde. KuPS, who won the Finnish Cup, will start from the 2nd round of the Conference League and will face Northern Ireland’s Derry City.
If HJK manages to beat the pre-favorite, it will secure its place at least in the group stage of the Conference League.
Uefa organized the 3rd round match draw on Monday. Having participated in two draws, HJK will no longer be able to compete with dwarf clubs, so any lottery result requires a full contribution from the Club in terms of advancing. Still, HJK was able to experience a little relief when it avoided the worst opponents in the Champions League, such as Ludogorets and Sparta Prague.
The winner of the HJK–Molde pair will then receive the winner of the KÍ Klaksvík (Faroe Islands)–BK Häcken (Sweden) pair. Both celebrated their country’s championship at the end of last season. KÍ Klaksvík did a tough trick in the last round and beat the big Hungarian club Ferencvaros, but, as expected, they will go to Sweden as a big underdog.
If Molde knocks out HJK, the Helsinki team will continue in the Europa League.
There it would face the loser of the pair Raków Czestochowa (Poland) – Qarabağ FK (Azerbaijan). The lottery result was not the best, as there were teams from, among others, Lithuania and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Raków is the reigning champion of rock-hard Poland. Qarabağ FK, based in Baku, is an experienced Euro tournament visitor.
Switzerland lottery again
Young Boys blew up KuPS last year. EPA / AOP
In the Eurokent method, the result or KuPS playing out may face a big club in the next round.
The lottery threw the winner of the tough match between FC Basel 1893 (Switzerland) and FC Tobol Kostanay (Kazakhstan) in the way of the Kuopio people.
In the opening round, Tobol knocked out FC Honga with the goals of their home match 2–1. The Kazakh club’s defense was strong against Espola, as Honka had only one shot on goal in 180 minutes of playing time.
Basel is familiar to many Euro tournament followers. The Swiss club finished fifth in its league, but is the most successful and richest team in its home country.
Swiss football also became familiar to KuPS last year. In the 3rd round of the conference league, it played against Young Boys and was eliminated from the tournament with a combined score of 0–5.
Both Finnish clubs start away from home.