Birkirkara among seeded teams in UEFA Cup

The European journey of Malta champions Sliema Wanderers, Birkirkara and Marsaxlokk starts in Nyon today when the draws of the first qualifying round of the Champions League and the UEFA Cup are made at the the headquarters of Europe's football governing body.

Birkirkara, who earned a berth in the UEFA Cup after finishing runners-up in the Premier League, are the only Maltese club enjoying a seeded status in this afternoon's draw.

The Stripes, with a coefficient of 2.100, were classified sixth in the Southern-Mediterranean list and could be drawn against one of the seven unseeded sides.

Debutants Marsaxlokk are among the seven unseeded teams in the Southern-Mediterranean segment but it remains to be seen whether UEFA rules permit that two clubs from the same country be drawn against each other in the first qualifying round.

The Stripes will be keeping their fingers crossed that the draw pits them against either SS Pennarossa of San Marino or Andorra's FC Santa Coloma, seen as the weakest teams.

The other potential opponents for Birkirkara hail from Eastern Europe in the shape of Macedonia's FK Sileks and FK Sloga Jugomagnat, or FK Partizani and KS Dinamo Tirana, both of Albania.

Marsaxlokk, who qualified for the UEFA Cup after reaching the final of the FA Trophy, will come up against tougher opposition.

Their opponents will be one from NK Maribor and NK Primorje, both of Slovenia, Romania's FC Otelul Galati, NK Zeljeznicar and FK Modrica, both of Bosnia and Herzegovina and AC Omonia of Cyprus.

The first qualifying round of the UEFA Cup will be played on July 15 and 29.

In the Champions League draw, the Wanderers failed by a whisker to gain one of the seeded berths as their co-efficient of 1.100 was equal to that of Iceland's KR Reykjavik who are one of the seeded teams.

A re-match with Latvian champions FC Skonto, the team Sliema eliminated in the same stage of the competition last season, is a possibility for the Wanderers.

Sliema's opponents could also be HJK Helsinki (Finland), NK Gorica (Slovenia), FC Sheriff (Moldova), NK Siroki Brijeg (Bosnia), FC Wit Georgia (Georgia), FK Pobeda (Macedonia), FBK Kaunas (Lithuania), FC Gomel (Belarus) and KR Reykjavik.

The first qualifying round of the Champions League will be played on July 14 and 21.

Women's UEFA Championship

Meanwhile, Malta women's national team this evening play their seventh European Championship qualifier against Group Five leaders Ireland at the Dalymount Park Stadium, Dublin.

Pierre Brincat's girls are still in search of their first points in the group after losing their opening six matches.