Man City given Faroes Uefa task

Manchester City will play EB/Streymur of the Faroe Islands in the first qualifying round of the Uefa Cup.

City will be away for the first leg on 17 July, while TNS face Lithuania's Suduva and Welsh rivals Bangor will be up against Denmark's FC Midtjylland.

Northern Ireland's Glentoran have been drawn against Latvia's SK Metalurgs and league compatriots Cliftonville have a tough tie with Denmark's FC Copenhagen. The Republic of Ireland's Cork City face Haka and St Patrick's play Olimps.

Cork City are at home for the first leg against Finnish side Haka, while St Patrick's are away in Latvia.

Glentoran and Cliftonville have home openers, with the return legs scheduled for 31 July.

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How will Man City and the rest of the British and Irish clubs fare in the Uefa Cup qualifiers?

Manchester City, who clinched a European place thanks to their position in the Fair Play table, will play the home leg at Barnsley's Oakwell ground, with the City of Manchester Stadium having its pitch relaid following a recent Bon Jovi concert.

"Obviously, the strength of their league is nowhere near the Premier League, so you would like to think we would progress," said Manchester City manager Hughes.

"Technically, we will be far and away the better side so you would expect that to be enough."

EB/Streymur director Roland Hojsted said: "Manchester City were our number one choice, there is no doubt about that.

"We were all excited about the draw beforehand and that has only increased now we know Manchester City will be our opponents."

Hojsted said the first leg would be held in either Toftir or Torshavn, ensuring a 6,000-capacity stadium for the encounter.

"It will be a fantastic occasion and I can guarantee the City fans a superb time in the Faroes," he added.

Bangor will play their first leg at Wrexham's Racecourse Ground, while TNS will play FK Suduva away in Lithuania before the return leg at Park Hall.

Scottish League Division One side Queen of the South, who made it into Europe as losing Scottish Cup finalists, will enter the tournament at the second qualifying round stage.

The draw for the second round of qualifying takes place on 1 August.

Premier League trio Everton, Portsmouth and Tottenham are all guaranteed a place in the first round proper of the tournament, as are Motherwell, who finished in third place in last season's Scottish Premier League.

The tournament promises to be extremely competitive, with Italian giants AC Milan already in the first round draw alongside the likes of Ajax, Benfica, Valencia, Sevilla, Paris Saint-Germain and AEK Athens.

2008-09 Uefa Cup first round qualifying draw

Cherno More Varna (Bulgaria) v Sant Julia (Andorra)

Pelister (Macedonia) v APOEL (Cyprus)

Vaduz (Liechtenstein) v Zrinjski (Bosnia)

Sroki Brijeg (Bosnia) v Partizan (Albania)

Hapoel Kiryat (Israel) v Mogren (Montenegro)

Koper (Slovenia) v Vllaznia (Albania)

NK Ljubljana (Slovenia) v Zeta (Montenegro)

Juvenes Dogana (San Marino) v Hapoel Tel Aviv (Israel)

Hajduk Split (Croatia) v Birkirkara (Malta)

Milano (Macedonia) v Omonia (Cyprus)

Marsaxlokk (Malta) v Slaven Koprivnica (Croatia)

Salzburg (Austria) v Banants (Armenia)

Gyori (Hungary) v Zestaponi (Georgia)

Ararat Yerevan (Armenia) v Bellinzona (Switzerland)

Dacia Chisinau (Moldova) v Borac (Serbia)

Tobol Kostanay (Kazakhstan) v Austria Vienna (Austria)

Hertha Berlin (Germany) v Nistru Otaci (Moldova)

Khazar Lenkoran (Azerbaijan) v Lech Poznan (Poland)

Legia Warsaw (Poland) v Gomel (Belarus)

Spartak Trvana (Slovakia) v WIT (Georgia)

RIPO Minsk (Belarus) v MSK Zilina (Slovakia)

Shakhtyor Karagandy (Kazakhstan) vs. Debreceni VSC (Hungary)

Olimpik Baku (Azerbaijan) v Vojvodina (Serbia)

Hafnarfjordur (Iceland) v Grevenmacher (Luxembourg)

Vetra (Lithuania) v Viking (Norway)

Racing Union (Luxembourg) v Kalmar (Sweden)

Honka Espoo (Finland) v Akranes (Iceland)

Glentoran (Northern Ireland) v Liepajas Metalurgs (Latvia)

Brondby (Denmark) v B36 Torshavn (Faroe Islands)

Nordsjaelland (Denmark) v TVMK Tallinn (Estonia)

Streymur (Faroe Islands) v Manchester City (England)

Olimps (Latvia) v St. Patrick's Athletic (Rep of Ireland)

Djurgarden (Sweden) v Flora (Estonia)

Suduva (Lithuania) v The New Saints (Wales)

Cliftonville (Northern Ireland) v FC Copenhagen (Denmark)

Cork City (Rep of Ireland) v Haka (Finland)

Midtjylland (Denmark) v Bangor City (Wales)

First leg ties to be played 17 July, second leg ties on 31 July

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Bangor City
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