CORK CITY WILL face Rosenborg in the Europa League after the Norwegian champions were eliminated from the Champions League by Celtic for the second consecutive season.
Needing to overturn a 3-1 deficit from last week’s first leg at Parkhead, Rosenborg could only manage a goalless draw with the Scottish champions in this evening’s second leg at the Lerkendal Stadion.
While Celtic will now advance to a meeting with AEK Athens, Rosenborg must turn their attentions to a tie against Cork City in the third qualifying round of the Europa League.
The first leg is scheduled for Turner’s Cross on Thursday of next week, 9 August, with the return leg taking place on 16 August in Trondheim.
The winners will progress to the Europa League’s play-off round, where another victory will take them into the group stages. The play-off round draw will be made this Monday.
Rosenborg have been champions of Norway for the last three seasons but they currently trail SK Brann by two points with 14 games remaining in the 2018 campaign.
The club’s first-team is now being managed by interim boss Rini Coolen, who took charge last month following the controversial sacking of Kare Ingebrigsten.
The departure of Ingebrigsten seemingly left Rosenborg in disarray, with players issuing a statement calling for the decision to be reversed.
Following last year’s clash with Dundalk, this will be the second season in a row that Rosenborg have encountered Irish opposition in Europe.
After requiring extra-time to see off the Lilywhites in the first qualifying round of the Champions League, they were eliminated by Celtic. The Norwegians then shocked Ajax in the Europa League to secure a place in the group stages.
Cork City moved into this season’s Europa League after a 4-0 aggregate loss to Polish champions Legia Warsaw in the first qualifying round of the Champions League.
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