SHAMROCK ROVERS will face Ferencvaros after the Hungarians suffered a shock 3-0 loss in the Champions League qualifiers this evening.
Few people were expecting Faroe Islands side KI Klaksvik to advance from the tie, even after a creditable 0-0 draw in the home leg.
However, the underdogs stormed to a 3-0 first-half lead at the Groupama Arena in Budapest tonight.
Árni Frederiksberg put the visitors ahead after eight minutes from the penalty spot before the same player doubled their advantage just after the half-hour mark.
Luc Kassi added another on the brink of half-time, and KI did not surrender this commanding position thereafter and advance to the next round as a result.
It means Stephen Bradley’s men will now face Ferencvaros — a team who competed in the Champions League group stages as recently as the 2020–21 season — in the Europa Conference League qualifiers after the Irish team were themselves dumped out of the Champions League following a 3-1 aggregate loss against Breidablik on Tuesday evening.
It is a repeat of a fixture that took place last season, as the Hoops suffered a 4-1 aggregate loss against Ferencvaros in the Europa League play-off round.
The first leg will take place on 27 July in Budapest before the return fixture in Tallaght on 3 August
KI, meanwhile, have been rewarded for their win with a second qualifying round tie against BK Häcken of Sweden.
