The UEFA Europa League first and second qualifying round draws were made today, which saw West Ham pitted against Andorran side FC Lusitans in the first qualifying round.
Fixtures have been set for the 2nd (first leg) and 9th (second leg) of July, with FC Lusitans coming to Upton Park in ten days time, with the Hammers going out to Andorra on July 9th.
But just who are FC Lusitans? Here are some facts about the Europa League minnows.
They were founded in 1999 – the year West Ham scored their last European goal to date – chaired by Antonio da silva Cerqueira.
FC Lusitans play on a 3G – astro turf surface in Sant Julia de Loria in Aixovall, called the Camp d’Esports d’Aixovall, and has a capacity of 900.
The side earned promotion to the top flite of Andorran football, the Campionat de Lliga in 2000-01 after winning the Second Division championship. They won their first silverware the following season, the Copa Constitució or Andorran Cup.
Lusitans competed in their first ever European fixture in the first qualifying round of the 2010-11 Europa League, losing 11-0 on aggregate by Macedonia club Rabotnicki. The following season they were beaten again at this stage, this time a 6-1 aggregate defeat to Croatian side Varazdin.
They won their first Campionat de Lliga title in 2012, which qualified them for the 2012-13 Champions League first qualifying round, which they lost 9-1 on aggregate to Maltese champions Valletta.
The retained the title in 2013, and again qualified for the Champions League first qualifying round, which they again lost, but managed a draw in the first leg at home 2-2 against Streymur from the Faroe Islands, but went on to lose the tie 7-3 on aggregate.
West Ham’s tie against Lusitans is the first in recorded history between an English and Andorran side at club level, so it should be a historic event!
