August 4 – The champions of the tiny football-mad Faroe Islands, KI Klaksvik, have done it again.
After making history by reaching the Champions League second qualifying round for the first time, the team from the remote North Atlantic outpost (population 54,000) have gone one better by reaching the final qualifying round.
It was a night to remember on Wednesday for a town which boasts just 5,000 inhabitants as they went to Sweden after a goalless first leg and drew 3-3 with BK Hacken, going through on penalties.
“Tears. Tears of joy. What a team. What a Club. What a town. What a story. Amazing support. This is unreal,” the club wrote on social media.
The 20-time Faroe league champions had reached the second qualifying round by stunning famed Hungarian side Ferencvaros 3-0 on aggregate in their opening tie.
Klaksvik will next face Molde of Norway, hosting the first game at their 2,500-capacity Við Djúpumýrar stadium on August 8 or 9, with the mouth-watering prospect of making the Champions League group stage.
Even if they lose, victory over BK Hacken guaranteed Klaksvik a place in the Europa Conference League – the first time a Faroes club will feature in the group stage of any major European competition.
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