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On Monday at the UEFA headquarters in Switzerland, Nyon city, the draw for the 2006 Intertoto Cup tournament took place, dividing the representatives of 49 Old Continent countries into pairs of three stages. Although all tournament participants will only be known in a couple of months, the draw determined that Lithuania's representative, Vilnius, would meet an opponent from Ireland in the first stage.
Last season, the "Vėtra" team, which finished fourth in the "A League" and lost in the cup final, has ambitious plans and set a goal to qualify for the UEFA Cup. They were drawn against the Irish club "Shelbourne," which finished third in last year's national championship.
Lithuanian clubs have faced Irish teams twice - in 1996, FBK "Kaunas" defeated "Sligo Rovers" in the same Intertoto Cup tournament, while last year "Ekranas" failed to beat "Cork City." Meanwhile, Vilnius "Žalgiris" has beaten Northern Irish teams three times.
If "Vėtra" manages to overcome the barrier of "Shelbourne," in the second stage, the Vilnius club would play against a representative from Denmark, most likely the teams currently occupying third and fourth places in the league - "Viborg" or "OB." Success against the Danes would see the Lithuanian team playing against a Scottish team in the third stage, but only if the Scottish team defeats the winner of the Latvian - Faroe Islands pair.
The main candidates to represent Scotland in the Intertoto Cup are Edinburgh's "Hibernian," however, "Inverness" also has possibilities. Interestingly, two years ago, "Vėtra" debuted in the tournament and beat "Hibernian" in the second stage but had to admit the superiority of the Danish team "Esbjerg" in the third stage.
The 2006 Intertoto Cup will start on June 17/18, with the return matches of the first stage taking place a week later, on June 24 and 25. The second stage matches will be played at the beginning of July, and the third stage will take place on July 15/16 and 22.
As per the new format of the cup, only three stages are left in the tournament, and eleven winners of the third stage will advance to the second qualifying round of the UEFA Cup, which will be played on September 15-29.
2006 UEFA Intertoto Cup Draws
First stage
First matches: June 17/18
Return matches: June 24/25
1. Macedonia - Romania
2. Slovenia - Andorra
3. Cyprus - Albania
4. Bosnia and Herzegovina - Malta
5. Armenia - Georgia
6. Kazakhstan - Belarus
7. Slovakia - Luxembourg
8. Azerbaijan - Moldova
9. Iceland - Northern Ireland
10. Latvia - Faroe Islands
11. Finland - Wales
12. Estonia - Sweden
13. Lithuania - Ireland ("Vėtra" - "Shelbourne")
Second stage
First matches: July 1/2
Return matches: July 8/9
A) Hungary - Turkey
B) Winner of match 1 - Bulgaria
C) Serbia and Montenegro - Winner of match 2
D) Israel - Winner of match 4
E) Croatia - Winner of match 3
F) Switzerland - Czech Republic
G) Winner of match 7 - Ukraine
H) Austria - Winner of match 5
I) Winner of match 8 - Poland
J) Russia - Winner of match 6
K) Scotland - Winner of match 10
L) Denmark - Winner of match 13
M) Norway - Winner of match 9
N) Winner of match 11 - Winner of match 12
Third stage
First matches: July 15/16
Return matches: July 22
Italy - Winner of match B
Greece - Winner of match A
Spain - Winner of match C
Winner of match D - Winner of match E
Winner of match F - Belgium
France - Winner of match G
Germany - Winner of match J
Winner of match H - Winner of match I
England - Winner of match M
Winner of match N - Netherlands
Winner of match L - Winner of match K
