Standard Liege on Panathinaikos’s way

 Asteras Tripolis snatched 1-1 draw in Finland

By George Georgakopoulos

The draw for the third qualifying round of the Champions League on Friday has put Belgian league runner-up Standard Liege on Panathinaikos’s way to the competition’s play-offs, meaning the Greens have avoided more dangerous opponents such as Zenit St. Petersburg and Lille.

The first leg is scheduled for July 30 at Liege, with the return on August 6 at the Apostolos Nikolaidis stadium in Athens.

“We have to show to Europe what we are capable of,” stated Panathinaikos coach Yiannis Anastasiou after the draw at Nyon, in Switzerland.

In the third qualifying round of the Europa League Atromitos has been drawn against the winner of the second-round tie between Bosnia’s Sarajevo and Norway’s Haugesund. The Norwegians have taken a 1-0 lead from the first leg, but have to travel to Bosnia next Thursday.

Asteras Tripolis was also in the draw for the third qualifying round, although it has not yet qualified from the second. On Thursday it drew 1-1 in Finland with Rovaniemi, its goal coming from Papa Khalifa Sankare, and the return leg is in Tripoli on July 24.

If the Peloponnesians advance they will have to face Germany’s Mainz, which a few days ago signed Greece goalkeeper Stefanos Kapino from Panathinaikos.

The Europa League ties for the third qualifying round will be contested on July 31 and August 7.