Czech trip for Everton - Sport in brief - Evening Standard
       

Czech trip for Everton

Everton will take on Czech side Sigma Olomouc in the Europa League play-offs.

The Toffees, who reached the FA Cup final last season and finished fifth in the Barclays Premier League, will be at home in the first leg against the side who knocked out Aberdeen in the third qualifying round of the competition.

Hearts will face Croatian side Dinamo Zagreb, who were eliminated from the Champions League after a 3-2 aggregate defeat to Red Bull Salzburg in the third qualifying round.

Fulham's reward for beating Vetra of Lithuania 6-0 on aggregate in the third qualifying round is a tie against Russian Premier Liga side Amkar Perm.

Amkar finished fourth in their domestic league to qualify for the competition but are only 12th in the 2009 campaign with four wins from their 16 games.

Aston Villa, who qualified for the Europa League by finishing sixth in the Premier League, were drawn against Rapid Vienna.

The Austrian side finished second in their domestic league, four points behind Red Bull Salzburg, and were denied a European trophy by an English side in 1985 when Everton beat them in the Cup Winners' Cup final.

St Patrick's Athletic were rewarded for their away-goals victory over Russian side Krylya Sovetov with a tie against 1986 European champions Steaua Bucharest, who eliminated Motherwell in the third qualifying round.

The play-off round ties will be played on August 20 and 27.

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