Karabük in Norway for Euro qualification

TRONDHEIM

The Europa League third qualifying round first leg game between Kardemir Karabükspor and Rosenborg ended in a goalless draw in Turkey.

Kardemir Karabükspor visits Rosenborg in a bid to advance to the Europa League playoff stage Aug. 7. The Turkish side will play at Trondheim’s Lerkendal Stadium, hoping to outlast the Norwegians following a goalless draw last week, in the hope of remaining in Europe’s second-tier club competition.

Rosenborg has several years of experience playing in European football, but this is the first time Kardemir Karabükspor will play at this level.

Having played just seven seasons in the Turkish Süper Lig during three different spells, “the Blue Flame” gained European qualification through unexpected circumstances.

After finishing seventh, its best-ever performance in the top-flight, Karabükspor, along with eighth placed Bursaspor, filled in for Sivasspor and Eskişehirspor, who were banned from UEFA competitions due to their involvement in a match-fixing scandal.

Bursaspor bowed out of the competition after losing in a penalty shoot-out to Georgia’s unheralded Chikhura Sachkhere, leaving Karabükspor as the sole Turkish side in the round.
 
Another Turkish team, Trabzonspor will join the competition in the playoff round, which is scheduled for Aug. 21 and 28.

The draws for the next round will be made Aug. 8.