West Ham will face FC Lusitans in the first qualifying round of the Europa League with the first leg set to take place in Andorra on the 2nd July.
The Andorran club is only 16 years old and they currently play their football in the country’s Primera Divisio where they finished 2nd last season with a total of 39 points.
Their European history stretches back to 2010 when Lusitans faced FK Rabotnicki of Macedonia in the first qualifying round of the Europa League, losing 0-11 on aggregate. The following season was a 1-6 aggregate defeat to NK Varazdin of Croatia.
The club have also taken part in Champions League qualification rounds, exiting the first stage in the 2012-13 season and the 2013-14 season respectively. Their only European result came in their first leg home tie against EB/Streymur of the Faroe Islands last season, drawing 2-2. They then went on to lose 5-1 in the away fixture. Overall, Lusitans have played 8 European matches, drawing one and losing seven, scoring a total of four goals and conceding 33.
The club has a deep Portuguese connection as the supporters are mainly Andorran with Portuguese heritage. The club’s crest is inspired by the Portuguese Football Federation’s logo and the current squad has 14 Portuguese players and seven Andorran players, including 39-year-old Andorran international Oscar Sonejee.
So there we are, make of that what you will. It is a distance of around 820 miles from Upton Park to Andorra so good luck to the supporters looking for a midweek getaway. The return leg will take place on the 9th July at the Boleyn Ground.
