Dortmund face Belarusian or Austrian opponents in Europa League

By foxsports
Published

NYON, Switzerland -- Borussia Dortmund will start its first Europa League campaign in five years against Shakhtyor Soligorsk or Wolfsberger in the third qualifying round.

Dortmund, a Champions League finalist in 2013 but a seventh-place finisher in the Bundesliga last season, travels away first to Belarus or Austria. Wolfsberger takes a 1-0 lead into the second leg at home next Thursday.

In other pairings on Friday, Ronald Koeman will lead Southampton against Vitesse Arnhem, which gave him his first manager's job 15 years ago.

West Ham or Birkirkara will play Inverness or Astra Giurgiu in the next round.

Athletic Bilbao, another Champions League team last season, is at home first against Iceland's FH or Inter Baku.

First-leg matches are played on July 30. Return matches are on Aug. 6.

Winners advance to a playoff round.