Klaksvik from the Faroe Islands has sensationally reached the 3rd round of qualifying for the Champions League and is at least in the group stage of the Conference League.
Klaksvik won 4-3 on penalties at Swedish champions BK Häcken. The second leg in Sweden ended 3-3 after extra time, the first leg was 0-0.
Qualification for the Champions League Arrow right
This puts Klaksvik in the 3rd qualifying round for the Champions League and will therefore play at least in the group stage of the Conference League. Because the losers of the 3rd round play in the playoffs for the group stage of the Europa League and a defeat there still means participation in the group stage of the Conference League. So Klaksvik is no longer to be taken.
Two deficits equalized and the penalty shoot-out won
The second leg was dramatic: Klaksvik initially took the lead but fell behind after the break, but equalized. Arni Frederiksberg scored both goals for Klaksvik. In extra time, Häcken made it 3-2, but Sivert Gussias saved Klaksvik on penalties.
There the fourth penalty takers failed, before the last round it was 3:3. There, Häckens missed Simon Sandberg, Kalksviks Vegard Forren shot the club from the Faroe Islands into the next round.
Klaksvik’s players celebrate beating BK Hacken on penalties in the Champions League qualifier
Less than 5,000 people live in the city
For the club and the Faroe Islands it is one of the greatest successes ever. Klaksvik is one of the smallest clubs in the competition. The stadium Vid Djupumyrar almost 5,000 people, slightly fewer people live in the city of Klaksvik – making it the second largest in the country.
Klaksvik’s stadium in the first leg against Hacken
It was thanks to a small miracle that Klaksvik ended up in the second round at all. After a 0-0 draw in the first leg, Klaksvik won 3-0 at Hungarian champions Ferencvaros in Budapest – which was the top seeded team in the 1st round draw.
Two more rounds until the Champions League
Klaksvik now meet Norway’s Molde FK, who defeated HJK Helsinki 2-0 after a 1-0 loss in the first leg. Should Klaksvik survive this round as well, the club would be in the play-offs for the Champions League and would even have a place in the group stage of the Europa League.
In the coming round, however, the club will have to leave their picturesque stadium and move. From the 3rd round the games have to be played in the national stadium Torsvöllur with 6,000 seats in the capital Torshavn.
The national stadium Torsvöllur in Faroe’s capital Torshavn