Preview BK Hacken

"They will maybe come and attack to try and get an away goal but I would think nine times out of ten they will come and sit in and maybe take a draw.

It`s three years since Dunfermline were knocked out of the last UEFA Cup by the Icelandic part timers from FH Hafnarfjordur. Even though thirty-four years and seven months had elapsed since their last European match against Anderlecht, there had been great optimism that was going to be be the start of a campaign. Unfortunately for all those Fifers who banked on that, the Laugardalsvollur Stadium in Reykjavik was going to be the only match on foreign soil .

This time around, even with a draw against a relegated team struggling to keep their heads up in Sweden`s second flight, no one is going to consider this an automatic pass to the next round. BK H?cken will arrive in Scotland on Wednesday on the back of a 2-0 home win over Landskrona. In Monday night`s match they relied on goals from Jonas Henriksson (pen.) and Dioh Williams. Last Friday they had a 1-0 away win at Falkenbergs FF, a team they defeated 7-2 on their home ground at the start of the Swedish season.

H?cken who are currently seventh in the Superettan, defeated KR Reykavik 1-0 with a late goal in Iceland to go through after a 1-1 draw at home. After the opening two matches of the Scottish First Division season Dunfermline know that there is no such thing as an easy game. BK H?cken will be no different and they will be looking at the Pars current form and saying to themselves `we have a great chance`.

H?cken from Christoffer K?llqvist, Alexander Hys?n, Johan Lind, Mats Hed?n, Teddy Lucic, Emil Wahlstr?m, David Marek, Jesper Ljung, Z? Ant?nio, Dioh Williams, Roger Risholt, Robert Mambo Mumba, Hasse Berggren, Daniel Larsson, Marcus Jarlegren, Erik Friberg, Fredrik Holster, Ari Freyr Sk?lason, Jonas Henriksson, Daniel Forsell, Peter Olofsson, Anders Carlsson, Jakob Karlgren, Tom S?derberg, Paulo Jos? de Oliveiera

McDiarmid Park, August 2004

In August 2004 the much berated artificial surface denied East Park of its first European action since that cold January night back in 1970. This Thursday fans will turn out at East End Park to witness their team`s return to the European stage. That in itself will be special for the City and Royal Burgh but all those home fans turning out for this all ticket game will be hoping that the football is just as special.

When drawn at home it is important not to allow your opponents an away goal but it is equally important to try and secure an advantage to take to Scandinavia. Captain Scott Thomson expects the Swedes to be content to contain the Fifers:-

"They will maybe come and attack to try and get an away goal but I would think nine times out of ten they will come and sit in and maybe take a draw. Then take us back to Sweden where they`d fancy their chances. They are all big games for us but in Europe you want to stay in the competition and get into the group stages. That gets us money for the club, that`s what we want to do."

The Pars have played 44 European ties to date, winning 23 of them, which is not a bad record.

So can Dunfermline reproduce some of their past Euro triumphs in 2007? It would be a supreme optimist that thought the Pars could reach the final of the competition in Manchester, but getting past H?cken to the first round proper where the big boys enter the fray would be a result at this stage.

Match Report: 26/08/04 Dunfermline 1 FH Hafnarfjordur 2
Match Report: 12/08/04 FH Hafnarfjordur 2 Dunfermline 2

Come on ye Pars.