Ballkani to make debut for Kosovo soccer on European stage
By GRAHAM DUNBAR
AP Sports Writer
GENEVA (AP) — The first soccer team from Kosovo to qualify for the group stage of a European competition found out its opponents on Friday. It first had to be diverted away from the only Serbian team in the draw. Kosovo’s champion Ballkani was among the last teams picked in the Europa Conference League draw when the next vacant space was in a group that included Partizan of Belgrade. UEFA does not pair teams from Kosovo and Serbia, which does not recognize the independence of its former province. Ballkani was moved to Group G and will play Slavia Prague, Cluj and Sivasspor starting Sept. 8.