Belarus trip for Connah’s Quay Nomads in UEFA Europa League Qualifier

Connah’s Quay Nomads have landed a tough looking tie against Belarusian Premier League outfit Shakhtyor Soligorsk in the two-legged UEFA first qualifying round.

Nomads officials were at UEFA HQ this morning for the draw which will see the Connah’s Quay club head to the former Soviet republic for the second leg of the tie on July 19.

They will face the Soligorsk based team who – despite having experience in both the Champions League and Europa League have never been further than qualifying rounds.

В первом раунде Лиги Европы играем с валийским @the_nomads «Коннас-Ки». Первая игра состоится на выезде 12 июля. Ответная в Солигорске через неделю – 19 июля. #UEFAEuropaLeague pic.twitter.com/T3iFgGs62G

— ФК Шахтер Солигорск (@fcshakhterby) June 20, 2018

Shakhtyor Soligorsk was founded in 1961 and play in Belarusian Premier League, the team has seen recent success domestically but struggled through the 90s, usually fighting against relegation.

In 1997, they finished at the last place in the league, but were saved from relegation after two other Premier League clubs withdrew.

Since 1999, they have never finished below 6th place and have become regular European Cup participants.

Shakhtyor Soligorsk became the champions of Belarus in 2005, and were league runners-up four times in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, they also won Belarusian Cup twice 2004 and 2014.

The team is based in Soligorsk a city located just over 80 miles south of Minsk, it is a major center of the mining and chemical industry in Belarus.

According to BBC Monitoring: Belarus has been ruled with an iron fist since 1994 by President Alexander Lukashenko.

Opposition figures are subjected to harsh penalties for organising protests. In 2005, Belarus was listed by the US as Europe’s only remaining “outpost of tyranny”.

In the Soviet post-war years, Belarus became one of the most prosperous parts of the USSR, but with independence came economic decline.

President Lukashenko has steadfastly opposed the privatisation of state enterprises, and the country is heavily dependent on Russia for its energy supplies.

Alexander Lukashenko, often referred to as Europe’s last dictator, won a fifth term as president in October 2015, with no significant opposition candidate allowed to stand.