Aston Villa will switch ties for their UEFA Cup qualifying tie against Icelandic side FH Hafnarfjordur. Villa are now scheduled to play the second leg of their 2nd qualifying round tie at home, after the Icelandic team requested a home game for the first leg.

According to reports FH Hafnarfjordur wished to ensure a decent crowd for their home game, something that management believed would be unlikely if the club began their tie with a massive defeat to Aston Villa away from home.

The clash between the two sides on the 14th of August will be Aston Villa’s first UEFA Cup game since losing to Croatia’s NK Varteks during the 2001 UEFA Cup. 

Meanwhile Irish side St. Patricks have drawn Swedish side Elfsborg for the 2nd qualifying round of the 2008 UEFA Cup, and will need to be on top of their game to earn a place in the next round.

While the Dublin club managed a satisfactory 3-0 aggregate win over Latvia’s  Olimps, Elfsborg are a club with extensive European experience and will provide a stern test of St. Patrick’s abilities.

Scotland’s Cup finalists, Queen of the South, will begin their 2008 UEFA Cup campaign when they take on Denmark’s Nordsjalland on the 14th of August.