Linfield and Larne in European action as Irish League duo aim to move one step closer to league phase qualification

Both teams know that if they can progress over two legs, then they will be involved in the play-off round for a shot at qualifying for the league phase.

After dropping out of Champions League qualifying, Linfield put that disappointment behind them after securing a 2-0 aggregate win against Lithuanian side Zalgiris last time out.

They are in the Faroe Islands tonight and will fancy their chances of progressing over two legs against Vikingur.

However, Blues boss David Healy says it is the toss of a coin as to who will progress into the next round and face either Shelbourne or HNK Rijeka (Croatia) for a spot in the league phase of European competition.

He added: “The players realise that were not going through into the next round where you’re going to play an opponent which is an impossible task.

“It’s probably a 50/50 game...they have played since losing their first round, so we will do as much analysis and homework on them.”

As for Larne, they have certainly done things the hard way after two penalty shoot-out victories in their European conquests so far.

After holding their nerve from 12 yards to beat Latvian opponents FK Auda in the first round, Nathan Rooney's men repeated the trick last week as they edged out Kosovo's FC Prishtina on spot-kicks.

However, their next assignment is a stern one as they face Portugal's Santa Clara.

Larne will know they need to produce more magical moments on the big stage if they are to qualify for the league phase for a second successive year.

On the task ahead of them starting tonight at the Ballymena Showgrounds, Rooney said: “I said two weeks ago that FK Auda were going to be a tough opponent...it’s going to be the same again.

"We want to try and get to a way we’re playing our principles again like we have in the first legs in the last two games.”

The winners will face either FC Ballkani (Kosovo) or Shamrock Rovers in the play-off round.