Steve Cherundolo has been on this stage before, but for Terrence Boyd, like most experiences for him on the club level, this one is entirely new.
Boyd's Rapid Vienna and Cherundolo's Hannover 96 enter UEFA Europa League qualifying Thursday, with the two U.S. national team players and their teams kicking off their respective two-leg qualifying ties among 58 sides eyeing the final qualifying round for the group stage.
Hannover will play its first meaningful game of the new season at Irish side St. Patrick's (2:45 p.m.) — the former club of current New England Revolution attacker Ryan Guy — while Rapid Vienna starts on the road as well, at Serbian club FK Vojvodina (3 p.m.).
Boyd has scored two goals in two league matches for Rapid Vienna so far, and he faces two of his bigger matches as a professional in the coming days, with Thursday's Europa League tilt being followed by Sunday's Vienna Derby against Austria Vienna.
Inter Milan and Liverpool, who are more accustomed to the UEFA Champions League stage, also commence Europa League play Thursday, facing Croatian side Hajduk Split and Belarusian side Gomel, respectively. Liverpool's match will be televised on Fox Soccer Channel at 2 p.m.
A full list of the day's fixtures can be seen here.
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Excited to see Boyd play on the European stage? Think either Rapid Vienna or Hannover will have a problem getting to the next round? What's your take on Inter and Liverpool being in this position in European play?
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