Novak Simovic appointed for the first HJK-Coleraine qualifying match

Serbian referee Novak Simovic will lead HJK against Coleraine on 23 July. The match is the first leg of their Conference League second qualifying round tie. It starts at 19:00 in Helsinki, which is 18:00 UTC.

Nikola Djorovic and Milos Simovic are the assistant referees. Stanko Ostracanin is the fourth official. The return match is scheduled in Northern Ireland on 30 July, with Coleraine listed as the home team.

The order of the two matches is confirmed

HJK are the home team in the opening match on 23 July. Coleraine host the second leg one week later. The official competition schedule lists both fixtures in that order.

The 23 July entry covers the first leg; the return is scheduled for 30 July. The Helsinki result will create the aggregate score carried into 30 July. The tie is completed only after the second match in Northern Ireland.

Both games belong to the main path of the second qualifying round. The winners advance to the third qualifying round. The defeated club leaves this season’s Conference League.

Four Serbian officials form the appointed team

Simovic is the main referee for the Helsinki match. Djorovic and Milos Simovic work on the two touchlines. Ostracanin manages the fourth-official duties between the technical areas.

The four names appear together in the appointment. The assignment is therefore for a Serbian officiating team, not only one referee. Each official has a separate role under the competition rules.

Match control, substitutions and the final report remain part of the same official appointment. The published list names Simovic as referee for the first leg.

Simovic has held international status since 2019

Simovic has appeared on the international referee lists since 2019. The HJK-Coleraine appointment is described as his 20th UEFA assignment. That count covers his previous work in European club and international matches.

His earlier appointments include qualifying fixtures in UEFA competitions. The new match adds another second-round club tie to that record. The return leg receives its own officiating appointment.

The Serbian referee also works in domestic football. His international status allows UEFA to appoint him outside Serbia. Helsinki is the confirmed location for this assignment.

The second qualifying round uses two legs

The Conference League second qualifying round is played on 23 and 30 July. UEFA lists 86 clubs in the main path and 12 in the champions path at this stage.

HJK-Coleraine appears in the main-path schedule. HJK represent Finland, while Coleraine represent Northern Ireland. Their aggregate winner joins the clubs that advance to the next draw.

There is no league table at this point of the competition. The two results are added across the tie. Extra time and penalties apply in the second leg if the aggregate score remains level.

The same qualifying round also includes Ajax after the arrival of Marcos Leonardo.

The official schedule removes the earlier ambiguity

The match page names HJK first and places the game in Helsinki. The qualifying calendar also lists HJK versus Coleraine under the first legs on 23 July.

The second-leg list reverses the order on 30 July. It names Coleraine versus HJK. These two entries establish the venue order without relying on an informal description.

The kick-off is 18:00 UTC and 19:00 local time in Helsinki. Both time forms refer to the same first match. The listed 19:00 kick-off uses Helsinki local time.

No match result exists before 23 July

This appointment was published five days before the game. HJK and Coleraine have not yet played the first leg. The announcement covers the Serbian officiating team for the first leg.

No score, card count or disciplinary incident has been added. Those details become official only after play begins. The 30 July return leg has a separate officiating appointment.

The confirmed record contains the competition, stage, teams, date, venue and four Serbian officials. It also identifies the game as the first leg. Those details are consistent across the title, lead and fact table.

The wider qualifying calendar fixes the next dates

The second qualifying round begins on 23 July and ends on 30 July. HJK-Coleraine follows that standard Thursday schedule. Both clubs are listed in the main path.

The third qualifying-round draw is scheduled for 20 July. Its first legs are played on 6 August, with return matches on 13 August. Only the aggregate winner from HJK-Coleraine enters that round.

Conference League play-offs follow on 20 and 27 August. The league-phase draw is listed for 28 August. Those later dates belong to the general competition calendar, while the aggregate score decides advancement.

Simovic’s appointment covers the Helsinki first leg only. Simovic’s assignment covers only the 23 July first leg. Each later match receives its own official list.

HJK represent Finland and play the opening match at home. Coleraine represent Northern Ireland and host the return. The team order changes between the two official fixture entries.

That order also fixes the correct wording in captions and tables. A Helsinki stadium image describes the first leg. A Coleraine home reference belongs only to the second leg.

Simovic leads a four-man Serbian officiating team at Bolt Arena on 23 July. Nikolic and Jovanovic serve as assistants, Milanovic is the fourth official, and HJK host Coleraine in the first leg at 19:00 local time.