VALLETTA – 1
B36 TORSHAVN – 0
Valletta: H. Bonello, J. Caruana, I. Azzopardi, J. Cruz, R. Briffa, F. Falcone (M. Mifsud), C. Pani, L. Aguirre, Jhonnattan (J. Borg), R. Romao, L. Cremona (S. Malano)
B36 Torshavn: T. Askham, A. Eriksen, T. Naes, O. Faero, A. Mellemgaard (L. Ciesiewicz), H. Askham, J. Borg (S. Pingel), R. Jakobsen, G.Dam, H. Eysturoy, H. Thorleifsson (H. Agnarsson)
Referee: M. Petrescu (ROM)
Scorers: F. Falcone 68
Yellow cards: G. Dam, L. Aguirre
Attendance: 1151
Malta champions Valletta can take heart from this narrow but important victory, achieved with a spirited performance that saw them also preserve a clean sheet against opponents from Faroe Islands B36 Torshavn in the first leg of the Champions League First qualifying round for 2016-2017 season.
The only goal of the match was scored past the hour by Federico Falcone after Jhonnattann’s good work had unsettled the Torshavn’s defence and the victory was utterly deserved as they face same opponents in the return leg in a week’s time.
For the majority of the game, Valletta were in control, building fluently from the back and pressing slightly higher up. Aguierre and Romao used the width of the pitch with their forays down the flanks but Falcone and Jhonnattann were mostly starved of service, surrounded by a vigilant Thorshavn defence.
In the absence of the suspended Ryan Camilleri and the unfit Steve Borg, who returned from Cyprus, Juan Cruz, Jonathan Caruana and Ian Azzopardi formed Valletta’s three-man defence with Romao and new Argentine recruit Leandro Aguirre as wide backs. Roderick Briffa and Claudio Pani provided cover in front of the defence with Llywelyn Cremona supporting Jhonnattan and Federico Falcone in attack in a 3-5-2 formation.
Torshavn also played with two forwards, in the likes of Jakup Borg and Gostur Dam, although they defended with two lines of four.
Both teams struggled to find their momentum in a cagey first 20 minutes, during which we witnessed only a long range drive by Aguierre that narrowly missed the target.
Valletta’s first real threat came after 21 minutes. Aguierre played one-two with Jhonnattann and advanced down the left. His low diagonal cross shot was met by Romao at the far end but Cremona failed to conclude when harrassed by Torshavn keeper and a defender.
Soon after an Aguierre freekick from the left was cleared with some difficulty by the visitors.
That heralded Valletta’s best patch in the first half.
With halftime looming, Cremona tried to lob over the onrushing keeper Askham, when served by Jhonnattann, but the ball landed on the roof of the net.
Torshavn’s first shot at goal, after efforts by Jakobsen and Mellemgard had been blocked by the Valetta defence, came after 38 minutes. Mellemgaard shot over from outside the Valletta area.
Valletta carved another good chance soon after the interval when awarded a corner from the right that caused panic inside the Torshavn area. Pani’s goalbound effort was blocked though.
Other new signing Santiago Malano was introduced for Cremona towards the hour. Falcone had a shot going wide.
Valletta were all over their opponents. That made Thorshavn defend with renewed nervousness and no less commitment with their towering presence at the back.
Valletta won a couple of corners but none proved productive. When it looked like an error would allow the breakthrough, Jhonnnattann robbed possession on the left, beat his marker but his shot was footed out by the grounded keeper as far as Federico Falcone who slotted the ball in from close range. The clock marked 68 minutes.
Torshavn’s response came eight minutes later. Substitute Ciesiewicz’s shot was parried by keeper Bonello, the ball ran loose to Dam whose effort was blocked.
There were half chances at either side after that. A Malano header on a Valletta corner, was cleared off the line. Bonello was severely tested by substitute Pingel as Torshavn pressed for an equlaiser in the late stages.
But Valletta held on to emerge as deserving recipients of a win.
Photo Domenic Aquilina