Valletta-Juventus 1-1 (Valletta win 4-3 on penalties

Valletta: A. Hogg, J. Grioli, K. Scicluna, J. Mifsud, S. Bezzina, D. Camilleri, S. Giglio, H. Backhaus, G. Agius, F. Temile, S. Monesterolo. Substitutes: S. Darmanin, I. Zammit, J. Bondin, B. Agius, K. Magro, C. Mattocks, K. Fenech, D. Falzon, N. Vella.

Juventus: G. Buffon, A. Birindelli, G. Chiellini, S. Almiron, C. Zanetti, A. Del Piero, P. Nedved, Z. Grygera, R. Olivera, C. Molinaro, M. Marchionni. Substitutes: E. Belardi, H. Salihamidzic, V. Iaquinta, D. Trezeguet, JA Boumsong, R. Palladino, A. Nocerino, Tiago, N. Legrottaglie.

Referee: J. Attard. Asst refs: I. Spiteri, J. Camilleri 4th official: M. Borg

Scorers: Olivera 42, Monesterolo 43.

Maltese league leaders Valletta last night shocked and humiliated Italian giants Juventus at Ta' Qali. After a 1-1 draw in normal time, the citizens emerged 4-3 winners in the penalty shoot out to lift the Betfair Cup.

It was a great night which will be remembered for a long time by the city clan and all Maltese football followers. Paul Zammit's boys rose to the occasion and after absorbing most of the Juve pressure, they kept the Bianconeri at bay to give themselves and Maltese football a big boost.

Valletta never appeared to be an inferior side to the Turin outfit and it is fair to say that they also had some good chances with which they could have wrapped up the match in the second half.

Juventus never reached great heights. Despite seeing much more of the ball, the team failed to click and it was only Del Piero and Nedved, in the first half, who stole the limelight with some individual actions which delighted the Juve fans. The finishing was evidently very poor, apart from that splendid Olivera goal which gave them a temporary lead.

At the start of the second half, the arrival of Trezeguet and Iaquinta appeared to have injected new life in this Juventus side, but it lasted only a few minutes as Valletta regained their confidence at the back thanks to some good saves by Darmanin.

In the first half, before the arrival of the goals, play was monotonous and I felt those who paid to watch the match never got their money's worth. All, or perhaps most, of the Juventus players on the field of play never matched the big money they are paid.

Apart from the opening 20 minutes of the second half, the side must have disappointed not only the crowd present - estimated around 12,000 - and those back in Italy who watched the match live on the Juve Channel, but also coach Claudio Ranieri, who was expecting his side to be revitalised on this Malta visit. His boys were certainly a far cry from what he must have hoped for.

Valletta were proud and must be commended for having acquired such a prestigious win. Of course, they had to defend for long stretches, but they appeared to be well organised at the back where Scicluna, Grioli, Mifsud and Bezzina never seemed to be in great difficulty.

It was in midfield that Valletta struggled as Camilleri, Giglio and Gilbert Agius, in the opening half, failed to get to grips with the situation.

The match came to life in the final moments of the first 45 minutes with Juventus taking the lead and Valletta equalising soon after.

Valletta took the field with their best possible elements while Juventus had players like Iaquinta, Trezeguet, Palladino, Salihamidzic, Boumsong, Nocerina and Legrottaglie on the reserves bench, among others, though they all played in the second half.

On the fifth minute, from a perfect Del Piero cross, Pavel Nedved's first timer was well saved by the diving Andrew Hogg. From the rebound, the ball went out to Grygera whose fierce shot went just over.

Apart from this action, the match never reached great heights and despite dominating territorially, Juventus were never given ample space to manoeuvre by a well organised Valletta defence.

Pavel Nedved and crowd favourite Alessandro Del Piero tried hard to get their team-mates going. They showed their excellent skills throughout, but till the first quarter of the match, it was the Valletta defence that prevailed.

On the 32nd minute, it was Del Piero who went close for Juventus with a good header off a Birindelli cross.

On 38 minutes, it was again Del Piero who went close with a freekick that finished against the side-rigging.

Valletta's reply arrived moments later. Backhaus and Giglio combined well for the latter to send in a cross which Temile just failed to make contact with.

Juventus broke the deadlock on the 42nd minute when Nedved received a good ball on the left flank and advanced a few paces to square for Olivera to head home splendidly.

But the Juve fans' delight was shortlived as Valletta equalised a minute later.

A Temile cross-shotfrom hit the post but there was Sebastian Monesterolo to hit home the rebound from close in.

Moments later, Juventus again found the Valletta net, but Del Piero was rightly ruled offside.

In the second half, Del Piero and Nedved were among those who were substituted as Trezeguet and Iaquinta took their place in the Juve front line.

And it was Trezeguet who threatened seriously soon after the restart with a close range shot that Valletta substitute goalie Darmanin turned to corner in two attempts. Soon after, Palladino's header went just over.

On the 50th minute, Trezeguet again went close with a fine overhead kick following a Iaquinta cross, headed forward by Marchionni.

On the 62nd minute, it was Palladino who had a good chance to score when set by Marchionni, but his shot also finished over.

On 65 minutes, Grygera sent in a low cross, Trezeguet feinted and Iaquinta was alone in front of Darmanin, but the former Udinese striker, hit incredibly wide.

A few minutes later, City newcomer Kurt Magro was close to putting Valletta ahead when he had two consecutive shots from close range ably saved by Juve substitute goalie Belardi.

Soon after, at the other end, it was Darmanin who denied Juventus the lead, saving a Tiago effort excellently.

Three minutes from time, Valletta had a perfect occasion to obtain a shock winner. Dyson Falzon squared into the Juve area from near the bye-line. But Keith Fenech hit badly and wide from an ideal position.

The final whistle had both sides locked on 1-1 and so the penalties had to determine the winner.

Nocerino hit Juve's fourth penalty wide and Dyson Falzon put Valletta 4-3 up. Then it was Saviour Darmanin who covered himself with glory as he saved Legrottaglie's kick for Valletta to win 4-3. Earlier, Iaquinta, Palladino and Tiago had scored for Juventus while Ian Zammit, Claude Mattocks and Josef Mifsud had netted for Valletta.