VALLETTA 8

FC LUSITANOS 0

Ambitious Valletta started their Champions League campaign with an impressive win against the champions from Andorra, FC Lusitans, in the first round of the qualifying round.

It is the biggest ever victory by a Maltese club in European competition and, barring any catastrophy, it should be enough for the Maltese champions to clear the first hurdle when they play the return match in a week’s time.

Valletta were streets ahead of their opponents, in terms of physical fitness, technique and tactical disposition and the final score aptly reflects the gap between these two sides. Six goals to the good at halftime, Valletta scored two more after the restart, but created several other chances that could have brought them double figures. Michael Mifsud scored four of his side’s goals, with Brazilian Jhonnattann getting a brace and Jonathan Caruana as well as substitute Edmond Agius competing the rout.

Coach Mark Miller’s intention was to field a settled side, especially in this early part of the season, and thus Valletta started with the same eleven that played the previous two outings in the Euro Cup, meaning six foreigners in the team but no place for Edmond Agius, Ryan Fenech or Kevin Sammut. Curiosly enough, Gilbert Agius was named among the substitutes as well.

A tactical novelty for Valletta was the deployment of Joantahn Caruana in front of the defence, having Da Silva and Filho as centre backs. Roderick Briffa and William Barbosa could alternate their advancing roles in midfield to telling effect.

The fear that the champions from Andorra might poise some threat with their many players of Portuguese origin in their side, soon dissipated as Valletta were already two goals to the good after only ten minutes play. And the first half turned into a goal feast for the Malta champions as they kept scoring at regular intervals.

Wide Brazilian Jhonnattann proved an irresistible force with his forages down the right flank where Lusitans’ captain Soares was always at pain to block his progression.

With three minutes on the clock, Valletta won their first corner when Jhonnattann’s effort was blocked. From the latter’s kick, Jonatahn Caruana headed Valletta in front.

That was the prelude to Valletta’s goal bonanza. On a persistent Valletta attack, the Lusitans keeper tried to block Mifsud, but failed to hold the ball and Jhonnattann’s effort was headed out by Raposo.

But Valletta doubled their lead on ten minutes. Jhonnattann again provided the cross from the right and Michael Mifsud was allowed space to head past keeper Benitez.

Valletta kept up the pressure and exploited their aerial superiority against inferior opponents who looked vulnerable, at times naive in defence. Caruana’s glancing header on Jhonnattann’s corner fell to Da Silva who failed to connect in front of the Lusitans goal.

But on 17 minutes, Denni’s cross from the edge of the area on the right found Jhonnattann unmarked to shoot in Valletta’s third.

Hardly a minute later, Barbosa played a splitting pass through the middle for Michael Mifsud to chase and score with relative ease after rounding the keeper and defender Veloso.

On 23 minutes Valletta scored again, courtesy of a goalkeeper gaffe. Benitez ran out of his area to tackle Caruana but the ball ran loose to Jhonnattann who could lob into an unattended goal.

Lusitans substituted Soares at last and with Valletta easing off psychologically, they could hold to more possession, although they still failed to cause Dutch keeper Krul any trouble in the Valletta goal.

But there was still time for Valletta to score their sixth on the stroke of halftime, with Michael Mifsud collecting his hat-trick as he chested Briffa’s cross and ashot low past the Lusitan’s keeper at the far post.

At the start of the second half, Valletta substituted Filho with Fenech as Caruana dropped back in the centre of defence. They crafted the first threat as Denni ran down the left, crossed low for Mifsud who allowed Jhonnattann to advance from the right but hit the side netting.

Denni almost put his name on the scorers’ sheet on 55 minutes when he picked Mifsud’s pass but shot against the upright before the danger was cleared.

Rapos failed to put his free kick on target as Lusitans tried to regroup and stayed more composed after the tide abated. In fact Valletta kept stroking the ball around, with less urgency and they also put in Dyson Falzon and Edmond Agius for the last 20 minutes.

The Malta champions still looked good enough however to add two more gaols. On 70 minutes Briffa played a through pass to Michael Mifsud who ran past the keeper before slotting in goal number seven.

The eighth Valletta goal came from Edmond Agius himslef two minutes later as he beat the Lusitans’ static defence and the helpless keeper Benitez.

After that, Lusitans threatened with a Reis free kick that went close but when Valletta remained more potent going fowrad. In the dying minutes, Mifsud’s effort landed on the roof of the net and Denji was again unlucky as his lob rebounded off the bar, denying him for the second time.

Valletta: A. Krul, S. Borg, I. Azzopardi (D. Falzon), J. Da Silva, R. Filho (R. Fenech), J. Caruana, R. Briffa, W. Barbosa, D. Dos Santos, Jhonnattann (E. Agius), M. Mifsud

Lusitanos: A. Benitez, Y. Fontan, H. Veloso (F. Concalves), L. Antunes (E. Meza), F. Soares (L. Reis), R. Amiral, L. Pinto, V. Nunes, S. Bertran, B. Raposo, P. Reisi

Referee: J. Casanova (San Marino)

Scorers: J. Caruana 4, M. Mifsud 10, 18, 45, 70, Jhonnattan 17, 23, E. Agius 72