Sliema W. 1

Khazar Lankardan            1

Sliema Wanderers avoided a home de- feat in their Europa League first round qualifying match against Khazar Lankardan claiming a deserved 1-1 draw that leaves some hopes for the return in Azerbaijan in a week’s time. An early goal towards the quarter hour seemed to pave the way for a Khazar victory, as the visitors enjoyed more of the initiative in the first period.

But the side coached by well renowned Welshman and former Liv- erpool player John Toshack, failed to keep up the early pace and Sliema drew level past the hour thanks to their Nigerian forward Stanley Ohawuchi, after an opaque first half. Khazar were even reduced to ten men for the last seven minutes and although they could have won the match at the end, the Wanderers did not merit defeat. Sliema Wanderers’ composition did not change much, with the returning Trevor Cilia their only addition from last season. They fielded four foreigners from a possible six, with defender Muciardi, midfielders Barbetti and Muchardi as well as forward Ohawuchi given a start. Branislav Timotic and Aurelio Laudisi were named among the substitutes.

Ominously for Sliema, their financially sound opponents from Azerbaijan, dubbed as Caucasian Chelsea, included several foreigners, among whom Spanish goalkeeper  Tonio Doblas and defender Alvaro Silva, Brazilians Scardovelli and Junior, Serb midfielder Todorov, as well as wide player from Mali, Sadio Tounkara. The latter immediatelty proved to be Khazar’s most dangerous players with his forages down the right flank that gave Sliema plenty of uncomfortable moments. Short of technique, Khazar made up well with their robust and physical approach and Sliema were very often outmuscled.

The Wanderers failed to keep up the pace with with their op- ponents in the first 45 minutes as the guests did most of the running under hot and humid temperatures at the Centenary Stadium. Two minutes short of the quarter hour, Tounkara advanced down the right. His pace and power took him past Alex Muscat and Biancardi to cross low for Nildo Junior to connect and beat the helpless keeper Zammit with a low drive from close range and give the visitors an early lead. With Khazar holding to possession, Sliema struggled in their build-ups, often slow and predictable. On 34 minutes Tounkara went past Gatt Baldacchino through the middle.

His low drive was well saved by the outstretched Sliema keeper. On 37 minutes Tounkara again de- livered a testing cross from the right. This time, Scardovelli was denied by a smart save from keeper Zammit to keep Sliema into the match. Sliema improved slightly after the in- terval, even because Khazar susbti- tuted their goal scorer Junior and the Wanderers put in Laudisi for Cilia shortly after the restart. They ventured more into enemy territory and keeper Doblas had to deal with a handful of high balls although hampered with the glare of the sun. When, on the hour, Ohawuchi  fell inside the Khazar area under the keeper’s challenge, the Estonian ref- eree was not impressed and instead showed the Sliema forward the yellow card. But there was no denying Stanley Ohawuchi two minutes later as he ran in well for a Mintoff long ball forward, avoided the onrushing keeper and flicked the ball into an unattended goal, despite the attempt of Silva to clear.

Khazar’s early initiative waned, perhaps even because of the heat and they only threatened with a Benhuahi effort from the edge of the area that went narrowly wide. The match took a twist in Sliema’s favour on 83 minutes when Khazar’s Allahvediyev was sent off for a second caution. Sliema however looked derailed and failed to exploit their numerical superiority.

In fact the visitors looked men- acing in the final minutes and went close to pilfering a win. Biancardi blocked substitute Ramaladanov into a corner and in added time, Silva flashed his header wide on Pit’s sail- ing free kick, to the relief of the Sliema side.