UEFA Champions League 1st leg Valletta FC vs FC Lusitans Published on: 03-07-2012

Valletta will be aiming for a positive result this evening as they take on FC Lusitans from Andorra, kick-off 19:30hrs at the Hibernians Stadium.

Valletta will be lead by new coach Mark Miller. The Citizens’ dream is to become the first Maltese side to qualify for the third round and possibly the group stages. Valletta are expected to go all out to register a convincing win against this lesser known side so as to make the second leg in Andorra next week a formality.

Last year, Valletta eliminated SP Tre Fiori of San Marino at this stage but then lost to FK Ekranas of Lithuania in the next round.

Last week the Citizens started their new season by participating in the Euro Challenge Cup, they won the first match against Floriana 2-1, lost against Hibernains 0-1 and won the finalt match against Birkirkara 5-0.

International goalkeeper Andrew Hogg has left the club and joined Paralimni of Cyprus after his contract had expired at the end of the season. City boy Gilbert Agius has called it a day and was appointed assistant coach. Valletta have signed some new foreigners, Brazilian Jusselio Da Silva, Riccardo Da Rocha Filho and Jhonnattan. Dutch goalkeeper Andre Krul will guard the City’s posts this evening.

FC Lusitans were founded in 1999 by Portugese immigrants, they qualified for the Champions League after winning their first ever Andorra title. The club finished two points ahead of FC Santa Coloma who denied Lusitans a domestic double after beating them 1-0 in the cup final.

The players at the disposal of coach Mark Miller are:

Andre Krul, Yenz CINI, Steve BORG, Roderick BRIFFA, Jonathan CARUANA, Ian AZZOPARDI, Jhonnattan BENITES DE CONCEICAO, Dylan GRIMA, Jusselio DA SILVA, Edmond AGIUS, Dyson FALZON, Kevin SAMMUT, Denni DOS SANTOS, Cleavon FRENDO, Michael MIFSUD, Riccardo DA ROCHA FILHO, William BARBOSSA, Ian ZAMMIT.

Midfielder Ryan Fenech is expected to be included in the squad after recovering from injury while striker Terrence Scerri is ruled out with a hamstring injury.

The winner of the first leg will met Serb champions Partizan Belgrade in the second leg. The referee for tonight’s match is John Casanova from San Marino.