Marsaxlokk 0
FK Sarajevo 6

This game almost finished before it started. It sounds rather confusing but that was the prevailing feeling at the National Stadium yesterday as Marsaxlokk suffered a dispirited experience on their Champions League debut.

Locking horns with FK Sarajevo in the first leg of their Champions League first qualifying round, Marsaxlokk were down and out after just 20 minutes, the time it took Sarajevo to capitalise on the alarming gaps in the home team's disjointed defence by reeling off three quick goals.

Given the team's weaknesses in attack, the last thing Marsaxlokk wanted was a shaky opening by their rearguard personnel and their wide midfielders, all of whom seemed at a loss how to cope with their opponents' swift passing and powerful forward thrusts.

Going in for the break 4-0 ahead, Sarajevo added two other goals in the second half as they cruised to a convincing 6-0 victory, practically sealing their passage to the next round before the second leg in Bosnia in a week's time.

One only had to look at Marsaxlokk's team-sheet to realise the full extent of their problems. With Cleaven Frendo serving suspension following his sending-off in the second leg of last season's Intertoto Cup match against NK Zrinjski, and skipper Carlo Mamo nursing a groin problem, Brian Talbot only had 14 players available.

Marsaxlokk's hopes of a positive result suffered a double blow inside the opening nine minutes.

The game was barely five minutes old when Sarajevo broke the deadlock, Admir Rascic lifting the ball past the out-of-position Reuben Gauci after Marko Maksimovic's cross had caught the Marsaxlokk defence on the wrong foot.

Within four minutes of their opener, Sarajevo had made it 2-0, the unmarked Rascic again the scorer, this time with a dipping header after receiving a right-wing cross from Sead Bucan.

Muhammed Alaim, the FK Sarajevo keeper, made his first intervention of the game after 13 minutes when he extended himself to palm away a dangerous corner by Shaun Bajada.

The game was as good as over as a contest after 20 minutes as Sarajevo tripled their lead.

Once again, the Marsaxlokk defenders were culpable as Emir Obuca's flicked pass from near the centre-circle looped above the white-shirted defenders and into the path of the advancing Bucan who had a clear path in front of him.

The Sarajevo striker ran towards goal and looked certain to score but his shot was repelled by Gauci. Much to Marsaxlokk's frustration, the ball rolled straight towards Obuca who squeezed a low drive into the net despite Steve Wellman's desperate tackle.

Shocked by Sarajevo's sizzling start, Marsaxlokk just could not bring some fluency to their game.

On the half hour, the Maltese champions came close to gaining a much-needed boost when Daniel Webb managed to force his way into the box but mishit his cut-back from the right as the ball came off the feet of Bajada at the near post.

Things got worse for Marsaxlokk four minutes from half-time as Sarajevo increased their advantage to 4-0, Marko Maksimovic letting fly with a rasping drive that ripped past the helpless Gauci.

Seconds after Sarajevo's fourth goal, a power failure reduced visibility at the National Stadium but the problem was soon rectified.

A quiet opening to the second half was interrupted after 13 minutes when Obuca raced past a host of Marsaxlokk players with a powerful run but his shot bounced wide of the far post.

Around the hour mark, Marsaxlokk, at last, managed to pose some problems of their own.

A Malcolm Licari grounder was touched away by goalkeeper Alaim before the defenders cleared away for a corner amidst Marsaxlokk's protests that Webb had been held back as he tried to get to the loose ball.

In no time, the English striker was at the end of an inviting cross from the right but his acrobatic volley from close range sailed over the post.

The score became 5-0 for Sarajevo on 65 minutes, Obuca notching his second goal by striking the ball past the on-rushing Gauci at the end of another devastating Sarajevo attack.

The Bosnians threatened to amass half a dozen of goals but for Licari's clearance on Obuca's angled grounder.

With Sarajevo home and dry, the last 15 minutes of the match offered little in the way of entertaining football.

Eight minutes from time, Jamie Pace tried his luck from the distance but his piledriver finished wide. At the other end, Vladan Grujic blasted wide in front of goal.

But, more misery was in store for the hosts in the dying moments, Licari committing an own goal as he tried to stop a shot by Bucan after Gauci had partially blocked the Sarajevo striker's effort.

In stoppage time, Alaim denied Marsaxlokk a consolation goal when pushing out Bajada's free-kick.

Marsaxlokk: R. Gauci, M. Licari, S. Tellus, C. Magro, P. Pullicino ('72 T. Templeman), S. Wellman, G. Sciberras, J. Pace, K. Sammut, S. Bajada, D. Webb.

FK Sarajevo: M. Alaim, V. Muharemovic, D. Hadzic, M. Maksimovic, S. Milosevic ('63 M. Babic), A. Basic, F. Ihtijarevic ('60 M. Dzakmic), S. Bucan, E. Obuca, V. Grujic, A. Rascic ('69 M. Mezic).

Referee: Mario Vlk (Slovakia).

Scorers: Rascic 5, 9; Obuca 20, 65; Maksimovic 41; Licari 87 og.

Yellow cards: Pullicino; Licari, Bucan.