Superior Litex too strong for Wanderers

Sliema Wanderers 0
Litex Lovech 3

Three goals inside the opening hour were enough for Litex Lovech to ease their way past Sliema Wanderers and all but guarantee themselves a place in the next round of the UEFA Cup.

Although yesterday's first qualifying round, first leg tie was played in hot temperatures at the National Stadium, Litex Lovech produced a classy display to confirm the major gulf that exists between Maltese clubs and their foreign opponents.

The Bulgarians' movement off the ball was amazing and at times one thought that they had more than 11 players on the pitch.

Sliema on their part tried their best... but it was still not enough. Ray Farrugia's side look short of match practise and struggled to keep aloft with their opponents.

Without any doubt Washington Da Silva was the man of the match. His skilful tricks were there for all to see. At times he ran rings around the Sliema defence.

For the Wanderers, new signing Matthew Bartolo and Ivan Woods had a good game, while young goalkeeper Henry Bonello kept the scoreline down with some valid interceptions.

The game started with Litex Lovech playing some neat one-touch football that stretched the Blues all the way. Da Silva and Alessandro Correa were the players who gave a torrid time to the Sliema defenders who in more than one occasion were aided by their fellow midfielders.

In fact Farrugia's side played with nine men behind the ball leaving Alexander Madzar as a lone striker. The Montenegrin could do nothing against three lanky defenders who were constantly closing all avenues for the Wanderers.

Angelov Venkov was a hard-working figure in the Lovech team. He started the match as a holding midfielder but time and again he found space to stretch the Blues with his runs on the wings.

The Bulgarian side went close after only three minutes when Ivanov Popov burst through but his shot finished over. A minute later Roberto Da Silva saw his effort well blocked by the alert Bonello.

Litex continued to spray the ball around and press forward. On six minutes a Hristov Zlatinov cross was met by Wellington Da Silva, but his first time effort was well saved by the Sliema goalkeeper.

In the 13th minute it was Wellington Da Silva again who tormented the Blues rearguard, forcing his way past Ian Azzopardi with his cross-shot being again cut-out by Bonello.

The Blues finally threatened the Bulgarians defence on 16 minutes. Bartolo did well to create some room for himself on the right before sending a teasing cross into the area but neither Madzar nor Orosco Anonam made contact with the ball.

However, in this bright spell the Wanderers found themselves a goal behind. The clock marked 22 minutes when Zlatinov's cross found Popov who rifled the ball past Bonello with an excellent acrobatic shot.

Despite this setback, the Wanderers managed to maintain their composure, playing some neat one-touch football with Woods and Bartolo in the thick of action.

But still it was the Bulgarians who came closest to adding to their tally when on 43 minutes Cedric Uras headed just over from a Zlatinov corner.

Sliema's start to the second half was far from ideal. Seven minutes after restart, Correa's through ball opened up the Wanderers defence and Roberto Da Silva blasted the ball into the roof of the net.

Four minutes later Litex Lovech made it 3-0 when from a Wellington Da Silva pass Popov hit a scorcher from the edge of the area that gave Bonello no chance.

The Bulgarians continued to dominate the proceedings with Sliema managing to at least keep them at bay and deny them from scoring further goals.

In the end, the final 3-0 scoreline rewarded the Bulgarians who are now virtually assured of a place in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Cup.

Sliema: H. Bonello, I. Azzopardi, B. Said, C. Mattocks ('72 M.Scerri), M. Bartolo, J.Chetcuti, I. Woods, O. Anonam ('79 C. Nwoko), I. Ciantar ('74 C. Gatt Baldacchino), A. Madzar, S. Pace.

Litex Lovech: T. Todorov, R. Popov, A. Venkov, C. Uras, W. Da Silva, A. Correa ('78 G. Bibishkov), R. Andre Da Silva, F. Boudareve, V. Nikolov, H. Zlatinov ( '59 L. Manolev) I. Popov ('68 P. Genvhev)

Referee: Rusmir Mrkovic (Bosnia Herzegovina).

Scorers: Popov 22, 56, R. Da Silva 52.

Yellow cards: Ivan Woods, Ian Ciantar.