Hibs play Gorica as Intertoto Cup makes final bow

The final edition of the much-derided Intertoto Cup gets underway today and not for the first time in the past decade, Hibernians will fly Malta's flag in this summer competition.

This evening, the Paolites entertain Slovenian team NK Gorica in the first leg of their Intertoto Cup first round match at the Hibs Ground (kick-off 6 p.m.).

Coming after a dismal season in which they missed out on a place in the Championship Pool, never mind producing a challenge for the Premier League title, Hibs will be striving to make the most of their unexpected appearance in European football this season.

Hibs' chances of qualifying for one of UEFA's competitions looked over and done with in February when they slipped into the Relegation Pool but last month the Paolites were confirmed as Malta's Intertoto Cup qualifiers. This came about after the three clubs that finished above Hibs in the final league standings, namely Sliema Wanderers, Floriana and Ħamrun Spartans, could not take part for different reasons.

NK Gorica, who clinched a berth in the Intertoto Cup after finishing third on 57 points in the Slovenian league, start as firm favourites to progress to a second round meeting with Bulgarians Chernomorets Burgas but Hibs are keen on giving a good account of themselves, particularly in today's home leg.

"Our participation in the Intertoto Cup meant that we couldn't take a break after the domestic season finished," Edmond Lufi, the Hibs assistant coach, told The Times.

"This competition came out of the blue for us and it hasn't been easy for the players to train in this hot weather and after a long season but we've all been doing our utmost to stay motivated for these commitments."

In the absence of coach Robert Gatt, who was overseas for a considerable period of time in the past few weeks, Lufi has overseen Hibs' preparations for the Intertoto Cup matches against NK Gorica. Gatt was back on the training pitch earlier this week and will be on the bench today.

The Hibs coaches must change their central midfield set-up today as Argentine Pablo Doffo is ruled out by suspension and Edmond Agius no longer forms part of the squad after opting to join champions Valletta.

Doffo, one of Hibs' best players last season, is banned after seeing red in the second leg of last season's UEFA Cup first qualifying round match against Serbia's Vojvodina, who beat the Paolites 7-1 on aggregate. Nigerian Uzeh Edafe is expected to take Doffo's place in midfield.

Last year, Birkirkara, Malta's qualifiers for the Intertoto Cup, also faced Slovenian opposition in NK Maribor, losing 5-1 on aggregate.

Referee: Ovidiu Alin Hategan (Romania).

• FIFA referee Joe Attard will be controlling the Intertoto Cup first leg first round match between Cracovia, of Poland, and FC Shakhtyor Soligorsk, of Belarus, today.

He will be assisted by Konrad G. Borg and Alan Camilleri, both FIFA assistant referees.

Fixtures

Today: Besa (Albania) vs Ethnikos Achnas (Cyprus); Celik (Bosnia) vs Grbalj (Montenegro); Rijeka (Croatia) vs Renova (Macedonia); Hibernians (Malta) vs Gorica (Slovenia); Mika (Armenia) vs Tiraspol (Moldova); Neftci (Azerbaijan) vs Nitra (Slovakia); Etzella (Luxembourg) vs Lokomotiv Tibilisi (Georgia); Bohemians (Ireland) vs Rhyl (Wales); Lisburn (N. Ireland) vs TPS (Finland); FK Riga (Latvia) vs Fylkir (Iceland); Cracovia (Poland) vs Shakhtyor Soligorsk (Belarus).

Tomorrow: Ekranas (Lithuania) vs Trans (Estonia); HB Torshavn (Faroe Islands) vs Elfsborg (Sweden); Zhetysu (Kazakhstan) vs Honved (Hungary).