Qormi and Sliema fight for passport to Europa League

Qormi and Sliema Wanderers will be vying for a passport to the Europa League this evening when they lock horns in a winner-takes-all decider at the National Stadium (kick-off 7.30 p.m.).

The FA Trophy final should have brought the curtains down on the 2009/10 season but Qormi's 2-1 defeat to Valletta, Malta's other Europa League representatives next season, necessitated a play-off for the remaining slot in this European competition after Qormi and Sliema shared third spot at the end of the Premier League campaign.

Qormi had the chance to banish the looming prospect of a play-off as victory in the Trophy final, played on May 23, would have ensured an historic qualification to a European competition for the yellow-blacks but Valletta's win kept Sliema alive, in the process extending the season by another nine days.

This evening's tie is widely expected to unfold into a balanced encounter between two sides who have experienced contrasting fortunes over the past 10 months.

While Qormi will be eager to crown their breakthrough season by writing a new chapter in their history, Sliema will be looking to salvage a dismal campaign by claiming a Europa League spot.

Vince Carbonaro, Qormi's stand-in coach, has called on his players to seize the opportunity to etch their names in the club's annals.

"Qualification for the Europa League would represent a fitting end to what has been a hugely positive season for Qormi," Carbonaro said.

"Europe has been in our sights since the team secured a place in the Championship Pool which was our main objective.

"Reaching the FA Trophy final was like a bonus but our quest for European football means a lot for Qormi. The expectations are high for this play-off."

Defender Steve Wellman is ruled out by suspension but otherwise Carbonaro has a full squad at his disposal.

Duncan Pisani complained of tiredness after turning out for Malta U-21 in Saturday's 3-0 defeat to Ukraine but Carbonaro is confident that the left-back will recoup his energies in time.

Despite Qormi's upset to Valletta in the Trophy final, Carbonaro believes that the team's performance will have enhanced the players' confidence.

"Defeats are always hard to take but I think everyone agrees that Qormi have done extremely well to reach the final," Carbonaro said.

It is Qormi's flawless record of four wins in four league meetings with Sliema this season that is worrying Carbonaro.

"Qormi have beaten Sliema four times this season but past matches count for nothing, especially in a decider," he said. "I've been urging the players not to ponder on past results against Sliema because I don't want them to go into the match with an air of over-confidence."

Sliema will be without two of their foreign players this evening after the club terminated the contracts of Brazilian midfielder Pedrinho and Argentine striker Julio Alcorse, leaving Romanian defender Lucian Dronca as the only non-Maltese player in the squad.

Mark Marlow, the Sliema coach, is also hampered by the absence of defender Josef Mifsud who must serve a one-match ban.

Having begun the season with high hopes of challenging for the major honours, the 2009/10 Sliema team will go down as flops if they fail to qualify for the Europa League but Marlow bristled at the suggestion that the Wanderers are fighting to save their faces.

"When I took over, Sliema's priority was to make it into the Championship Pool," Marlow said.

"Once a top-six finish was assured, we then focused on Europe and we're still in contention. I was handed the task of steadying a sinking boat and together, we've moved forward.

"This season has been a constant uphill struggle for Sliema but we've survived."

Marlow hopes that Sliema's appalling record against Qormi spurs his team to greater efforts this evening.

"Sliema have lost four times to Qormi this season but this should increase our motivation to put an end to this negative run," Marlow said.

Four weeks have passed since Sliema's last official outing, a 3-0 defeat to Qormi, but Marlow is not apprehensive about his team's lack of competitive action.

"We have played some friendlies to keep our sharpness," Marlow said.

"It's been a long wait but the atmosphere has been tranquil and the players are hungry to play this match."

Curbing the threat posed by Qormi forwards Camilo, who is attracting interest from Hertha Berlin and two other unnamed German clubs, and Alfred Effiong, is crucial for Sliema today.

"Qormi's main strength is their forward line and if we manage to keep their strikers at bay, our chances of winning this play-off would improve significantly," Marlow said.

If the score is level at 90 minutes, extra-time will be played. A penalty shoot-out will determine the winner if the two teams are still tied at the end of extra-time.