Birkirkara 1
Bajada 56
Sliema Wanderers 3
Mifsud Triganza 31; Alhinho 51 Turner 90

On the day the draws for the initial rounds of the UEFA club competitions were made in Nyon, champions Birkirkara and Sliema Wanderers were looking to gain a psychological boost in the shape of victory in their first appearance of the new season.

With a host of foreigners in their side, Sliema launched their season on a high note after gaining a deserved 3-1 victory over the Stripes who played the last 16 minutes with 10 men after Shaun Bajada was sent off for retaliation.

Before the match, Carmelo Bartolo, the MFA's senior vice-president, placed a bouquet of flowers in front of a framed photo of ex-referee Richard Stagno Navarra who passed away on Saturday.

A minute's silence was also impeccably observed.

Birkirkara coach Paul Zammit named two newcomers in his starting XI, Brazilian goalkeeper Ezequiel Lovizon, who is expected to replace Spaniard Jorge Mora, and Andrew Decesare, who left Tarxien Rainbows to join the champions on a two-year deal. Jacobo Camilli, a 24-year-old Italian forward, was among the Stripes' substitutes.

Mark Marlow, the Sliema coach, awarded starting roles to five foreigners, namely Hungarian goalkeeper Viktor Szentpeteri, Argentine forward Emiliano Lattes, Ivorian defender Souare Sekoutidane and Portuguese midfielders Valdo Alhinho and Andre Portulez.

The game was less than a minute old when Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza bore down on goal through the middle and fired a low drive that hit the upright.

A neat interchange between Mifsud Triganza and Lattes unhinged the Birkirkara defence but the former Msida forward's final effort was deflected away for a corner by Decesare. From the flag-kick, John Mintoff's cross fell to Mifsud Triganza but he lifted his shot over the bar.

The Stripes' first foray into Sliema's half saw Trevor Cilia make headway on the right before he whipped in a cross towards Michael Galea whose header was saved by Szentpeteri.

Lattes was proving a handful for the Birkirkara defence with his darting runs down the left. On 12 minutes, he released Miguel Ciantar but the latter shot at keeper Lovizon.

On 24 minutes, Mintoff's twisting run got him into the Birkirkara box but the young winger curled his shot just wide.

Lattes was again in the thick of things when Sliema broke the stalemate on 31 minutes. He delivered a perfect ball to Mifsud Triganza who held off Nikola Vukanac and drove past Lovizon.

Birkirkara struggled to find their rhythm. Eleven minutes from half-time, the erstwhile subdued Bajada let fly a dipping shot that sailed wide.

The Stripes came close to an equaliser when Paul Fenech's drive was parried away by Szentpeteri. Galea was first to the loose ball but his scrambled attempt was blocked by the keeper.

Only six minutes had elapsed after the restart when Sliema doubled their lead thanks to Alhinho who had the better of Lovizon with a shot from the distance.

Bajada, however, hauled Birkirkara back in contention when he reduced the deficit, his first-time effort from inside the area taking a deflection off Sekoutidane.

Buoyed by this goal, Birkirkara now pushed forward with renewed intent but their hopes suffered a blow when, with 16 minutes left, Bajada was red-carded for lunging out at Portulez.

Camilli, who came on for Sylvano Comvalius, arrowed a shot towards goal but Szentpeteri saved with ease.

In the dying stages, Noel Turner, a second-half substitute, put the result beyond Birkirkara when he guided the ball past Lovizon after receiving from Mifsud Triganza.

TOMORROW (Centenary Stadium): 6.15 p.m. Valletta vs Birkirkara

Birkirkara: E. Lovizon, P. Fenech ('90 R. Scicluna) A. Decesare, N. Vukanac, A. Scicluna, T. Cilia, S. Bajada, A. Tabone, T. Paris, M. Galea ('77 K. Pulo), S. Comvalius ('67 J. Camilli).

Sliema Wanderers: V. Szentpeteri, I. Azzopardi, B. Muscat, S. Sekoutidane, A. Portulez, J.P. Mifsud Triganza, M. Ciantar ('56 A. Spiteri), E. Lattes, C. Gatt Baldacchino, V. Alhinho ('84 N. Turner), J. Mintoff ('80 I. Woods).

Referee: Alan Mario Sant.

Yellow cards: Alhinho, Lattes; Cilia.

Red card: Bajada (B) 74.

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