Birkirkara may have left the Hibs Stadium with a tinge of disappointment on Thursday as they could not go beyond a goalless draw against Armenian side FC Ulisses in the Europa League first qualifying round, first leg.

But that result has only increased the belief and determination in the Stripes’ clan as they head to eastern Europe with added resolve to try and get the result needed and proceed to the second qualifying round. That could mean a lucrative tie against English Premier League side West Ham United.

Birkirkara played a very solid match against FC Ulisses, holding the initiative for much of the match with their only fault being that of failing to make the most of the chances that came their way, missing out on what would have been a merited victory.

“When you analyse how the match panned out, I think that if there was one team who deserved to win on Thursday that was certainly Birkirkara,” coach Giovanni Tedesco told The Sunday Times of Malta.

“The team played with great composure and created enough chances to at least take a one-goal advantage into the second leg.

“However, we didn’t capitalise on our opportunities. All in all, though, I’m very satisfied with the commitment of my players in these first few days of our pre-season training.

“We have worked really hard so far and I’m seeing enough signs that leaves me hopeful this team can grow into a very competitive outfit. That way we can challenge for the major domestic honours.”

The Birkirkara squad will head for Armenia tomorrow evening but one player unlikely to be on the plane to Yerevan is goalkeeper Justin Haber. He strained a muscle on Thursday and could be out of the travelling party.

“Justin suffered an injury on Thursday. He will undergo a scan before we leave to discover how serious his injury is,” Tedesco said.

Miccoli is practising really hard and wants to regain his best physical condition

“If he fails to recover we’ll have to rely on Ini Akpan in goal for next Thursday’s match. He is a reliable goalkeeper and we know he can do a very good job if Justin fails to make it.”

A major talking point from the first leg was the debut of striker Fabrizio Miccoli.

The former Juve and Palermo striker came on 19 minutes from time. He showed his true mettle and proved to be a major threat for the Ulisses defence, going close to breaking the deadlock.

“I think that there has never been any doubt on the great football talent that Fabrizio Miccoli possesses,” Tedesco said.

“Throughout his career he has shown what a great player he is. What impressed me most in the last few weeks was his humble approach in training.

“Miccoli is practising really hard and wants to regain his best physical condition.

“Once he will reach his peak form he will be a major asset for Birkirkara this season.”

Turning his sights back on the return leg, Tedesco said he will be expecting a far more aggressive approach from FC Ulisses but that would not stop Birkirkara from trying to impose their game on their opponents.

“The second leg in Armenia will be completely different to the first game we had here as this time it will be FC Ulisses who will try to take the initiative and seek the win to progress,” the Italian mentor explained.

“On Thursday, they played a defensive game, fielding five men at the back but they will venture forward more often in front of their own fans.

“However, that will not change our plans for sure.

“We are going there to get the goals we need and reach the next round. It will be very important for us to maintain tactical organisation and exploit the opportunities that we’ll create.

“I’m urging my players to give their 100 per cent… hopefully that will be enough for us to qualify.”

This week, the Stripes will be looking to emulate their feat of 2010 when they succeeded in clearing the first hurdle of a UEFA club competition.

On that occasion, Birkirkara beat Andorra’s Santa Coloma 7-3 on aggregate in the first round of the Champions League tournament. They were then eliminated by Slovakia’s MSK Zilina 3-1 over both legs.

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