Coach Paul Zammit is convinced that the gruelling nature of Valletta’s 2-1 opening victory over Sliema Wanderers last week will stand the champions in good stead for the remainder of the season.

As he readies his team for another potentially tricky encounter with Mosta tonight, Zammit has declared himself pleased with Valletta’s spirited second-half rally which culminated in Roderick Briffa’s outstanding winner.

“Although, from the outside, many might think that we were not satisfied with our performance against Sliema, the reality is different,” Zammit told the Times of Malta.

“We played against a very organised team. We made a very positive start but we lost our rhythm due to our struggles to hold possession and Sliema duly took advantage of that.

“I was very pleased with our reaction in the second half. Our approach was much better than in the first period and this enabled us to turn the result in our favour.

“For the first game, we can be satisfied because we overcame a difficult hurdle. We now have to look forward to the upcoming tests.”

Captain Jonathan Caruana is back in the frame for Valletta after missing the Sliema clash for family reasons.

Zammit can also rely on Argentine striker Federico Falcone who has recovered from a quad injury.

“Falcone is available for selection as he has been training normally,” the Valletta coach said.

On paper, Valletta have a distinct edge over a much-changed Mosta but the latter produced a fighting display in their opening clash with Balzan, going down 3-2.

“I’ve watched Mosta play a couple of times in the close season,” Zammit said.

“They are a team who can be very compact in defence but can cause a lot of problems on the counter. It’s going to be another difficult game.”

Mosta coach Edmond Lufi wants his team to build on their tenacious display against Balzan.

“Although we didn’t take anything from our first game, one thing I was very pleased about was that, at 2-0 down, my players kept going,” Lufi, who took over from Ivan Zammit in the close season, said.

“The team showed character and could easily have gained a point as we played as good as Balzan.

“Our approach was very positive and this augurs well for our next match which will be very hard as we are playing against the champions.

“Valletta are strong in every area but we’re preparing for this challenge in a way that should help us make maximum use of our qualities.”

The arrival of Njongo Priso is a boost for Mosta who have overhauled their squad this summer, offloading virtually all their established players, the likes of goalkeeper Omar Borg, defenders Tyrone Farrugia and Adrian Borg, and wing-back Dyson Falzon.

Priso, who joins a legion of new foreigners at Mosta, had signed a deal with Cypriot club Ermis Aradippou but the move fell through over financial issues.

The Cameroonian winger will be hoping to make his Mosta debut against former club Valletta as he looks to put his career back on track after a somewhat disappointing stint with Sliema Wanderers in the second half of last season.

Mosta are without Canadian defender Tristan Grant who picked up a groin injury in the Balzan game last Saturday.

Hibs, Sliema eye win

■ The shock defeat to newly-promoted Ħamrun Spartans has turned up the pressure on Hibernians to kickstart their league campaign when they meet Sliema Wanderers.

Hibs’ 3-1 loss to the Spartans was the most eye-catching result on the opening weekend of the 2016/17 Premier League as the Paolites, runners-up last season, were regarded as favourites to open their commitments on a winning note.

That upset meant that Mark Miller endured a terrible start to his third spell in charge of Hibernians, something the English coach will want to rectify in today’s clash with Sliema, one of his former clubs.

Miller, who has Josef Mansueto as his right-hand man, desperately needs to boost his team’s firepower after losing the Brazilian attacking trio of Jorginho, Jorge and Gilmar.

Hibernians have no injuries for tonight’s game.

Sliema Wanderers, led from the dug-out by former Malta coach John Buttigieg, showed that they will be no pushovers this season with a gutsy display in their opening-day clash with champions Valletta.

Their effort fell just short as they went down to that late Briffa stunner but the Blues will have taken a lot of encouragement from last week’s game.

Buttigieg must make at least one change as combative midfielder Mark Scerri is suspended following his late dismissal in the 2-1 Valletta defeat.

Serbian midfielder Marko Potezica is still nursing an ankle injury but otherwise Buttigieg has no selection problems.

Muscat to return?

■ Rowen Muscat is in line to make his first appearance for Birkirkara this season when the Stripes take on Tarxien Rainbows this evening.

The 25-year-old midfielder, back with the Stripes after a short loan spell with Pavia last season, has yet to feature for Birkirkara this term.

It looks like Muscat has stepped up his physical preparation and coach Drazen Besek told the Times of Malta that he is considering handing the Malta midfielder a place in his 18-man squad today.

Midfielder Shaun Bajada and defender Christian Bubalovic are set to miss out after picking up injuries while Croatian midfielder Mislav Andelkovic has recovered from a foot injury.

Tarxien also have some injury concerns as Argentine forward Claudio Francis and Brazilian wing-back Alex Alves are struggling with a groin and knee problems respectively.

Defender Daniel Zerafa is also doubtful with a groin strain while Matthew Tabone is out with a hamstring injury.

Coach Jacques Scerri can bank on new signing Julian Galea who joined the club this week.

Focus on Piciollo

■ Forwards Matteo Piciollo and Alan Da Silva Souza could make their first start for Balzan in this evening’s match against Pembroke.

Piciollo completed his loan move from Floriana to Balzan earlier this week while Da Silva Souza, who has re-signed for Balzan, was not in the 18-man squad for the 3-2 win over Mosta last weekend.

Brazilian defender Bruno is available after recovering from a knee injury while midfielder Ryan Fenech is continuing his rehabilitation from a groin injury.

Pembroke are handicapped by the absence of striker Luke Montebello and winger Siraj Arab. The Malta U-21 duo begin a two-match ban after both saw red in the 2-1 defeat to Floriana.

Bernardo Mariano is likely to step in for Montebello up front with Pembroke expected to double their efforts to sign a foreign striker before the end of the transfer window on August 31.

Goalkeeper Matthew Calleja Cremona and Italian defender Andrea Scozzese are available after both joined the Reds this week.

Floriana’s new boys

■ Floriana are expected to parade their latest signings, Ignacio Varela and Ryan Camenzuli, when they meet St Andrew’s tomorrow.

The Greens enjoyed a positive start after recording a battling 2-1 win over Pembroke but coach Giovanni Tedesco will be hoping that his team step up their levels by a few notches as they look to challenge for a top-three finish.

The Italian coach’s options have been significantly boosted this week by the arrivals of Argentine striker Varela and Malta U-21 winger Camenzuli.

News that Emanuel Briffa has had his temporary ban lifted by the MFA is also a big plus for the Greens but the right-back must wait a few more days before getting the all-clear to resume his career.

St Andrew’s cannot send out their best formation as Liechtenstein midfielder Daniel Braendle and defender Godwin McKay are sidelined with injuries.

On a more positive note, Saints coach Josè Borg can field central defender Ante Bakmaz after his registration papers were filed at the MFA offices this week.

Brazilian boost

■ Ħamrun Spartans can bank on all their Brazilian players when they face Gżira United in the first encounter between the two promoted sides at the Hibs Stadium.

Already on a high after last week’s impressive 3-1 win over Hibernians, Spartans coach Steve D’Amato is further buoyed by the news that Brazilian trio Jorginho, Motta Dos Santos and Raphael are available after their international transfer certificates were received this week.

Striker Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza, scorer of a brace against Hibs, is doubtful after picking up a knee injury but Daren Falzon has shaken off a muscle injury.

Gżira United coach Branko Nisevic is not expected to make drastic changes to the team that salvaged a last-gasp 1-1 draw against Tarxien last week.

Young midfielder Juan Corbalan is still out with a muscle problem.

(additional reporting by Valhmor Camilleri)

Programme

Today: (Hibs Stadium) 18.30 Tarxien vs Birkirkara; 20.30 Mosta vs Valletta. (Tedesco Stadium) 18.30 Pembroke vs Balzan; 20.45 Sliema vs Hibernians.

Tomorrow: (Hibs Stadium) 18.30 St Andrew’s vs Floriana; 20.30 Ħamrun Spartans vs Gżira United.