Lusitans 0
Valletta 1

(Valletta win 9-0 on aggregate)

Brazilian striker Jhonnattann ensured that Valletta enjoyed a trouble-free passage to the second qualifying round of the Champions League as his first-half goal earned the Citizens a 1-0 win over Lusitans.

With an eight-goal buffer following last week’s crushing victory at the Hibs Stadium, there was never any doubt on who would progress to the next round of UEFA’s elite competition. But the Malta champions were keen to wrap up the tie with another win in La Vella and Jhonnattan’s strike earned the Citizens their second successive victory over their Andorran oppo-nents to wrap up a 9-0 aggregate win.

Mark Miller’s men will now head into a tougher challenge as next week they will be up against Serbian champions Partizan Belgrade.

Valletta managed to break the deadlock in their first serious raid as on 16 minutes William Barbosa set up Jhonnattann who hit past goalkeeper Ricardo Fernandez.

The home side responded three minutes later but Andre Krul was on the alert to keep out Moreira’s shot.

Scoring chances remained few and far between and the Citizens threatened again on the stroke of half-time but Denni hit wide.

The second half was short of entertaining fare with both sides effecting a number of changes that failed to liven up proceedings as Valletta administered their advantage till the final whistle.

Lusitans: R. Fernandez, Y. Fontan, F. Goncalves, B. Da Silva (90 F. Soares), R. Brito, L. Maciel, Zarioh, L. Pinto (72 Atabu), Bruninho, L. Reis (65 P. Reis), V. Moreira.

Valletta: A. Krul, J. Caruana, I. Azzopardi (D. Falzon 59), S. Borg, J. Donizete (61 R. Fenech), R. Briffa, Denni, M. Mifsud, W. Barbosa, Riccardo, Jhonnattann (67 E. Agius).

Referee: Huw Jones (Wales).