Birkirkara 0
NK Maribor 0

Paul Zammit’s stated objective on the eve of this game was for Birkirkara to tackle their Champions League commitments against the more-fancied NK Maribor “with heads held high”.

Mindful of Maribor’s strength and rising pedigree in Europe, Zammit was careful not to talk up his team’s chances but cometh the hour, Birkirkara exceeded expectations.

Last night, they certainly left the pitch with heads held high after a stirring display that drew gasps of admiration from all those present, not least their drooling supporters who serenaded their players with chants of ‘Thank you very much’ and ‘Championis’ at the end of the game.

In normal circumstances, a draw against a team of Maribor’s stature would be considered a creditable result for a Maltese side but the general feeling was that the goalless stalemate didn’t do justice to Birkirkara’s efforts.

Brimming with enthusiasm and confidence from the off, Birkirkara not only blunted the attacking threat of the Slovenians but fashioned the better opportunities, with Edward Herrera and Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza both hitting the woodwork.

It was clear that the pre-season work of Zammit and his backroom staff had paid off as the well-oiled Stripes approached the game with a fearless attitude.

They held firm when Maribor applied the pressure, albeit sporadically, and, more importantly, played some delightful one-touch football when in possession.

Their failure to get a goal gives Maribor a significant advantage ahead of next week’s second leg but this should not detract from Birkirkara’s showing, one that was typified by debutant Frank Temile who produced an electric display reminiscent of his early days with Valletta.

Zammit relied on his tried-and-trusted elements with Temile the only new face in his initial XI.

Fresh from signing a new three-year contract with the Maltese champions, Zach Muscat was awarded a starting berth along with Ryan Camenzuli but Joseph Zerafa had to make do with a place on the bench.

Birkirkara played 3-4-1-2 with Rowen Muscat floating behind the front duo of Temile and Shola Shodiya Haruna.

Fielding his strongest formation, Maribor coach Ante Cacic opted for 4-1-4-1 with captain Marcos Tavares filling the lone striker’s role and Zeljko Filipovic stationed in front of defence.

Hesitant defending by Bir-kirkara almost gifted Maribor an early goal as Dejan Mezga was allowed time and space to sprint into the box but his grounder was pawed away by Justin Haber.

As if to issue a warning of their own attacking prowess, Birkirkara also created a good chance. Muscat advanced through the middle before releasing Temile who miscued his shot.

A combination of crisp passing, assiduous pressing and brisk movement enabled Birkirkara to shade the early exchanges as a visibly concerned Cacic spent most of the first 20 minutes bowling out instructions to his players from the technical area.

Birkirkara spurned a great chance midway into the first half.

Maribor looked to have repelled danger when Herrera was crowded out after trying to dash into the box from the right. The wing-back refused to give up though and regained possession and freed Haruna who was clean through. The Nigerian, however, picked the wrong option, over-hitting his pass towards Muscat instead of shooting as only the goalkeeper stood in his way.

With the hosts showing impeccable tactical organisation, Maribor were unable to muster a noteworthy chance after Haber’s solitary save from Mezga in the embryonic stages.

Belying his lite frame, Temile was causing the Maribor defenders all sorts of problems with his pace and agility.

His ability was there for all to see when he nudged the ball off Arghus before laying a through-ball to Herrera whose first-time curler bounced off the bar.

It was only in the dying stages of the first half that Maribor stirred, their renewed pressure winning them a couple of flag-kicks but Birkirkara stood firm.

When Romanian referee Marian Radu Petrescu brought the first half to a close, Birkirkara left the pitch to a well-deserved applause.

Early in the second half, Mezga’s free-kick was deflected away for a corner as the visitors upped the ante.

Their bolder efforts yielded three corners in the first 10 minutes of the second half but a flash of brilliance from Temile gave Birkirkara some respite as he feigned to pass to Camenzuli before accelerating past the wrong-footed Martin Milec. However, his grounder was blocked by the goalkeeper.

Three minutes past the hour, Temile caught Filipovic in possession in midfield and played a through-ball to Haruna who sped into the box but his effort was off target.

With 17 minutes remaining, a fine interchange between Mezga and Agim Ibraimi ended with the former lifting the ball over the bar from outside the box and Filipovic headed over from a corner.

Zerafa came on for Temile for the final 10 minutes before Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza replaced Rowen Muscat.

The best chance of the match fell to Mifsud Triganza two minutes from time. He closed in on goal unimpeded after dispossessing Aleksander Rajcevic on the edge of the box but his low drive flashed off the base of the post.

Birkirkara
J. Haber, Z. Muscat, N. Vukanac, A. Mendoza, E. Herrera, R. Camenzuli, G. Sciberras, P. Fenech, R. Muscat (83 J.P. Mifsud Triganza), S.S. Haruna (68 D. Toure), F. Temile (80 J. Zerafa).

NK Maribor
J. Handanovic, Z. Filipovic, M. Milec, A. Mejac, D. Mezga, M. Tavares (84 N. Fajic), A. Ibraimi, G. Cvijanovic, A. Rajcevic, S. Arghus, A. Mertels (69 D. Bohar).

Referee: Marian Radu Petrescu (Romania FA).

Yellow cards: Camenzuli; Sciberras; Fenech; Filipovic.

UEFA Champions League

Second qualifying round

Played yesterday	1st leg	2nd leg	Agg
Viktoria Plzen (CZE) vs FK Zeljeznicar (BIH)	4-3
BATE Borisov (BLR) vs Shakhter Karagandy (KAZ)	0-1
Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO) vs EB/Streymur (FRO)	6-1
FC Sheriff (MDA) vs FK Sutjeska (MNE)	1-1
Ekranas (LTU) vs Hafnarfjordur (ISL)	0-1
CS Fola Esch (LUX) vs Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)	0-5
Birkirkara (MLT) vs NK Maribor (SVN)	0-0
Steaua Bucharest (ROM) vs FK Vardar (MKD)	3-0
Playing today
Shirak (ARM) vs FK Partizan (SRB)
HJK Helsinki (FIN) vs Nomme Kalju (EST)
Neftci PFK (AZE) vs KS Skenderbeu (ALB)
Sligo Rovers (IRL) vs Molde FK (NOR)
Elfsborg (SWE) vs FC Daugava (LVA)
The New Saints (WAL) vs Legia Warsaw (POL)
Slovan Bratislava (SVK) vs Ludogorets (BUL)
Gyori ETO (HUN) vs Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR)
Cliftonville (NIR) vs Celtic (SCO)
Second legs: July 23/24.