Malta 0
Armenia 1
Malta's encounter with Armenia on the opening day of the 14th International Tournament was the national team's first official outing since the closure of their Euro 2008 qualifying campaign in November.
Coming less than a week after Dusan Fitzel's men were named Team of the Year in the Sportivi Nazzjonali awards, the aim must have been to celebrate this feat with a positive result but this was not forthcoming.
A soft goal midway through the second half consigned Malta to a 1-0 defeat to Armenia in front of a meagre crowd at the National Stadium.
As was the case when these two nations met in a friendly last September, Armenia also winning 1-0 on that occasion, this match was generally balanced and played in a good sporting spirit by both sides.
Although Malta failed to get their 2008 schedule off to a flying start, Fitzel will have gleaned a number of positives from a fluctuating performance by the home team.
Personnel changes were the order of the day for Fitzel who also tinkered with his team's tactics throughout.
Fitzel's initial line-up was a mixture of old and new as the likes of skipper Gilbert Agius, yesterday making his 105th appearance in a Malta shirt, Brian Said and Ivan Woods were joined by midfield debutants Ryan Fenech and Shaun Bajada and defender Aaron Xuereb.
Bajada started at left-back and Fenech operated in front of anchor man Agius in the centre of midfield as Fitzel deployed his team in a 4-1-4-1 configuration.
Also under starting orders were Etienne Barbara, yesterday taking up the lone striker position, and midfielder Roderick Bajada, two players who have yet to convince Fitzel of their first-team credentials.
The newcomers acquitted themselves well yesterday, especially Shaun Bajada while Barbara and Roderick Bajada also left a good impression. A spate of second-half changes disrupted Malta's flow but the run-out should stand the team, especially the less-experienced elements, in good stead.
Dane Jan Poulsen was taking charge of his first match since being appointed Armenia coach last week.
The match was preceded by a minute's silence in memory of John Refalo, a Malta FA staff member who passed away recently.
Seven minutes into the game, Malta goalkeeper Mario Muscat fisted away an inswinging corner by Aghuan Mkrtchyan.
Mayis Azizyan made his first intervention of the evening a few minutes later when holding a low cross by Roderick Bajada after the Sliema midfielder made a strong run down the right channel.
Creative football was at a premium in the opening stages as both teams toiled to find their passing range.
On 25 minutes, Mkrtchyan chested the ball towards Ararat Arakelyan inside the penalty area but the latter's tame shot rolled wide of the far post.
Malta's first promising move of the half came on 32 minutes. George Mallia directed a pass to Barbara who cut in from the left before squaring to Bajada who hit a first-time shot from the edge of the area but Azizyan saved.
Moments later, a long-range effort by Agius dropped just wide of the far post after taking a deflection.
Gaining impetus from the improved mobility of the midfield players, Malta drove forward with fresh intent, Barbara having a penalty appeal turned down after the robust striker fell in the area when challenged by Robert Arzumanyan.
At the other end, Agius rescued Malta from a potentially harmful situation when, having dashed back into the area, he deflected a dangerous cross by Levon Pachajyan.
Having earlier won two corners during a spell of pressure, Malta threatened to forge ahead two minutes from half-time. A long punt from the Armenian goalkeeper was blocked by the Maltese midfield as the ball was quickly released to the enterprising Barbara who, having evaded the offside trap, advanced but sent his shot wide of the near post.
After the break, Fitzel brought on Andrew Cohen and Cleaven Frendo for Ivan Woods and Mallia respectively. Frendo was assigned an attacking position with erstwhile forlorn forward Barbara repositioned as winger-cum-midfielder.
Nine minutes into the second half, Malta were let off the hook when Melkonyan miscued his shot from an inviting position.
Profiting from a slip by Armenia defender Arzumanyan, Fenech sped into the box but instead of shooting, the Hamrun youngster tried to pass the ball but the visitors managed to clear the danger.
Another mistake by Armenia created an opening for Barbara but his shot was deflected away for a corner.
From the prospect of going ahead, Malta found themselves 1-0 down midway through the second half.
Sloppy defending contributed to Armenia's opener as Melkonyan, one of the best players in Poulsen's side yesterday, jinked his way past three Maltese players before striking a low shot from the left side of the penalty area. Muscat dived to parry the shot but the Maltese rearguard failed to clear their lines as the ball looped to substitute Ara Hakobyan whose initial attempt was stopped by Shaun Bajada but from the rebound, the same Armenia player fired into the net.
Four minutes later, Fitzel made another two substitutions, Steve Wellman and Peter Pullicino replacing Agius and Barbara respectively.
The red-shirted players tried to make a reaction but their confused efforts were easily controlled by Armenia.
In the final stages, a run by Gareth Sciberras, one of six second-half substitutes for Malta, was halted by Armenia who drove the ball away for a corner.
From the ensuing flag-kick, taken by Frendo, the ball came to Kenneth Scicluna whose first-time attempt sailed wide of the near post.
Malta: M. Muscat, S. Bajada, B. Said, A. Xuereb, G. Agius ('72 S. Wellman), R. Briffa, E. Barbara ('72 P. Pullicino), I. Woods ('46 A. Cohen), G. Mallia ('46 C. Frendo), R. Fenech ('60 G. Sciberras), R. Bajada ('85 K. Scicluna).
Armenia: M. Azizyan, K. Dokhoyan, R. Arzumanyan, A. Tadeosyan ('74 H. Mkhitaryan), A. Mkrtchyan, A. Ara-kelyan ('65 K. Alexanyan), A. Voska-nyan, L. Pachajyan ('83 K. Mkrt-chyan), V. Minasyan, G. Ghazaryan ('58 A. Hakobyan), S. Melkonyan ('76 N. Sahakyan).
Referee: Magnus Porisson (Ice-land).
Scorer: Hakobyan 68.
Yellow cards: Fenech; Ara-kelyan; R. Bajada.
Malta players' ratings
Muscat-6.5, S. Bajada-6.5, Said-6, Xuereb-6, Agius-6, Briffa-6, Barbara-7, Woods-5.5, Mallia-5.5, Fenech-5.5, R. Bajada-6.
Subs: Frendo-5; Cohen-5.5; Sci-berras-5; Wellman-5; Pullicino-5.5; Scicluna.
Tomorrow: 5.30 p.m. Belarus vs Armenia; 7.45 p.m. Malta vs Iceland.
Wednesday: 5.30 p.m. Iceland vs Armenia; 7.45 p.m. Malta vs Belarus.