Rabat Ajax 0 Qormi 1

Rabat Ajax began life back in the top flight with a defeat as Stephen Azzopardi's side taught them a painful lesson in finishing in the unforgiving nature of the Maltese Premier League football.

With nine of the mainstays of last season and only two new signing drafted in the starting formation, as expected Qormi overwhelmed a lethargic Rabat side.

The Ajax goalkeeper got his hands to Kris Thackray's low first-time effort from the edge of the area but could only help it into the path of Chetcuti who shot on the side-netting after 17 minutes.

But having failed to heed the earlier warning, Rabat fell behind two minutes later. Bartolo slipped a through-pass to Chetcuti, who left himself almost no margin of error in getting the ball over the goalkeeper.

On the half hour mark, Backhaus's corner soared into the six-yard box but found no takers. But the Ajax were undoubtedly on the back foot again as half-time approached but Bartolo was just too quick for the ball as he'd run past and he'd have to wait for it, before he flashed his shot outside.

Azzopardi's side had the opportunity to double their lead in the 51th minute when the new-boy Leighton Grech cut in from the right-hand side to fire a rasping shot wide, before Mintoff pushed away a fierce Bello-Osagie effort that was heading for the top corner.

Rabat gradually shook off their apprehension and started to pose some of a threat, with the swift counter-attack thrusts by Adam Smeir. On the hour mark, the nippy striker picked up the ball in midfield, embarked on a dazzling run on the right flank that took him past a posse of players before he hit a low shot past Matthew Farrugia that ended agonisingly wide.

In the 79th minute, Stephen Wellman- who made the selection just in time after being cleared from the UEFA's Control and Disciplinary body in Geneva - dipped a free-kick beyond the Ajax's defensive wall but Mintoff punched clear.

At this point, Silvo Vella threw caution to the wind and played the trumpet card Justin Felice as Qormi were leaving pace to exploit as striker brushed his marker away from possession only to shoot off target in the 84th minute. The powerful Felice already causing problems for Qormi defence, rose at the far post to meet Dylan Falzon's cross with a simple far-post header with Farrugia tipping over the bar his effort four minutes later.

In the dying minutes, Farrugia bravely kept out a Smeir effort as he got a finger tip to a rasping volley to touch the ball onto the bar.