Season 1999/2000

UEFA Cup

Qualifying Round

12/8/99, Lyngby Stadion - Lyngby

Lyngby FC (DEN) vs Birkirkara FC

7-0 (HT 2-0)

Birkirkara suffered a heavy 7-0 defeat to Danish side Lyngby in the first leg of the UEFA Cup qualifying round. Although no one expected Birkirkara to get a win in Denmark, on the other hand, such a heavy defeat came as a surprise for all. The Stripes had Antoine Zahra missing due to a suspension while Chucks Nwoko and Michael Spiteri were making their season debut. Nwoko was suspended from domestic competitions while Spiteri, one of this season's new signings, was on holiday and had missed the Lowenbrau Cup matches. The Stripes had Justin Tellus playing for the last time in the Yellow-Red shirt since he will be signing for Valletta this week.

The Stripes soon suffered a major setback with Michael Cutajar having to leave the pitch injured after just ten minutes. They held up to the first half hour but then the Danish side confirmed their physical and technical superiority converting them into goals. Søren Hermansen put Lyngby ahead in the 29th and three minutes later, Mikkel Bo Jensen doubled the score with a header off a Johansen corner. Two minutes in the second half, Lennart Lynge Larsen scored the third goal with another header and 21 minutes later, Christian Magleby made it 4-0 for Lyngby. A late rally provided the Blues another three goals for a final 7-0. Jimmi Lüthje scored eight minutes from time, Andreas Havlykke added another one in the 87th and in the dying minutes Søren Hermansen scored his second goal and the seventh one for Lyngby.

Birkirkara: Robert Savic, Justin Tellus, Velibor Matanovic, Djorde Pintac, Jonathan Magri Overend (Michael Spiteri), Ivan Zammit, Michael Cutajar (Michael Galea), Joe Brincat, Graham Bencini (Hubert Suda), Chucks Nwoko, Andy Eminyan.

12/8/99, National Stadium - Ta' Qali

Sliema Wanderers vs FC Zurich (SWI)

0-3 (HT 0-1)

Although Sliema were determined to obtain a positive result from the first leg match against FC Zurich, the match ended with a disappointing 0-3 defeat for the Blues. Sliema did not deserve such a heavy defeat considering that up to ten minutes from time, they were just one goal down to their Swiss opponents. It was an excellent performance by goalie Ernest Barry and central defenders Augustine Eguavon and Cristiano Bergodi that made matters quite difficult for Zurich in the first half. In the second half, Sliema were a better side going close to equalising on several occasions although they then suffered two late goals.

Early in the game, Jamarauli went close hitting over the bar from an ideal position. Then a header by Sean Bartlett ended just over the bar. Sliema replied with a low shot by Busuttil saved by Swiss international goalie Marco Pascolo. Barry then came to Sliema's rescue blocking off Bartlett. In the 36th, Zurich took the lead when there was a long cross from the left by Quentin, Bartlett headed in the opposite direction for the unmarked Gocha Jamarauli to hit home. Less than a minute later, Busuttil served David Camilleri and the latter's attempt went inches wide with Pascolo beaten. In the second half, with Zurich seeming quite happy with the result, Sliema got the chance to launch some dangerous attacks. A one-two between Policano and Camilleri ended with the former's powerful shot saved with particular difficulty by Pascolo and minutes later, appeals for a penalty following a tackle on Policano inside the area were turned down by the Greek referee. Ann angles shot by Uwa Ogbodo was not held by Pascolo but Busuttil did not reach in time to conclude. Another good attempt by Busuttil hit the posts. Ten minutes from time, Zurich killed Sliema's hope of equalising when in a fast counter-attack, Mario Frick crossed and South African striker Sean Bartlett headed home. Two minutes in injury time, Zurich added a third goal when S. Kebe scored off a cross by Castillo.

Sliema: Ernest Barry, Ian Ciantar, Zoran Antic, Augustine Eguavon, Cristiano Bergodi, Luke Dimech, Roberto Policano (Sandro Zammit Fava), Carmel Busuttil (Anatole Debono), Uwa Ogbodo, David Camilleri, Massimo Grima (Mark Anthony Bonnici).
Zurich: Pascolo, Giannini (Kebe), Andredi, Sant'Anna, Bartlett, Jamarauli, Frick, Fischer, Castillo, Quentin (Stocklasa), Kavelashvili.
Referee: Vassaras (GRE)

26/8/99, National Stadium - Ta' Qali

Birkirkara FC vs Lyngby FC (DEN)

0-0

Aggregate Score: 0-7

Birkirkara managed to obtain the first positive result in a European competition holding Lyngby in a goalless draw. The Stripes for the first time under the guide of Bulgarian coach Atanas Marinov. They played a good match, sharing the exchanges with their opponents who were not that motivated considering that they already had a seven-goal lead obtained in the first leg. Birkirkara lacked Michael Cutajar and Michael Spiteri but Antoine Zahra returned after a long-term injury.

The match had an exciting start with Birkirkara trying to notch an early lead. A Djorde Pintac header went inches wide while a good attempt by Michael Galea was turned into a corner by Lyngby's goalie Fahlstrom. On the other side a powerful shot by Hindsberg was saved by Savic. Things soon calmed down and the only other chance Lyngby had in the first half was a shot by Bidstrup again saved by Savic. Early in the second half, Fahlstrom performed a good save off Chucks Nwoko. Then Ivan Zammit risked committing an own goal, intercepting an insidious Andie cross. In the 58th, off a Hingsberg cross, Christensen hit the bar with Savic beaten. The Danish side went again close with a header by Hermansen. Finally a scissors-kick by Hermansen was followed by a brilliant save by Birkirkara's Yugoslav goalie.

Birkirkara: R. Savic, G. Bencini, V. Matanovic, D. Pintac, J. Magri-Overend, I. Zammit (A. Zahra), H. Suda (S. Sammut), J. Brincat, M. Galea (O. Spiteri), C. Nwoko, A. Eminyan.
Lyngby: Fahlstrom, Bidstrup, Tengstedt, Hermansen, Magleby (Petersen), Luthje (Christensen), Hindsberg, Vinzents, Marvits, Larson, Andie.

26/8/99, Letzigrund Stadium - Zurich, Switzerland

FC Zurich (SWI) vs Sliema Wanderers

1-0 (HT 0-0)

Aggregate Score: 4-0

A goal midway in the second half made the whole difference between Sliema Wanderers and FC Zurich. During the match, which was played under continuous rainfall, eleven players were cautioned despite the fact that there were not so much hard tackles. Two players, Fischer for Zurich and Luke Dimech for Sliema were even sent off by the Albanian referee.

The Blues shared the exchanges with their opponents during the first half. Defenders Bergodi and Eguavon together with goalie Ernest Barry did a good job at the back and for this reason, Zurich were rarely dangerous although they hit the posts in the 20th. Sliema had two good chances, one by Carmel Busuttil and another by Roberto Policano through which they could have even taken the lead. Early in the second half, Barry performed a good save off Douglas. However Zurich took the lead in the 69th with a header by Saidou Kebe off a cross from the left. Sliema were unlucky to lose player-coach Augustine Eguavon injured and some time later, FC Zurich ended playing in nine after that a player had to leave the pitch injured and they had already substituted three players injured. Towards the end, Sliema had a good chance to equalise when off a David Camilleri corner, Swiss goalie Marco Pascolo saved with particular difficulty.

Sliema: E. Barry, I. Ciantar, Z. Antic, L. Dimech, A. Eguavon (M. Grima), C. Bergodi, C. Busuttil, R. Policano (MA Bonnici), U. Ogbodo (M. Mifsud), D. Camilleri, K. Bonnici.