Birkirkara FC head coach Giovanni Tedesco was thrilled with his team's efforts as they came out with a respectable 1-0 defeat in their away game against West Ham United.
The Maltese club managed to hold the Hammers up until the last minute when James Tomkins earned the Premier League club victory in the 90th minute of the first leg of their Europa League second round qualifier.
West Ham will now travel to Birkirkara on 23 July to play the second leg of the tie.
Tedesco said: "I am very proud of my players, we were playing against a very good team coached by an excellent manager, so there is nothing more I can ask from them.
"We will try (to beat West Ham in Malta), it will be difficult for sure, but the simple fact that we still have something to play for in the second game is something we would have signed up for before the round."
