Mqabba 1

Qormi 4

Brazilian forward Jorge Pereira returned for Qormi after a two-match ban, who was the instigator behind his side’s success yesterday, scoring two goals, and deservingly voted the player of the match. He put Qormi ahead after only eight minutes on the clock, paving the way to an assured victory which keepe them well in the running for a top-six finish, one point behind Balzan above them who have a game in hand.

Chetcuti’s shot on Joseph Farrugia’s low cross from the left was parried by the stretched keeper Kris Calleja but Pereira reacted before Grima to toe poke the loose ball.

Mqabba failed to get to grips and almost suffered a double blow on 20 minutes. Chetcuti’s cross inside the Mqabba area was miskicked by Bonnici into the path of Pereira who was challenged by the onrushing Calleja as he lobbed the ball over the bar. The referee harshly punished the keeper’s contact and awarded Qormi a penalty. But Kris Calleja atoned with a fine reflex save on Joseph Farrugia’s placed shot from the spot to keep his side into the game.

The match remained cagey after that, with Mqabba keeping possession, but hardly productive and Qormi trying to counter, but often frustrated by Mqabba’s offside game.

Although Mqabba had won their previous game against Hamrun Spartans, coach Clive Mizzi deemed it fit to make some changes to his starting line-up. The absence of the suspended of defender Branislav Timotic was sorely missed as it forced the coach to drop Mauro Bonnici back in defence, with David Azzopardi starting in midfield. Jean Paul Muscat and Claudio Calleja were exiled to the bench as John Nwoba only made a substitute appearance towards the hour.

Mqabba, who were already forced to substitute the injured Sammut midway through the first half, put in Claudio Calleja for Azzopradi after the restart.

They immediately threatened when Marlon Briffa ran past Kouadio with alarming ease, on Julian Briffa’s long pass but shot narrowly wide from a tight angle.

On th other end, the irrepressible Pereira went past Julian Briffa but was thwarted by the blocking Mqabba keeper for Bonnici to clear into a corner.

Qormi scored their second on 52 minutes though. Pereira provided the cross from the left for Jonathan Bondin to head in.

The introduction of Nwoba was supposed to give Mqabba more impetus in attack but Qormi should have closed the match past the hour when Pereira beat the Mqabba offside trap on Farrugia’s pass but preferred to play the ball towards Chetcuti, only for the Mqabba defence to clear.

Jorge Pereira did better on 72 minutes when he took the ball in his stride, went past Julian Briffa through the middle and lobbed it over the onrushing keeper.

In the same action, Julian Briffa was injured and having already effected all their three substitutions, Mqabba were forced to play with ten men for the last quarter hour.

Ironically they enjoyed the best patch after that.

John Nwoba failed to connect on Mamic’s low cross before hitting a consolation goal on 80 minutes, capitalising on Mazitelli’s blocked shot by the keeper inside the Qormi area on a Potezica cross.

But even that failed to warm Mqabba’s damp spirits as they were down to nine men three minutes from time when defender Psaila was sent off for a second caution and they collapsed to concede Qormi’s fourth before the end through substitute Caio Suguino who finished off Caruana’s pass.

Mqabba: K. Calleja, P. Grima, M. Potezika, J. Briffa, M. Briffa (J. Mwoba), D. Azzopardi (C. Calleja), T. Mazitelli, R. Sammut (M.A. Psaila), M. Bonnici, D. Fenech, B. Mamic

Coach: C. Mizzi

Qormi: M. Farrugia, R. Sammut, M. Bartolo (L. Sciberras), J. Chetcuti (K. Scicluna), J. Farrugia, J. Bondin, J. Pereira (C. Suguino), T. Caruana, K. Thackray, A. Bello-Osagie, V. Kouadio

Coach: S. Azzopardi

Referee: P. Caruana

Asst.refs: R. Vella, D. Sultana

4th official: A.M. Sant

Scorers: J. Pereira 8, 72 J. Bondin 52, J. Nwoba 80, C. Suguino 90

Yellow cards: J. Pereira, K. Calleja, M.A. Psaila

Red card: M.A. Psaila

Player of the match: Jorge Pereira (Qormi)

TMI top 3: 1. J. Pereira 2. K. Calleja 3. J. Farrugia