Sliema W 1

Hamrun S 0

This game was decided by an early second half goal.

Hamrun were the better outfit during the first period, creating more occasions but they failed to find the net.

Sliema enjoyed the lion’s share of exchanges after the restart. Following this game Sliema are on three points from two games while Hamrun are still without any points from the same number of games.

In Hamrun’s first action Luke Galea was fouled outside the area and Jake Grech drove over the bar from the free kick. Luca Bugeja was then fouled on the right flank and from Galea’s free kick the ball was headed away.

In the first action by Sliema, Liam Cachia was fouled on the right flank and after Iousef Meli created havoc in the area from the free kick, the ball was somehow cleared away.

Sliema then won a free kick on the left flank after a foul on Axl Xuereb which was well-taken by Jake Agius; after a Hamrun defender deflected the ball goalwards, keeper Andrea Camilleri managed to parry the ball.

During another Sliema attack they won a corner kick on the right flank and from Agius’s flag kick, Camilleri fumbled the ball but a defender managed to clear it to safety.

In the last action before the break Xuered served Liam Cachia with a square pass and Camilleri saved his effort from outside the area.

Sliema went straight on the offensive after resumption as they mounted the first two actions. Michael Galea served Xuereb in the area and after Camilleri partly saved his shot the ball was cleared away. Xuereb then dribbled past an opponent and he missed the upright from outside the area.

In the 47th minute Sliema opened the score as they won a corner kick on the left flank which was well-taken by substitute Christian Mercieca. Camilleri fumbled the ball in the melee that ensued and substitute Mark Scicluna scored with a low drive from inside the area.

In a Hamrun reaction, Jake Grech was fouled on the left flank, the ball was partly cleared outside the area from the free kick by the same player the ball came in his path and Ebejer saved his shot.

Sliema kept pressing and a flag kick by Agius created havoc as Camilleri fumbled the ball and Scicluna drove over the bar with an open goal at his mercy.

At the other end minutes later, a flag kick by Grech created havoc in the Blues area but somehow the ball was cleared away to safety.

In the last action before the end, Liam Cachia dribbled past an opponent outside the area and Camilleri brought the house down with a good save as he tipped the ball over the bar  to a corner.

Referee: Elvio De Gabriele

Player of the match: Michael Galea (Sliema W)