Sliema W.-Valletta 0-5

Sliema W: G. Zammit, M. Potezica (F. Mangiacasale), J. Mintoff, M. Scerri, M. Mifsud, F. Talato, C. Gatt Baldacchino, K. Gnabouyon, P. Barbetti, B. Muscat, S. Bianciardi

Valletta: N. Vella, I. Azzopardi, R. Camilleri, R. Fenech (H. Barry), H. Faria, L. Cremona, R. Briffa (D. Camilleri), L. Alliyu (L. Montebello), A. Terra, A. Zahra, L. Dimech

Referee:  A. Azzopardi

Asst.refs:  T. Debono, D. Castillo

4th official: T. Farrugia Cann

Scorers: A. Zahra 18,23, A. Terra 25,54, R. Fenech 38 pen

Yellow cards: M. Scerri

Player of the match:  

TMI top 3: 1. A. Zahra  2. H. Faria  3. A. Terra

Attendance: 1,026

 

 

SILVIO VELLA

A revatilised Valletta side thrashed Sliema Wanderers with an emphatic 5-0 win to lift themselves into fifth place in the standings, on equal points with Tarxien Rainbows, and  leave their opponents reeling in the lower part of the table.

Sliema Wanderers collapsed to concede three goals, two of which from set pieces, within seven minutes, allowing the champions to make sure of the points as early as the first 25 minutes.

It was a pity that this Valletta victory was witnessed by only a few scores of their supporters as several of them opted to stay away after the recent crisis of form culminating in the champions’ defeat to Hibernians the previous week.

In order to lift the gloom that has descended on his Valletta team lately, coach Gilbert Agius deemed it fit to make some changes yesterday, dropping Shaun Bajada to the bench and,in the absence of the injured Abdelkarim Nafti and Steve Borg, gave starts to Llywelyn Cremona, Adrian Zahra and Alex Terra, in a flat-three defence comprising Ryan Camilleri, Luke Dimech and Ian Azzopardi.

Adrian Zahra was the man to make the biggest impact on Valletta’s resurgance, although the Wanderers, desperately missing the injured Alex Muscat, were undermined by glaring defensive frailties.

Where Sliema lacked passion or urgency, Valletta looked slick and punchy. They created chances. Adrian Zahra, in particular, could revel in a clutch of excellent individual performances, scoring two goals and procuring a penalty. Alex Barboza Terra, playing for the entire 90 minutes also scored a brace, the first for his new club.But it was mostly the collective organisation that stood out yesterday.

There was plenty at stake as the Wanderers attempted to end their long wait for a league win that has eluded them in five matches so far in this campaign.

This defeat was a weak display, with little opace or appetite and a lack of concentration, born of shattered confidence.

The first few weeks of the new season have exposed frailties within the squad and prompted many to question why more efforts were not made to add more steel in midfield and in attack over the summer.

 

Sliema, who had also Pisanu missing yesterday, should have gone in front after ten minutes play. An Alliyu shot for Valletta was blocked and the Wanderers countered with a Scerri long ball forward to put Gnabouyou clear but he shot straight on keeper Vella.

The first attempt on goal for Valletta came on the quarter hour. Cremona’s shot was blocked by keeper Glen Zammit and then Alliyu lofted the ball on Cremona’s inviting cross from the byeline on the right.

Sliema conceded two goals within five minutes, both from Valletta corners on the 18th and 23rd minutes. Both were taken by Fenech from the right and on both occasions, Adrian Zahra was allowed too much space to head past keeper Bonello.

Sliema were shocked and their backline was again caught in disarray on 25 minutes as Alex Terra pounced on a short Alliyu pass inside the area and steer the ball low past Zammit.

Ryan Fenech increased Sliema’s misery from the penalty spot on 38 minutes, when Valletta were awarded a soft penalty after Zahra played one-two with Briffa and fell when challenged by Talato inside the area.

The match was as good as over at halftime and the second half served only to complete the formalities – for Sliema to introduce their new wide player Fabio Mangiacasale and for Valletta to score another goal.

On 54 minutes Faria played a quick free kick into space for Alex Terra to exploit and slot the ball low past keeper Zammit for the fifth time.

There was time for Hamza Barry to make his return as a substitute for Valletta on 67 minutes after a long lay off and two late missed chances by other substitute Luke Montebello that could have inflated Valletta’s win.