SLIEMA WANDERERS- 2
BIRKIRKARA – 1
Sliema W: G. Sarao (G. Zammit), A. Muscat, G. Muir, A. Friggieri (A. Tarlaziz), B. Muscat, W. Salomon, M. Mucahrdi, J. Mintoff, M. Scerri, M. Galin (J.P. Farrugia), M. Potezica
Birkirkara: M. Kopric, G. Sciberras, M. Andelkovic (R. Muscat), S. Dimitrov, V. Plut, N. Vukanac, F. Temile, J. Zerafa, R. Scicluna, C. Attard (S. Bajada), P. Jovic (J. Brincat)
Referee: E. Azzopardi
Asst.refs: D. Sultana, T. Debono
4th official: F. Zammit
Scorers: A. Muscat 45+, W. Salomon 76, F. Temile 80
Yellow cards: M. Scerri, J. Mintoff, J.P. Farrugia, G. Zammit
Player of the match: M. Muchardi (Sliema W)
TMI top 3: 1. M. Muchardi 2. J. Mintoff 3. G. Sciberras
Attendance: 1,292
A goal in each half by Alex Muscat from a penalty and another by Wisdom Salomon helped Sliema Wanderers pull the first league victory of the season against previously unbeaten, but blunt Birkirkara.
It also gives them some confidence after the first three league games of the season had produced no points. Sliema played with spirit and determination and took their chances better while Birkirkara always struggled to pull off the quick, direct combinations necessary to break down the well-drilled Wanderers yesterday. The Stripes missed the chance of going top after Valletta and Balzan drew on Saturday and now drop to thgeird place behind them.
Birkirkara felt no need to change while the Wanderers were forced to reshuffle the team following injuries to Vilas Boas and Bianciardi. Jean Paul Farrugia and Peter Xuereb were relegated to the bench with coach John Buttigieg giving starts to Aidan Friggieri, Beppe Muscat, Wisdom Salomon and Marko Potezica. Goalkeeper Giuseppe Sarao stayed on the pitch for half an hour as he was injured and forced to be substituted by Glenn Zammit. Mark Scerri was celebrating his 200th appearance for Sliema while team mate Alex Muscat was making his 300th appearnace for the club. Both were presented with mementoes at kick off.
The teams had contrasting fortunes so far this season. Birkirkara had won all three of their opening matches. For much of the opening stages, however, there was not much between the sides. Goalscoring opportunities were few and far between as the teams made a lot of running with little purpose. Ryan Scicluna’s two early efforts for Birkirkara were tame and easy prey for the Sliema keeper. Towards the half hour a Muir free kick for Sliema was blocked by keeper Kopric
The match came to life in the half’s four minutes of added time. Temile headed Dimitrov’s free kick carelessly over the bar.
Sliema managed to take the lead when Birkirkara defender Zerafa felled Mintoff inside the area to concede a penalty, which the unerring Alex Muscat converted in style.
At the restart, the game was still in the balance.Birkirkara effected two substitutions at halftime, putting in Rowen Muscat and Shaun Bajada and retreating Andelkovic and Attard.
Sliema were still looking for spaces inside Birkirkara’s half to exploit. On the hour, a good run by Salomon, who cut inside the area, ended with his shot being parried by keeper Kopric.
After that, Jean Paul Farrugia replaced Galin.
The Stripes remained wasteful as efforts by Sciberras and Bajada completely missed the target.
Not surprisingly Sliema struck again on 76 minutes. Muchardi’s low diagonal shot from the right was held out by the stretched Birkirkara keeper, the loose ball ran to the unmarked Wisdom Salomon, who shot in from close range.
Birkirkara summoned some late effort to pull one back ten minutes from time. Frank Temile picked Bajada’s pass, grounded an opponent as he ran inside the Sliema area before beating keeper Zammit at the near post. That was too little too late though.
Farrugia could have secured the points for Sliema during four added minutes but keeper Kopric denied him, blocking his shot.
Sliema coach John Buttigieg knows all about growing a mentality and he will feel his side are on track to recovery after yesterday’s showing.
HAMRUN SPARTANS- 3
ST ANDREWS- 1
Hamrun S: D. Cassar, P. Chircop, C. Maldini, H. Garba (J.P. Mifsud Triganza), S. Raphael, L. Sciberras, M. Giusti (D. Falzon), L. Motta (S. Nanapere), J. Grech, M. Neto, M.A. Borg
St Andrews: J. Galea, M. Johnson, K. Kesinovic, B. Che (J. Walker), F. Udoh, E. Beltre, D. Camilleri (L. Grech), J. Farrugia, D. Brandle (R. Darmanin), Z. Kastrevic, I. Paz
Referee: E. Grech
Assst.refs:J. Spiteri, D. Castillo
4th official: P. Farrugia
Scorers: J. Farrugia 33 pen, M. Giusti 45, H. Garba 56, 60
Yellow cards: S. Raphael, M.A. Borg, D. Barndle, M. Neto
Player of the match: H. Garba (Hamrun S)
TMI top 3: 1. J. Grech 2. H. Garba 3. F. Udoh
Hamrun Spartans came from behind to beat St Andrews for their second league win that lifts them up the standings.
They went behind to a soft penalty past the half hour but simply brushed the deficit aside, recovered before halftime and went on to claim a handsome victory with two Haruna Garba goals after the restart. The Spartans now sit fifth in the table.
For St Andrews, their defence again proved their Achilles’ heel as they now have conceded 10 goals in four matches.
Both teams went into this fixture in some vein of good form. St Andrews had beaten Tarxien Rainbows, thanks to a Kyran Nwoko goal while Hamrun, although losing narrowly to Birkirkara, performed well.
Both sides trimmed their line-ups yesterday. Nwoko was one of three absentees for Jose Borg’s team. Bakmaz was suspended and Ryan Darmanin exiled to the bench. Bong Che, Ivan Paz and the returning Enmy Baltre’ started instead.
Hamrun’s coach Steve D’Amato gave a debut to Christian Maldini, son of the renowned former Milan defender Paolo. Mark Anthony Borg returned in defence as Nanapere and Glenn Azzopardi made way.
The first half was evenly balanced. Hamrun, looking less sharp at shooting, provided the first real chance after almost half an hour with a Grech corner from the left and Garbi’s overhead kick forced Saints keeper Jake Galea into a difficult save.
However, St Andrews, a side more interested in damage limitation, took the lead on 32 minutes. From a Paz corner, the referee saw some infringement as Udoh was pulled down inside the Hamrun area and awarded St Andrews a penalty which captain Joseph Farrugia tucked away.
The Saints could have doubled their lead four minutes later after trying to stretch Hamrun’s two centre backs Neto and Raphael. Kastrevec was put clear by Paz through the middle but Hamrun keeper Cassar somehow blocked his shot into a corner with his body.
But Hamrun managed to draw level on the stroke of halftime. Massimiliano Giusti hit Garba’s cross from the left first time to beat keeper Galea at the far post.
The Spartans hit two goals in quick succession, early in the second half to turn round 3-1 in front, a scoreline that little in the previous 45 minutes had suggested.
On 56 minutes Maldini played a long ball for Grech to head towards Haruna Garbi and the Hamrun striker beat keeper Galea with a clinical finish. Hardly four minutes later, Grech again provided the assist for Haruna Garba to advance past two opponents and hit past the helpless Saints’ custodian.
That two-goal lead put the Spartans firmly in control as St Andrews faced an uphill task to recover.
To be fair there were instances when the Saints could have reduced the arrears after going behind. When Udoh breezed into the Hamrun area,his effort was repelled by keeper Cassar. A cross shot by the same player clipped the bar on 73 minutes as the keeper saved on the ground and two minutes later, from an Udoh low cross Kastrevec had his shot blocked by the alert Hamrun shot stopper.
Photos Domenic Aquilina