Sliema W. 0
Valletta 1
Sliema W: G. Zammit, S. Bianciardi, M. Muchardi (E. Agius), F. Temile, P. Xuereb, J. De Assis, R. Correa, M. Scerri, L. Motta (R. Spiteri), A. Muscat (J. Mintoff), N. Gavric
Valletta: H. Bonello, R. Camilleri, J. Cruz, S. Malano, M. Mifsud (K. Nwoko), M. Piciollo, U. Uchenna, J. Zerafa, R. Saleh, C. Pani (J. Borg), N. Asceric (M. Piciollo)
Referee: F. Zammit
Asst.refs: L. Portelli, A. Camilleri
4th official: M. Degabriele
Scorers: N. Asceric 14
Yellow cards: C. Pani, F. Temile, S. Biancardi, M. Scerri
Player of the match: M. Mifsud (Valletta)
TMI top 3: 1. M. Mifsud 2. M. Scerri 3. R. Saleh
Attendance: 815
An efficient, rather than convincing, Valletta side edged past Sliema Wanderers with a Nikola Asceric goal on the quarter hour yesterday to keep the pace with leaders Gzira United, two points behind them in the standings.
Throughout the game, there was not actually a great deal between the two teams. Yet Asceric's goal finally made the difference in a game of few clear chances.
Sliema fizzled out after an effervescent first half and an equaliser would not have been implausible at that stage. In the second half they failed to bother keeper Bonello as they lacked the necessary firepower.
Valletta were anything but pretty at times, but all it matters now is that they keep grinding up victories, staying tight at the back.
This fourth clean sheet means Valletta have yet to concede a goal in the Premier League in this campaign while Sliema have now failed to score in two consecutive matches.
The Wanderers had Glenn Zammit replacing Sarao in goal, with Leonardo Motta starting in midfield and Frank Temile partnering Jefferson De Assis in attack. Ryan Spiteri and Gabriel Aquilina were dropped to the bench.
Valletta were an unchanged side.
Both teams had played goalless draws the previous week, Sliema against Balzan and Valletta against Naxxar Lions.
So both sides went into the match fired up yesterday, although it had been tight and tactical at the outset. Xuereb, Scerri, Muchardi and Motta worked hard in the Sliema midfield to prevent their opponents building from the back. Valletta always relied on the speed of Michael Mifsud on the flanks for invention.
De Assis' headed goal was disallowed for Sliema in the opening minutes. Valletta changed the complexion with the breakthrough short of the quarter hour. It came out of nothing but this is the sort of thing that can happen when Mifsud is on the field. A burst of acceleration was all he needed. His cross from the byeline on the right was deflected by the Sliema defence towards the standing Nicola Asceric who knocked the ball in from close range.
However the goal failed to repress Sliema's determination. A Correa free kick was palmed out by keeper Bonello and on 22 minutes De Assis dragged the ball low narrowly off target.
A lull in proceedings followed and five minutes before the break, Sliema were forced to replace their injured captain Muscat with John Mintoff.
Sliema lost most of their early gloss in the second half and Valletta could do most of the pressing and passing without creating clear openings. A Saleh cross shot was pushed out by the Sliema keeper on the hour and the same Valletta midfileder had an effort going slightly over five minutes later.
But that made little difference as the Citizens ran out worthy winners at the end.
Pointless Tarxien feeling the strain after defeat by Mosta
Mosta 3
Tarxien R. 1
Mosta: A. Vella, L. Ferreira, T. Farrugia, T. Veronese, I. Maric, D. Nworah, Z. Brincat, D. Xuereb, E. Zarate (J. Grech), C. Fernandes (N. Frendo), G. Blessing (K. Frendo)
Tarxien R: C. Cassar, A. Scicluna, A. Azzopardi (A. Agius), J. Brincat, L. Grech, R. Darmanin, R. Faria, S. Cipriott (A. Benes), G. McKay (M. Spiteri), E. Baker, E. Calin
Referee: S. Pace
Asst.refs: E. Spiteri, T. Debono
4th official: D. Agius
Scorers: G. Blessing 48, R. Darmanin 53, L. Ferreira 58, C. Fernandes 60
Yellow cards: T. Veronese, A. Scicluna
Player of the match: T. Veronese (Mosta)
TMI top 3: 1. T. Veronese 2. E. Zarate 3. R. Faria
Tarxien's troubles worsened when they were heavily beaten by Mosta at Ta'Qali yesterday afternoon. It was their fourth league defeat in a row and must have left their coach Jose' Borg deeply frustrated as the team remains pointless, hooked at the bottom of the standings.
The Rainbows' failure to finish off their chances proved to be again their Achilles' heel.
Mosta only turned up the heat during a 15-minute spell after the interval, scoring all three goals as their fluid front three of Blessing, Ferreira and Fernandes caused the Tarxien defence trouble throughout. But Thomas Veronese played a big part, being influential in all of his side's goals.
Both teams went into this match at the back of defeats. Mosta were beaten by Birkirkara while Tarxien went down against current leaders Gzira United.
With Kurt Magro suspended and Ekani omitted from the squad, Mosta coach Johann Scicluna made two switches from the previous week, giving starts to Zach Brincat and robust forward Godwin Blessing.
Tarxien freshened up their starting line-up with the inclusion of Ayrton Azzopardi, Ebiabowei Baker and Eduard Calin, after all missing the previous match.
Mosta were made to look ordinary during a first half when Tarxien's two compact banks of four made them struggle to move the ball quickly enough and find spaces.
The Rainbows should have got off the mark midway through the first half when James Brincat found space, advanced inside the Mosta area but keeper Vella smartly turned his shot into a corner.
Although Mosta played the better football, they offered next to nothing going forward in the first half, bar a 33-minute glimmer when Blessing, leading the line with maturity, turned dangerously inside the Tarxien area but his low shot was saved by keeper Cassar.
The teams emerged for the second half with a brisker pace and by the hour, the game had produced four goals already.
Mosta were the first to break the duck three minutes after the restart as Tarxien failed to clear Veronese's cross and as the ball fell to Godwin Blessing, he hit it low past keeper Cassar.
Faria was twice twice denied by the Mosta keeper with his efforts from inside the area before Tarxien levelled matters on 53 minutes. Ryan Darmanin chased a long ball inside the Mosta area and volleyed it past the helpless keeper.
But Mosta restored their lead five minutes later. On a Veronese cross Leonardo Ferreira first header was held out by keeper Cassar, only to hit in the rebound from close range.
Mosta increased their lead on the hour mark. The Tarxien defence was again caught in disarray on a Veronese corner and as a defender headed against his own post, Christian Fernandes was quick to finish off from close range.
Tarxien failed to pull themselves back into the game, when twice denied by the woodwork. On 66 minutes Faria hit his shot against the post on a Calin cross and, towards the end, substitute Spiteri thumped his effort against the bar from a promising position after keeper Vella had only parried his first shot.