Senglea Ath. 0
Mosta 2
Senglea Ath.: P. Schranz, D. Micallef, B. Muscat (D. Buckle), F. Salvati, L. Grech, S. Moccia (M. Guillari), A. Volpini, IB Gonzalez, EN Lahrach, K. Cutajar, M. Cisse (K. Xuereb)
Mosta: A. Vella, A. De Cerchio (K. Zammit), K.Hirose, K. Frendo (D. Xuereb), RA De Oliveira, M. Sammartino, M. Gomez (J. Brincat), T. Farrugia, Z. Brincat, R. Romeu, F. Mazzavillani
Referees: Jude Amin Utulu
Asst refs: D. Sultana, D. Spencer
4th official: P. Slobodan
Scorers: A. De Cerchio 8, M. Sammartino 45
Yellow cards: F. Salvati 19, B. Muscat 77
Red cards: EN Lahrach 85
Player of the match: K. Hirose
TMI Top 3: 1. K. Hirose, 2. A. De Cerchio, 3. A. Volpini
Mosta FC obtained their first points of the new season yesterday as they beat possible fellow relegation candidates Senglea 2-0 in convincing manner.
Alessio De Cerchio and Massimo Sammartino scored the goals in the first half.
It was a deserved victory for a superior Mosta side which could have won by a bigger margin had they taken all the chances which came their way.
Both teams were coming from defeats in their opening matches. Mosta lost 3-1 against St Andrews, while Senglea were beaten 1-0 by Qormi.
Both made some changes to the formations they used the previous weekend. Senglea had Salvatore Moccia, Alexis Volpini, Benac Gonzalez and Mahamadou Cisse making their debut, while Mosta introduced Alessio De Cerchio and Zachary Brincat.
The first half was quite balanced with Mosta, perhaps, showing the better ideas and having a slight edge in midfield where Hirose Kei never stopped running.
Senglea, who suffered an early goal, were too slow in their approach and apart from a single shot that hit the upright, they rarely troubled Mosta goalie Vella.
In the second half, despite several attempts, Senglea failed to get past a well drilled Mosta defence.
The Blues opened the scoring on the 8th minute with a long distance shot from Alessio De Cerchio that completely took goalie Schranz by surprise.
Senglea reacted and two minutes later, they went close to an equaliser when Salvati's shot from a freekick hit the post with the goalie beaten.
On 16 minutes, Mosta went close to scoring again when from a De Cerchio good cross, Tyrone Farrugia headed just over the bar from an ideal position.
On 26 minutes, Mosta protested for a penalty when the nippy Hirose fell on the ground when tackled by a Senglea defender, but referee Utulu, close to the action, ignored their pleas.
In the 35th minute, Mosta goalie Vella had to dive to save a shot by Volpini.
In first half added time, Mosta added a second goal when Hirose set De Oliveira and after the Senglea defence failed to clear, it was Massimo Sammartino who placed the ball at the back of the net.
Early in the second half, goalie Schranz denied Mosta a third goal as he blocked a close range effort from Hirose. Soon after, it was Gomez who went close with a fine dipper that hit the upright and went wide.
In the 63rd minute, Senglea replied with a good move between Lahrach and Leighton Grech ending with the latter's shot being saved by Vella in two attempts. Later Vella again denied Grech with a fine save after the latter was set by Guiillari.
Till the end, Mosta defended their lead calmly and were worthy winners at the final whistle.