The Blues registered a sixth win in a row and are now in second place on 33 points from 12 games. They totally dominated the first period creating more scoring chances than their opponents. Sliema started straight on the offensive.
Miguel Ciantar put Valerio Mottola through on the left flank, his cross was cleared to a corner and Stripes keeper Mark Briffa saved a header by Godfrey Enyi Onyebuchi. Giuseppe Muscat put Mottola through whose shot was cleared to a corner and from Ciantar’s flagkick Briffa had to fist the ball away. A cross by Ryan Borg was partially cleared and Karl Saliba missed the bar by inches with a strong first-timer. Ciantar put Mottola through but Briffa foiled him with a timely sortie. A Mottola cross found no takers and Briffa saved on Ciantar after beating two defenders.
In Birkirkara’s only action in the first period, Iro Curmi put Berton Catania through a defender cleared the ball to corner and from Clint Zammit’s flagkick, which was partially cleared Sliema keeper Michael Incorvaja saved a first timer by Alan Attard.
Five minutes before half-time Sliema deservedly opened the score through Ryan Borg after a Mottola perfect cross.
The second half was a balanced affair with both teams having their good moments. A free-kick by Clint Zammit was turned to a corner by Incorvaja, at the other end, from a Ryan Borg flagkick the ball was partially cleared, Briffa partially saved a first timer by Jean P. Debono and Ryan Borg shot out from the rebound.
Iro Curmi was fouled by Ryan Borg and from the free-kick by the same player the ball hit the defensive barrier. On 55 minutes the woodwork denied Birkirkara the equaliser when the ball thumped against the crossbar from a 40 metre free-kick by Mark Debono and Iro Curmi hit the rebound over the bar. Later Incorvaja foiled Thomas Camilleri with a timely sortie after a Shaelon Sammut through ball.
Eight minutes before time Sliema scored their second goal when Mottola was put through on the left flank and after out-speeding a defender he entered the area and scored with a low shot.
Referee: Matthew Vella
Player of the match: Miguel Ciantar (Sliema W)
APS Bank U/14 Section C
Lija-Iklin 0
St George’s 0
A very keen and action-packed game played in the best of sporting spirits. Young referee Philip Farrugia maintained a good control of the proceedings.
Lija-Iklin created the first actions. Joseph Pace served Mario Bugeja with a through ball, but a Saints’ defender cleared the latter’s shot to a corner and Pace put Ryan Muscat through but Saints’ keeper Josef Tyler foiled him with a timely sortie.
St George’s reacted, Victor Bovett served Jurgen Cassar with a long throw-in and Lija-Iklin goalie Joseph Farrugia saved this shot from outside the area.
Ian Brignone put Kersey Ferriggi through and Farrugia neutralised his cross and Cassar crossed to Birgnone who drove out from inside the area.
A cross by Pace was partially cleared and the bound shot by David Attard missed the Saints’ upright, and Brignone did likewise at the other end. After a Cassar cross was also partially cleared,from a Bouvett through ball to Brignone, Farrugia neutralised the latter’s cross.
The final two actions before halftime came from Lija-Iklin. David Attard crossed to Anthony Agius and Tyler saved his shot and from a Jake Mangani through ball to Mario Bugeja a defender cleared his shot to a corner.
Lija-Iklin enjoyed the lion’s shame of exchanges after restart.
Tyler saved in two attempts a freekick shot by Luke Micallef and also saved another free-kick by David Attard after Ryan Muscat was foiled outside the area. Mangani then put Bugeja through and Tyler saved his shot in two attempts, Muscat missed the upright after an Attard cross.
A cross by Muscat was partially cleared and Tyler sewed in two attempts a shot by Bugeja.
In St George’s only attack, Farrugia saved on Jurgen Cassar after beating a defender and in a final action by Lija-Iklin, David Attard crossed to Anthony Agius, whose shot missed the upright.
Referee:Philip Farrugia
Player of the match: Jurgen Cassar (St George’s)