Sliema W. 2

Vittoriosa S. 0

Sliema W: V. Szentpeteri, M. Scerri (A. Spiteri), J.P. Mifsud Triganza, S. Bezzina, C. Gatt Baldacchino, J. Lima, O. Obiefule (J. Briffa), R. Bajada, J. Mintoff (J. Paris), B. Muscat, C. Failla

Vittoriosa S: J. Vella, C. Micallef, K. Sammut, R. Grech (J. Chetcuti), M. Brincat (A. Tabone), L. Edison, L. Lagana (L. Grech), J. Silva, A. Ewurum, J. Xerri, C. Compagnoli

Referee: F. Zammit Asst.refs: A. Camilleri, T. Debono 4th official: E. Azzopardi

Scorers: O. Obiefule 77, J. P. Mifsud Triganza 86

Yellow cards: L. Lagana, A. Tabone, C. Gatt Baldacchino

Player of the match: J. Lima (Sliema W)

TMI top 3: 1. J. Lima 2. R. Bajada 3. J. Silva

Sliema Wanderers and Vittoriosa Stars brought the curtain down on their Premier League season. Sliema’s win may be some remedy for the club’s disappointing season, having had to play in the Relegation Pool, which was surely unwarranted for them at the beginning.

The Wanderers have thus won all but one of their Relegation Pool matches, although yesterday’s success, courtesy of two late goals, against already relegated opponents so bereft of ambition, was quite predictable.

Vittoriosa dropped four players from their last match, namely Pierre Aquilina, Dino Cachia, Leighton Grech and the suspended Brazilian midfielder Maccari. Mauro Brincat, Clayton Micallef, Karl Sammut and Larry Lagana were given starts instead.

Without any more pressure, Vittoriosa tried to contain their opponents without exerting themselves too much.

Sliema Wanderers made only two changes from the side which beat Hibernians in the previous week. Henry Bonello, with back problems, made way for Viktor Szentpeteri in goal while the returning skipper Mark Scerri played instead of Lachkemi.

The Wanderers carved the better chances in a sterile first half, without anything tangible to play for.

They had an Obiefule goal disallowed for an offside on the quarter hour although the assistant looked hesitant at first before flagging the infringement.

On 20 minutes Lima’s shot, after good work by Mifsud Triganza, was saved by keeper Vella into a corner.

Bezzina failed to flick the ball beyond the Vittoriosa keeper on a Lima free kick and past the half hour Mifsud Triganza’s effort on a scissors kick, brought a smart save off keeper Vella.

Sliema held the initiative. When the Vittoriosa keeper failed to reach for a Failla cross, Sammut headed the ball into safety. A Lima shot was blocked by the keeper, before a rare Vittoriosa effort on the stroke of halftime, had Ewurum lofting the ball which was headed towards him by Edison.

The pattern of the game did not change in the second half. Sliema were more potent going forward but Vittoriosa, with Compagnoli and Xerri at the back, defended stoutly.

On 51 minutes, Lima found space but missed the target.

Past the hour, from a Mintoff corner, Lima had his header and Gatt Baldacchino his shot blocked by the Vittoriosa defence.

With Vittoriosa trying to venture more frequently into enemy territory, Ewurum fluffed a good Silva pass, playing the ball too long from a promising position on the right.

Sliema broke the deadlock on 77 minutes. Lima played the ball wide for the unmarked Obiefule to beat keeper Vella with a low diagonal strike.

Vittoriosa’s response came from an Edison personal effort, cutting through the middle before his shot forced keeper Szentpeteri to stretch himself and hold out his goalbound effort.

With four minutes remaining, Sliema scored their second as Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza capitalised on some hesitancy between the keeper and substitute Chetcuti in the Vittoriosa defence and shot in the loose ball.