Sliema W 3

Qormi 3

Qormi took another point that keeps them on track for a top-six finish as the First Round draws to an end. They shared six goals with Sliema Wanderers in a topsy-turvy match. Twice Qormi were in front. Twice they were caught out by Sliema, who also forged ahead past the hour, before Qormi finally levelled matters.

Joseph Farrugia did all the damage to Sliema’s rearguard as he converted an early penalty and then provided the chance for Nwoke from his free kick which hit the bar, himself to equalise with another direct free kick, underlining Sliema’s vulnerability when defending set pieces.

This draw leaves the Wanderers winless in five matches, from which they have only collected three points.

Jeffrey Chetcuti was suspended for Qormi and Steve Wellman played in front of the defence instead.

Sliema showed more endeavour in the opening minutes with Lima twice missing the target on assists by Silva.

Qormi, as usual, relied on the speed and strength of their forward trio Pereira, Bello-Osagie and Nwoke, who kept the Sliema defence often looking uncomfortable.

When Scicluna raked his cross inside the Sliema area after 12 minutes, Galabov was adjudged by assistant Debono to have handled the ball as he was challenged by the advancing Pereira to concede a penalty. Joseph Farrugia put Qormi in front from the spot kick.

Three minutes later, Pereira’s shot again hit Galabov’s hands inside the area but the referee judged it to be unintentional.

Sliema drew level on 22 minutes through Daniel Mitev, who until then had been excluded from the action, playing wide on the right. The Bulgarian, who moved towards the middle, picked Lima’s pass on the edge of the area, steadied himself and and unleashed an exquisite left foot shot that left keeper Farrugia rooted to his line.

Two minutes later Qormi should have regained the lead but Bello-Osagie skied the ball from a promising position in front of the Sliema goal on a Wellman long pass.

Sliema themselves could have gone in front past the half hour. Lima played one-two with Silva before shooting against the foot of the post, with keeper Farrugia beaten.

On the other end, keeper Curmi produced a smart save, turning Bello-Osagie’s powerful drive into a corner.

Qormi again took the lead four minutes into the second half, albeit in a rather fortuitous manner. Joseph Farrugia whipped a long free kick from the left that thumped against the bar, fell in front of Daniel Nwoke who easily knocked it over the line.

But Sliema, to their credit, refused to roll down and die. Three minutes short of the hour, Jackson Lima took the ball in his stride, moved towards the middle and let fly an unstoppable shot from the edge of the area to restore equilibrium.

The Wanderers also managed to take the lead for the first time in the match on 63 minutes. Rumen Galabov headed his side in front from a Mitev corner from the right.

Two minutes later, from another Mitev corner, Silva headed the ball against the upright. Keeper Farrugia pushed out Silva’s low diagonal drive. That heralded Sliema’s best patch in the match.

They allowed themselves to be caught out by Qormi though as they collapsed to concede another goal from a dead ball situation on 68 minutes, with Joseph Farrugia’s perfectly executed free kick from the edge of the area at the top left hand corner.

Qormi could have also won the match in the late stages. From a Bartolo corner, the ball was missed by the entire Sliema defence but Nwoke incredibly shot out from half a metre out.

Qormi also ended up in ten men when Joseph Farrugia was stretchered off after they had effected all three substitutions but that had no bearing on the final outcome.

Sliema W A. Curmi, A. Muscat (C. Gatt Baldacchino), J. Mifsud, M. Scerri(T. Thomas), D. Mitev, S. Bezzina, J. Lima, R. Galabov, R. Bajada, J. Silva, C. Frendo (B. Muscat)

Coach D. Doncic

Qormi M. Farrugia, R. Sammut, M. Bartolo, J. Farrugia, K. Scicluna, F. Mirarchi (L. Sciberras), J. Bondin, J. Pereira, S. Wellman (D. Cachia), A. Bello-Osagie, D. Nwoke (Jos. Chetcuti)

Coach S. Azzopardi

Referee A.M. Sant

Asst refs M. Debono, S. Attard

4th official K. Azzopardi

Scorers J. Farrugia 12 pen, 68, D. Mitev 22, D. Nwoke 49, J. Lima 57, R. Galabov 63

Yellow cards J. Mifsud, R. Galabov, A. Bello-Osagie, C. Gatt Baldacchino, J. Pereira

Player of the match Joseph Farrugia (Qomi)

TMI top 3 1. J. Farrugia 2. J. Lima 3. A. Bello-Osagie