Marsaxlokk 0

Sliema W 2

Sliema Wanderers’ victory over understrength Marsaxlokk was both merited and expected but the Wanderers tended to complicate matters with their profligacy in front of goal.

A Daniel Mitev penalty midway through the first half gave them a slim lead. Trailing by that only goal until three minutes from normal time, the toothless Marsaxlokk were suddenly resurrected when gaining a late penalty. Skipper of the day Malcolm Licari, in the absence of the suspended Carlo Mamo, had the chance to snatch an equaliser that looked beyond them, but hit the bar and the chance went begging for miserable Marsaxlokk who succumbed to their third consecutive defeat.

Sliema should have taken the lead well before the 25-minute mark as their striker Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza missed three glaring chances in the first quarter hour.

After only seven minutes the Sliema forward should have capitalized on an erratic back pass, but clear in front of goal, was thwarted by keeper Cassar, saving into a corner.

Five minutes later, Mifsud Triganza spurned an even better chance as he came face to face with the Marsaxlokk keeper, put him off balance but then had his goalbound effort deflected into a corner by the grounded shot stopper.

And when Lima was blocked by the Marsaxlokk defenders inside the area, Mifsud Triganza put his shot on the turn narrowly wide.

On 20 minutes, Mitev tested keeper Cassar who again turned his powerful drive into a corner.

For all their initial superiority, Sliema had to rely on a penalty to take a slim lead by halftime. On 25 minutes Sacha Borg felled Beppe Muscat to concede the penalty, which Daniel Mitev tucked away.

The Wanderers continued to dominate but failed to increase their lead because they kept squandering chances galore.

Lima’s grounder was saved by keeper Cassar and on 40 minutes, Bajada played an inviting through pass to Mifsud Triganza who again shot over. And in added time, Silva played one-two with Mitev ran inside the Marsaxlokk area but shot over.

Marsaxlokk put in for Dylan Kokavessis but the pattern of the game did not change in the second half.

Sliema had efforts by Silva and Bajada missing the target before the latter’s low cross from the left was missed by all and sundry, the ball falling to Beppe Muscat whose counter cross was blocked into a corner.

Pinned inside their own half, Marsaxlokk were rarely allowed to venture into enemy territory but on 75 minutes the Sliema keeper Bonello was called to block Valeriani’s long range free kick.

A minute later Mitev ran down the right and crossed but Mifsud Triganza lofted the ball and was shortly substituted by Alex Muscat.

Sliema missed another good opportunity when Mitev ran down left but his powerful drive was providentially footed out by keeper Cassar.

Three minutes from time, the match almost took a dramatic twist. Marsaxlokk were suddenly handed a lifeline when awarded a strange penalty. A through ball towards Eboh hit the hands of the grounded Scerri inside the Sliema area and after harsh protests from the Wanderers, Malcolm Licari thumped his shot against the bar.

That gave Sliema some breathing space. Deep into three minutes of added time, Daniel Mitev pounced on a Marsaxlokk defensive slip on a through ball and with his run and finish, which had both composure and conviction, beat keeper Cassar for the second time in the match.

Marsaxlokk C. Cassar, M. Valeriani, P. Borg, C. Brincat, S. Borg, K. Polidano, S. Eboh, M. Licari, G. Caruana (D. Kokavessis), J.P. Farrugia, D. Grech (S. Cutajar)

Coach A. Cremona

Sliema W H. Bonello, J. Mifsud, J.P. Mifsud Triganza (A. Muscat), D. Mitev, S. Bezzina, J. Lima, R. Galabov, R. Bajada (R. Grech), J. Silva, C. Frendo (M. Scerri), B. Muscat

Coach D. Doncic

Referee K. Azzopardi

Asst.refs J. Camilleri, M. Scerri

4th official E. Azzopardi

Scorers D. Mitev 25 pen, 90+

Yellow cards R. Galabov, M. Scerri, J.P. Farrugia, H. Bonello

Player of the match Christian Cassar (Marsaxlokk)

TMI top 3 1. D. Mitev 2. C. Cassar 3. R. Bajada

Attendance 885