Pembroke Ath 1

Sliema W 3

Sliema were by far the much better outfit against lowly-placed Pembroke who are in penultimate position on only five points from 13 games while Sliema retained third placing on 28 points also from 13 games.

The game was only two minutes old when Sliema opened the score. Christian Mercieca served Mark A Scicluna with a through ball in the area and scored with a hard grounder past Pembroke keeper Andrea Camilleri.

In another action by Sliema, Romano Brignione served Kenneth Bonnici with a through pass in the area and Camilleri foiled him with a timely sortie as he dived at his feet and smothered the ball.

At the other end, Liam Saliba served Fausto Pellegrino with a through ball in the area and Sliema keeper Aidan Bartolo dived at his feet to avoid an awkward situation.

After a corner kick for Sliema by Scicluna, the ball was partly cleared and Camilleri had to dive and save the rebound by the same player.

From another flag kick from the left flank by Friggieri the ball whizzed past the far post and finished out.

In a Pembroke attack, Glenn Gregory served Nikolai Agius with a through ball outside the area and Camilleri had to come out of his charge to kick the ball away. He was injured in the action but resumed play after being attended by the nurse on duty.

Pembroke equalised two minutes before the break. Courage Dmoruanzoje was fouled well outside the area and, from Clayton Sammut’s free kick, Dmoruanzoje scored with a low shot.

In the first action after the resumption, Friggieri was fouled on the left flank and Camilleri saved the free kick by the same player.

In a Pembroke action, Zack Zammit served Salah Dwah in the area and Bartolo foiled him with a timely sortie.

Sliema kept pressing. Scicluna dribbled past two opponents on the left flank and Camilleri saved his shot from the edge of the area in two attempts. The same player was then fouled on the left flank and Camilleri saved the free kick by Friggieri.

In the 50th minute, Sliema restored their slender lead when Friggieri dribbled past an opponent on the left flank and, after the ball was partly cleared from his cross, Ahmed Jaleddi scored with a hard drive from outside the area.

Pembroke kept trying. Luke Aaromi served Dmoruanzoje with a cross from the right and he missed the upright with a header from inside the area.

In the 65th minute Mercieca committed the miss-of-the-match as he drove out from inside the area with only Camilleri to beat after a Scicluna perfect through ball.

Three minutes later Pembroke came close to an equaliser when Dmoruanzoje dribbled past an opponent outside the area and Bartolo had to dive and save the ball to a corner.

Eight minutes before the end Sliema put the issue beyond any doubt when Iousef Meli served Mercieca with a through ball who entered the area after beating an opponent and scored with a diagonal hard grounder. 

Referee: Joe Camilleri

Player of the match: Aidan J. Friggieri (Sliema W)