Sliema W. 0

Valletta 2

Sliema W: H. Bonello, A. sMuscat, N. Bogadonovic, R. Grech, T. Cilia, R. Fenech, R. Galabov (J. Mifsud), J. Ani, E. Lattes, C. Frendo (A. Caligari), B. Muscat (A. Decesare)

Valletta: A. Hogg, J. Caruana, S. Borg, I. Azzopardi, G. Agius, D. Dos Santos (M. Jimenez), T. Scerri, O. Zongo (A. Cekulajevs)s, W. Barbosa, S. Panandetiguiri, R. Bajada

Referee: E. Azzopardi

Asst.refs: M. Debono, D. Sultana

4th official: C. Pisani

Scorers: A. Cekulajevs 65, W. Barbosa 90+

Yellow cards: S. Panandetiguiri, A. Hogg

Player of the match: Henry Bonello (Sliema W)

TMI top 3: 1. H. Bonello 2. D. Dos Santos 3. R. Galabov

Attendance: 1,986

Valletta made the best of Hibernians’ slip against Birkirkara in the previous match by beating Sliema Wanderers with two second half goals to open a three-point gap at the top of the Premier League standings this morning.

It was a victory for sheer expertise, persistency and individual technique for the champions who finally overcame Sliema’s resistance for more than an hour.

Time and again, the Valletta forwards were denied by Henry Bonello’s heroics in goal as Sliema threatened to again hold the champions for the third time this season.

Finally the Wanderers were undone by Cekulajevs’ goal, his fourth of the season, shortly after going in as a substitute, and another late Barbosa strike, after contriving to miss a first half penalty.

Both sides were depleted by injuries and suspensions. Sliema Wanderers were without the suspended Mark Scerri and Eyenga as well as the injured midfielder Daniel Mitev. Steve Bezzina and Clifford Gatt Baldacchino were named among the substitutes. Jeri Ani was their most advanced forward, but the Wanderers lacked the cutting edge up front as well as the inventive the like of Mitev normally provides. Ryan Fenech ran acres but was highly unproductive as Sliema looked careless in the final third.

On their part, Valletta had Edmond Agius, Roderick Briffa and Alfred Effiong serving suspensions. Terence Scerri and Gilbert Agius were given starts and that changed nothing tactically in the champions’ line-up, although the introduction of Cekulajevs provided more attacking options to help them win the game.

Valletta made the early running, but again relied heavily on individual flair. Zongo had the first glance at goal after nine minutes. Although harassed by Galabov, he managed to shoot narrowly wide of the far post.

Past the quarter hour, Panandetiguiri played the ball forward to Agius, whose shot was tipped over into a corner by the alert keeper Bonello.

Sliema’s response came from a Galabov header blocked into a corner and an Alex Muscat shot over the bar.

On the half hour, Scerri was blocked by the Sliema keeper inside the area and with halftime looming, Valletta won a soft penalty when Zongo was pulled by Galabov as he entered the area from the right and the referee’s assistant flagged the infringement.

Bonello however guessed right and dived full stretch to his right to keep out Barbosa’s penalty kick.

Soon after the resumption, Cilia ran through the middle from a dubious offside position. Hogg rushed off his area to clear in a rather dangerous manner but the referee showed leniency.

Valletta threatened past the hour when Scerri found the ball at his feet inside the Sliema area but was twice thwarted by Bonello.

But a defensive lapse on 65 minutes allowed Valletta to break the deadlock. Bogdanovic lost possession on the left, Denni advanced unhindered but his diagonal shot was held out by the outstretched Sliema keeper, only as far as Aleksandr Cekulajevs, who knocked the ball in only four minutes after taking the field as Zongo’s substitute.

Sliema were further hampered by Galabov’s injury in the process and were forced to put in Josef Mifsud.

Valletta could hold on to their lead with minimal difficulty as Sliema looked resigned to their fate and in added time they doubled their lead. William Barbosa played a deft one-two with Agius before blasting in from inside the Sliema area.