Mosta 5

Marsaxlokk 0

Mosta did what was expected of them yesterday as they beat bottom placed Marsaxlokk to earn three valuable points in the fight against relegation.

The win enabled them to open a three-point lead over Mqabba who were to play Qormi in the second match.

It was a richly deserved win for the Mosta side which dominated from start to finish as Marsaxlokk were never able to threaten the Mosta post. In a few words, it was just one-way traffic for most of the time.

Mosta’s hero was league top scorer Obinna Obiefule. He scored four of the goals and has now reached the 31 goal mark.

In the first half, Mosta were, without doubt, the better outfit and they should have wrapped up the issue by the interval whistle. In fact, they had enough chances to increase their tally, but somehow or other, they did not score again and they had to be content with a slender one-goal lead.

Mosta opened the scoring on the 20th minute. Aboulezz set Obiefule who went past Patrick Borg to beat Cassar with a low, angled shot.

Mosta again went close on the 34th minute as Cassar denied Jonathan Bajada, turning the shot to a corner in style.

Marsaxlokk were very poor as they conceded the initiative to their opponents from the start. They rarely ventured forward: suffice to say that they only had one decent effort by the 85th minute. It was only in the final moments that JP Farrugia went close on two occasions.

The southern seasiders never produced the expected reaction in the second half and Mosta made sure of the points with a three-goal burst in six minutes between the 47th and 53rd minutes.

Mosta added a second goal on the 47th minute. Zammit took a quick freekick to Obiefule and the latter went through unhindered to place the ball past a helpless Cassar.

Two minutes later, Obiefule obtained his hat-trick as he received another ball from Zammit to go round Cassar and place the ball into the untenanted net.

As Mosta’s pressure increased, it was Zammit who went close with a fine effort but on the 53rd minute, Obiefule again covered himself with glory as he sped past a M’Xlokk defender to hit past Cassar.

The Marsaxlokk goalie then blocked an Aboulezz grounder before Bajada hit the crossbar on 62 minutes.

After that the match had no further story with the Blues adding a fifth for good measure 16 minutes from the end. Off a cross by Bryan Agius, it was Zammit who gave Cassar no chance with a semi-rovesciata.

M’Xlokk’s first and only effort till then arrived on the 68th minute – a long distance shot saved with some difficulty by Debono.

Near the end, Marsxlokk’s Farrugia twice went close to scoring a consolation goal. His first effort was saved on the line by substitute Vassallo. Then he had a shot saved by the diving Debono.

Mosta: J. Debono, B. Agius, K. Farrugia (L. Martinelli), F. Tisbi, Y. Ossok, F. Raimy, A. Cini, J. Bajada, O. Obiefule (P. Vassallo), F. Aboulezz (S. Grech), I. Zammit.

Coach: S. D’Amato.

Marsaxlokk: C. Cassar, C. Brincat, P. Borg, J. Brincat (J. Xerri), D. Sammut, T. Templeman, D. Attard, S. Eboh, JP Farrugia, M. Valeriani, AC Pedrozo.

Coach: A. Cremona.

Referee: P. Caruana

Asst refs: I. Spiteri, M. Debono

4th official: G. Tonna

Scorers: O. Obiefule 20, 47, 49, 53, I. Zammit 74,

Player of the match: O. Obiefule (Mosta)

TMI Top 3: 1. O. Obiefule; 2. I. Zammit, 3. F. Raimy.