Rabat A. 0

Qormi 1

Rabat A: S. Mintoff, G. Gesualdi (C. Muscat), C. Schembri, I. Carapic, H. Backhaus (J. Caruana), N. Astrauskas, A. Smeir, M. Fuster, D. Falzon, R. Micallef (J. Felice), Y. Cauchi

Qormi: M. Farrugia, K. Thackray, R. Sammut, M. Bartolo, J. Chetcuti (C. Farrugia), A. Bello-Osagie, L. Sciberras, M. Gauci, G. Buttigieg (S. Wellman), J. Bondin, L. Grech (A. Cassar)

Referee: P. Caruana

Asst.refs: M. Debono, R. Vella

4th official: A. Azzopardi

Scorers: J. Chetcuti 19,

Yellow cards: L. Grech, M. Gauci, I. Carapic

Player of the match: Joseph Chetcuti (Qormi)

TMI top three: 1. J. Chetcuti 2. M. Bartolo 3. I. Carapic

SILVIO VELLA

Qormi set the ball rolling for the new 2012/2013 BOV Premier League season with a narrow win against newly promoted side Rabat Ajax.

The first league goal of the new season was scored by Joseph Chetcuti after 19 minutes play and was the only one in a low key match, but precious enough to give Qormi the points.

Qormi remained mostly an unchanged side from last season, with Bello-Osagie spearheading their attack and assisted by Joseph Chetcuti, in the absence of Brazilian Jorge Pereira who left for pastures abroad.

Their striking force may tend to suffer, although the inclusion of new signing Gaetan Spiteri, who was suspended yesterday, might give coach Stephen Azzopardi more offensive options. Qormi will be also bereft of their creative midfielder Joseph Farrugia, who joined St Andrew, and yesterday Luke Sciberras tried to fill that role, with some degree of success

Qormi also gave starts to their two new signings Matthew Gauci and Leighton Grech, the former as left back and the latter wide on the right. Combining well with Matthew Bartolo on the left, Grech caused most damage to the Rabat rearguard as they were mostly involved in all their build-ups.

Bartolo provided the cross from the left for Joseph Chetcuti to connect well and chip the ball over the Rabat keeper Mintoff, slightly off his line, hitting the ball via the underside of the bar from near the byeline.

Bartolo was also involved in his side’s other best opportunity just before the break when he ran in well for Bello-Osagie’s pass, reached before Schembri but lost his coordination with only the Rabat keeper to beat, and shot against the side netting.

Rabat, who are trying to adjust to life at the top flight, were completely bystanders in the first period and never really troubled the Qormi rearguard and only went close for the first time after an hour, with their faithful forward and skipper Adam Smeir shooting narrowly wide when finding some space inside the Qormi area.

Rabat, as expected, made some additions to their promoted side, mainly the four foreigners who were all included in the starting line-up. No doubt, they need time to settle in their new environment as both Lithuainian striker Astrauskas and Spanish midfielder Fulster were ignonimous. Montenegro cebtre back Ivan Carapic and German midfielder Heiner Backhaus look a better bet, solod and determined, although the latter was substituted upon the hour. Other newcomer Gaetano Gesualdi did not impress as left back and when Christian Muscat substituted him in the second half, Rabat operated with more fluidity on the flanks.

Having said that, however, Rabat still failed to be incisive enough in front of the Qormi goal and only threatened with tame efforts from Cauchi and Astrauskas, although the equaliser eluded them in added time. Substitute Felice, forced keeper Matthew Farrugia to tip his firm header over the bar and into a corner and before the final whistle, Smeir’s effort thumped against the bar, with the keeper beaten.

Qormi, although less dangerous in the second half, could have added further goals and closed the issue to avoid that heart-stopping finale, were it not for some individual overdoing from Bello-Osagie and lack of precision in front of the Rabat goal.

Grech failed to put his shot on target after a good incursion from the right soon after the restart and on 78 minutes, Thackray’s powerful freekick was repelled by keeper Mintoff, but Bello-Osagie’s effort on the rebound, was blocked by Carapic.