Sliema Wanderers 0

Mosta. 2

Sliema W: H. Bonello, A. Muscat, C. Gatt Baldacchino, J. Mifsud, A. Decesare (J. Mintoff), P. Barbetti, A. Faccini, M. Scerri, M. Muchardi (I. Woods), O. El Ghaouti, M. Ciantar

Mosta: J. Haber, F. Apap, B. Agius, M. Micallef, L. Dimech, R. Grech, D. Mitev (O. Chiemeka), C. Campagnoli, O. Zongo (J. Bajada), D. Bogdanovic, O. Obiefule (F. Aboulezz)

Referee: M. Borg

Asst.refs: I. Spiteri, M. Scerri

4th official: A.M. Sant

Scorers: O. Obiefule 13, 89

Yellow cards: M. Muchardi, R. Grech, B. Agius

Red card: R. Grech

Player of the match: D. Bogdanovic (Mosta)

TMI top 3: 1. O. Zongo 2. D. Bogdanov 3. M. Muchardi

Attendance: 915

Obinne Obiefule was Mosta’s hero yesterday as he scored a brace to give his side the first league win this season. Obiefule could have even got a hat-trick were it not for his profligacy in front of the Sliema goal.

Mosta

The Wanderers were unable to make a decent reaction after falling behind to an early goal with an opaque performance as they remain an unsettles side, coach Greco making changes to his line-up once again. Sliema even fell behind to Obiefule’s second goal in the dying minutes, despite enjoying numerical superiority for the last 25 minutes after Ryan Grech’s sending off.

The Wanderers had Italian wide player Alian Faccini making his debut, as Gonzalez was not named in their sqaud. Mark Scerri and Andrew Decesare were also making their first appearances for Sliema this season.

Mosta made three changes, dropping Steve Bezzina, Jonathan Bajada and Okafor and recalled Bryan Agius, Ryan Grech and Ousseni Zongo in their starting line-up.

Sliema played the more fluid football in the opening minutes and Mosta keeper Haber had to block a Sc erri incursion before the match was ten minutes old.

Mosta, looking more lively yesterday, breached Sliema’s rearguard, again without Branislav Timotic, after only 13 minutes. Obinne Obiefule ran in well to head Bogdanovic’s cross from teh right past the helpless keeper Bonello.

The goal demanded an immediate response from the Wanderers. Muchardi found space aftert a good run but put his shot narrowly off target. On 19 minutes Faccini should have done better. When well served inside the Mosta area, he shot on the keeper and the chance went to waste.

Five minutes before the break, Mosta almost doubled their lead in almost similar fashion. Bogdanovic again provided the cross from the right, but Obiefule failed to connect this time.

Sliema were still in the game in the second half as they substituted Decesare with John Mintoff for the second 45 minutes, although they struggled to find cohesion in their build-up play.

Mosta failed to capitalise though as Obiefule kept fluffing chances for Mosta as he ran through the middle from the left but messed up his final shot.

Mosta had tame efforts by Mitev and Bogdanovic missing the target as play became too chaotic.

Mosta somehow complicated matters when Ryan Grech was sent off on 65 minutes for a second caution.

Still Mosta remained the more dangerous with a transformed Bogdanovic sending a free kick narrowly wide.

Sliema keeper Bonello produced a smart save off Obiefule’s header but all the Wanderers’ hopes were dashed on the stroke of full time.

Obinne Obiefule demonstarted all his finishing skills as he raced towards goal, rounded keeper Bonello and slided the ball in to put Mosta’s minds at rest.