Sliema W             3

Balzan   2

Sliema W: J. Abela,  A. Muscat, P. Barbetti, J. Mintoff, I. Zammit (M. Ciantar), I. Woods, L. Ruggiero (S.Ohawuchi), S. Bajada (B. Muscat), M. Muchardi,  J. Mifsud, S. Bianciardi

Balzan: D. Martinez, J. Borg, S. Giglio, A. Agius (G. Micallef), Y. Camilleri, C. Caruana (J. Francica),  M. Mendy, J. Pace, R. Aboulezz,  E. Da Silva, R. Darmanin

Referee:  P. Caruana

Asst.refs:  M. Scerri, R. Vella

4th official: C. Pisani

Scorers: M. Muchardi 47, S. Ohawuchi 48, R. Darmanin 51, A. Muscat 56, E. Da Silva 79

Yellow cards: E. Da Silva, M. Muchardi, A. Agius, J. Mintoff, S. Ohawuchi, F. Aboulezz, J. Mifsud, J. Francica

Player of the match: M. Muchardi (Sliema W)

TMI top 3:  1. A. Muscat  2. M. Muchardi  3. E. Da Silva

Attendance: 305

 

Sliema Wanderers had thge better of Balzan to end the Premier League’s first phase in some vein of good form. They catch up with Tarxien Rainbows in fourth place and keep within touching distance of the leading pack when points are halved.

For most of a mundane first half, Sliema were the better, more cohesive team.

The second half produced all five goals and the few thrills of a low key match that indicated to only one outcome.

Balzan were hit by two goals in quick succession in the opening minutes of the second half and were unable to recover although they twice reduced the arrears. The Wanderers were not so naive to let their advantage slip away as they made amends for the defeat suffered against same opponents in the first round.

Sliema Wanderers deserved to win on the balance of play as Balzan, looking only a pale shadow of the side that held Valletta to a draw last week, yesterday failed to bridge the gap in technique between the two teams.

Injuries and suspensions deprived Sliema of some regulars like Luca Martinelli, Mark Scerri and Clifford Gatt Baldacchino. Luigi Ruggiero and  Stefano Bianciardi returned from suspension as the Wanderers gave a debut start to their new goalkeeper from Mellieha James Abela.

Balzan were also an understrength side, without the suspended Dylan Grima and Renato Conceicao, the injured Elie Moises, Pedro Calcado  and Rene Forace. Yessous Camilleri and Matthew Mendy made their return. Balzan’s coach Ivan Zammit was also absent from the bench due to suspension.

There were half chances from both sides during an uneventful first half.

Sliema’s new keeper was the first to be tested with a Caruana shot and towards the quarter hour, the energetic Ruggiero took the ball in his stride, cut towards the middle but shot wide.

An Aboulezz cross shot from the right was palmed out by the Sliema shot stopper. On the other end keeper Martinez rushed off his line to block Ruggiero, put clear by Zammit. Sliema again created danger on 39 minutes with a Ruggiero testing cross on which Zammit arrived without co ordination at the far end.

The boring stalemate was broken early after the restart, as Sliema opened the second period on the front foot and scored twice in quick succession to open a two-goal lead.

On 47 minutes Matias Muchardi was allowed space inside the Balzan area as he hooked Muscat’s pass and turned well to shoot past the helpless Balzan keeper.

Hardly a minute later, Zammit put substitute Stanley Ohawuchi through and the the Nigerian forward beat keeper Martinez after going past Mendy.

The goals demanded an immediate response from Balzan who, to their credit, were not demorilised. Pace won possession in midfiled and served Darmanin who put his effort off target.

Darmanin was more accurate on 51 minutes as he beat the Sliema keeper with a low drive at the near post after going inside the area.

But Sliema took only five minutes to restore their two-goal lead. Alex Muscat exposed more vulnerability in the Balzan defence as he controlled the ball well and scored with a powerful shot that rendered keeper Martinez helpless.

Sliema tried to hold their grip on the match and the points. They introduced Miguel Ciantar for Mintoff on the hour but failed to add further goals. Balzan pulled one back on 79 minutes when they belatedly found some heart and aggression. Their best player, Elton Da Silva persisted inside the area when well served by Agius to beat Abela and reduce the deficit.

Some apprehension might have crept in as Sliema were forced to cling on  for the remainder of the match, even if they had two late sniffs that could have put their minds at rest. Ohawuchi arrived fractionally late on Ciantar’s cross after good work by Muchardi and with four minutes remaining, Woods fired a Biancardi’s short free kick over from a distance.