Mosta-Vittoriosa 2-0

Mosta: O. Borg, M. Micallef, T. Farrugia, K. Farrugia, A. Cini, R. Grech, L. Duriska (B. Agius), R. Silva Faria, B. Kaljevic, J. Ekani (C. Fernandes), D. Pereira (J. Brincat)

Vittoriosa: J. Vella, M. Buttigieg, L. Vella Critien (C. Spiteri), A. Spiteri (F. Aguiar), M. Teruel, R. Dos Santos, M. Pereira, G. Martin (Siraj Arab), M. Camilleri, O. Guerrero, Samir Arab

Referee: M. Apap

Asst.refs: W. Debattista, P. Apap

4th official:. C. Pisani

Scorers: C. Fernandes 77, B. Kaljevic 86 pen

Yellow cards: L. Dursika, C. Spiteri

Player of the match: D. Pereira (Mosta)

TMI top three: 1. Ricardhino  2. M. Micallef  3. R. Dos Santos

Following defeat in their first match, a much revamped Mosta side claimed its first victory yesterday in a one-sided match that they almost dominated from start to finish.

Mosta were streets ahead of  Vittoriosa Stars, only a pale shadow of the team that drew with Balzan in the opening match, but almost paid a price for showing some lack of accuracy and suffering ill luck. Suffice to say they were three times denied by the woodwork.

They left it late though to secure the points with a goal from substitute Cristian Fernandes and a penalty by Montenegrin Bojan Kaljevic.

Mosta had three new foreigners in their starting line-up and they showed considerable improvement from their previous outing against Valletta, dropping Fernandes to the bench, and omitting Arrigada and the suspended Sunny Boy Toe.

Brazilian Ricardo Silva Faria, known as Ricardhino, gave his side a boost with his distribution in midfield and Jonas Ekani from Cameroon showed some good technique and plenty of agility.

The third, Brazilian Diego Pereira sperheaded the attack and before the game was a quarter hour old, he had already been denied twice by the woodwork as Mosta threatened to take the lead in the opening stages. Fortunately for Vittoriosa, he is not one of the most clinical finishers. When he advanced inside the Stars’ area from the left after 21 minutes, he was blocked by keeper Vella. On 36 minutes Pereira should have done better. Put clear inside the area after picking Ekani’s pass, he wastefully missed the target.

Vittoriosa were not as lucid as in their first match against Balzan. With Adam Spiteri starting instead of Beu and keeper Jean Vella replacing Cini in goal, they only showed up with a Ramon Dos Santos headed effort, saved into a corner by keeper Borg.

Marcelo Pereira and Gilbert Martin were finding it difficult to make inroads against Mosta’s organised defence, made up completely of locals and keeper Omar Borg had a quiet afternoon.

Definitely second best to their opponents in the first half, Vittoriosa had what looked like a legitimate claim for a penalty turned down shortly before the break when Mosta’s  defender Kane Farrugia looked to have handled the ball inside the area.

That Vittoriosa were flirting with danger was clear when five minutes into the second half a sailing effort by Ricardhino rebounded off the crossbar for the third time in the match. The loose ball fell to Ekani who was blocked in front of goal.

The introduction of Felipe Aguiar for Adam Spiteri towards the hour, gave Vittoriosa some much needed impetus. Immediately he tested keeper Borg with a long range shot, forcing him to turn into a corner at full stretch.

But Vittoriosa’s  recovery was cut short as Mosta hit them with two late goals in the last 13 minutes.

On 77 minutes substitute Cristian Fernandes exploited space and advanced through the middle to beat keeper Vella with a low drive.

The same Fernandes was felled by Vittoriosa’s defender Clive Spiteri ten minutes later, as he ran inside the area with alarming ease. Bojan Kaljevic stepped up to score and seal a deserved victory for Mosta.