Sliema W.-Valletta 0-3

Sliema W: H. Bonello, A. Muscat, J. Borg (I. Woods), J. Mintoff, M. Scerri, S. Ohawuchi, A. Bello-Osagie (P. Gueye), P. Barbetti, M. Muchardi, B. Muscat (C. Gatt Baldacchino), S. Bianciardi

Valletta: Y. Cini, J. Caruana, R. Fenech, E. Agius (D. Dos Santos), R. Briffa, R. Antoneli (J. Vandelannoite), H. Barry (I. Zammit), A. Nyang, S. Bajada, A. Nafti, L. Dimech

Referee: M. Apap

Asst.refs: W. Debattista, P. Apap

4th official: K. Azzopardi

Scorers: R. Fenech 4, A. Nafti 17, D. Dos Santos 75

Yellow cards: L. Dimech, J. Mintoff, A. Nafti, S. Ohawuchgi, R. Briffa, S. Bajada, A. Muscat

Red card: J. Mintoff

Player of the match: A. Nafti (Valletta)

TMI top three: 1. A. Nafti  2. R. Fenech  3. M. Muchardi

Attendance: 1,343

Valletta’s crises seems to have been averted, at least for the time being. Heavily under pressure for their below performances of late, Valletta yesterday silenced their critics by hammering Sliema Wanderers 3-0 with plenty to spare. They now move alone in second place in the BoV Premier League standings, six points adrift of leaders Hibernians.

Defeat against Birkirkara in the previous game, demanded some changes from the Valletta coach yesterday.

Miller gambled his team's shape by flinging on more attacking pace and invention, with such bold ambition reaping rewards at last. Yenz Cini replaced Marino in goal and Edmond Agius and Romulo Antoneli were given starts ahead of Denni Dos Santos and Dyson Falzon who sat on the bench. Antoneli played in the main striker’s role although Nyang and Nafti produced good movement around him, with Ryan Fenech, Hamza Barry, Shawn Bajada and Edmond Agius providing good cover in front of the defence.

Sliema showed no surprises in their starting line-up, even if the returning Gatt Baldacchino was only used as a second half substitute, with Beppe Muscat given the nod in defence.

But yesterday Sliema were a disappointing lot with a lack of conviction that had them play second best to their opponents in all departments and they were never into the contest. Their best striker Stanley Ohawuchi was subdued by Dimech and Caruana to the point of near invisibility. Only Matias Muchardi showed the usual fighting spirit as the Wanderers were dismantled by Valletta’s aggressive and direct approach, especially in the final third.

Things turned more sour for the Wanderers after John Mintoff was sent off on 67 minutes, and they collapsed to concede a third, thus ending their unbeaten run of six league matches.

Valletta were already two goals to the good within the first 17 minutes. The Wanderers, who had only conceded four times in the previous six matches, got off to exactly the sort of start one would have never imagined at kick off, going a goal down inside five minutes through a defensive mix-up.

Nyang went down the left and sent a low cross from the byeline. The Sliema rearguard looked capable of clearing the danger but some hesitancy allowed Ryan Fenech to shoot past the helpless Bonello in the Sliema goal.

On 17 minutes, Antonelli’s  through pass beat a static square Sliema defence. The flag did not go up and Abdelkarim Nafti slotted the ball past keeper Bonello to double Valletta’s lead.

Sliema were rattled  and although they tried to regroup, they failed to produce enough incisive movement in front of the Valletta goal to really trouble keeper Cini.

The half’s most pleasant move came past the half hour, courtesy of the liveley Nyang’s mazy dribble from midfield, playing the ball wide to the unmarked Nafti, whose intelligent chip clipped the bar.

The pattern of the match did not change much after the interval. Valletta continued to impose themselves on their opponents although they eased much of their early urgency. Past the hour Sliema keeper Bonello had to bend backwards to hold out a Nafti lob on Nyang’s cross, when challenged by Biancardi.

On 67 minutes John Mintoff was sent off for a second bookable offence and Valletta exploited their numerical superiority within ten minutes to assure themselves of the points.  Hamza Barry’s cross from the right was footed out by keeper Bonello, the ball hit a Sliema player and fell in the path of substitute Denni Dos Santos who hit in with relative ease and add some gloss to Valletta’s victory.

With the match as good as over, Sliema only showed up in the late stages. Pape Gueye, who had substituted Bello-Osagie, severely tested Valletta keeper Cini for the first time in teh match with a shot turned into a corner. From the Valletta clearance on the ensuing corner, Gueye thumped his shot against the bar.

Valletta ended the macth in lively fashion. Keeper Bonello held out Barry’s header, turning the ball into a corner to save his side form further derision.