Valletta-Sliema 1-1

Valletta: N. Revishvili, J. Caruana, S. Borg, R. Fenech, J.P. Mifsud Triganza (L. Montebello), R. Briffa, H. Barry (E. Agius), S. Bajada, D. Dos Santos, I. Maisuradze, A. Nafti

Sliema W: H. Bonello, A. Muscat, J. Mintoff, M. Scerri, S. Ohawuchi, C. Gatt Baldacchino (K. Farrugia), T. Cilia (I. Woods), P. Barbetti, M. Muchardi, S. Bianciardi, A. Vladavic

Referee: C. Lautier

Asst.refs: D. Sultana, T. Debono

 Additional asst.refs: C. Pisani, M. Spiteri

 4th official: T. Farrugia Cann

 Scorers:  A. Nafti 6, I. Woods 59

Yellow cards:  P. Barbetti, S. Bajada, R. Fenech

Player of the match: A. Vladavic (Sliema W)

TMI top three: 1. R. Fenech  2. P. Barbetti   3. A. Vladavic

Attendance: 1,592

Valletta dropped two precious points yesterday as they were held to a one-all draw by Sliema Wanderers, in a match the Citizens dominated for long stretches but finally had to settle for only one point that keeps them three adrift of leaders Birkirkara in the Championship Pool.

For a team that still harbours ambitions of winning the league title, Valletta need to play with more poise and class.

After yestterday’s draw, they might be concerned about the sudden and unexpected deterioration in their attacking play, having scored only five goals in their last four competitive matches.

Valletta dropped Owonikoko and gave a start to Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza in attack but again left Edmond Agius and Aziz Nyang on the bench with Ryan Fenech, Shaun Bajada, Hamza Barry and Irakli Maisuradze forming their midfield quartet. Given licence to roam, there were encouraging flashes as the four of them interchanged adroitly, with Barry playing in a more attacking role.

Their line-up surely looked stronger than Sliema’s on paper.

The Wanderers, fresh from a semi final place in the FA Trophy, fielded their standard starting eleven. For long spells, they laboured for inspiration against an admirably superior Valletta side that dominated possession but failed to create enough chances to win the match.

Yet, Muchardi, Scerri and Barbetti were prominently involved, always at the heart of the action, and Valletta ended up looking often disjointed after Sliema scored an equaliser and closed shop at the back.

As tirelessly as Sliema worked, there was rarely a sense that they possessed the quality to trouble Valletta, especially after going behind to Nafti’s opening goal. In all fairness, the Wanderers seriously threatened only once – when they claimed an unexpected equaliser towards the hour, after Valletta had totally dominated the proceedings in the first half, to extend their unbeaten run to nine league matches, including another goalless draw against Valletta at the start of the year.

Valletta broke the deadlock after only six minutes. Abdelkarim Nafti advanced unhindered, steaded himself and beat keeper Bonello with a rasping low drive from some 25 metres out.

Midway through the half, Denni’s deep cross from the right fell to Mifsud Triganza whose header at the far post was blocked by Gatt Baldacchino and the upright.

For all their territorial dominance, Valletta failed to add more goals and were stunned by Sliema’s equaliser towards the hour.

At the start of the second half, Sliema had already gone close when Vladavic ran inside the Valletta area but was blcoked by Briffa into a corner.

On 59 minutes, Vladavic’s free kick rebounded off the post to keeper Rashvili’s right and the ball fell invitingly to substitute Ivan Woods who slotted it in.

The goal sapped all of Valletta’s first-half brittle confidence and they themselves started to struggle to find some rhythm as Sliema retreated further. Valletta only reacted on 69 minutes when Mifsud Triganza’s header, on Briffa’s pass, was saved into a corner by Sliema keeper Bonello.

As Denni and Nafti faded out, Valletta even put in Edmond Agius for Barry on 72 minutes but as the match wore on, Sliema remained defensively solid.

The introduction of Luke Montebello in the late stages proved futile for Valletta. Two minutes before the end, keeper Bonello reached out for the ball before the young Valletta striker could connect to Fenech’s headed pass.