Sliema W.-Birkirkara 1-3

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

Birkirkara: J. Haber, Z. Muscat (D. Zerafa), N. Vukanac, R. Scicluna, J. Zerafa, E. Herrera, P. Fenech, S. Shodiya (R. Camenzuli), G. Sciberras, A. Mendoza, Jhonnattan (R. Calheira)

Referee: A. Azzopardi

Asst.refs: R. Vella, D. Sultana

Additional asst.refs: C. Lautier, S. Spiteri

4th official: A. Borg Cardona

Scorers: E. Herrera 12, S. Ohawuchi 31, P. Fenech 40, Jhonnattan 57

Yellow cards: C. Gatt Baldacchino

Player of the match: Jhonnattan (Birkirkara)

TMI top three:  1. P. Fenech 2. Jhonnattan  3. S. Ohawuchi

Attendance: 1,208

Birkirkara’s magnificient march towards a second consecutive title continued yesterday with another convincing win in the Championship Pool against fourth placed Sliema Wanderers.

By virtue of this victory, and Valletta’s draw against Mosta in the previous game, the Stripes now enjoy a five-point lead over the same Valletta at the top of the standings and that is a quite meaningful advantage already.

Birkirkara played the better, more cohesive football and were deserved winners against a poor Sliema side, lacking ability and moral fibre.

The Wanderers thus remain in fourth place, one point adrift of Hibernians.

Sliema’s last defeat was way back in December, also against Birkirkara. The Wanderers have since gone unbeaten in 10 matches, collecting 22 points out of a possible 30, with six wins and four draws.

Sliema used Mark Scerri and Trevor Cilia only as substitutes, giving starts to Kane Farrugia and Ivan Woods.

Birkirkara, still without the services of the injured Rowen Muscat, gave a start to Zach Muscat as right back, with Edward Herrera in an advanced role in front of him on the flank. Most of the Stripes’ attacks were fashioned from that side.

 After a rather cagey start, with both sides showing too much physical endeavour, the champions made the breakthrough towards the quarter hour. Edward Herrera was allowed too much space inside the Sliema area as he chested Zerafa’s long ball, turned and beat keeper Bonello with a rising shot, the ball hitting the underside of the bar.

The goal set the tone for Birkirkara to show the better ideas and carve the better chances, inspuired by Shola Shodiya. Midway through the half, keeper Bonello blocked with an outstretched foot before Shodiya could connect to Herrera’s cross from the right.

In their first genuine attack, the Wanderers were denied by the referee’s whistle, judging Ohawuchi to have fouled Nisevic before playing the ball to Alex Muscat who shot in with play already at a halt.

Ohawuchi, Sliema’s most dangerous player by far, tested keeper Haber towards the half hour with a long range drive. On the other end, Shodiya shot from near the byeline on the right. Keeper Bonello turned into a corner.

On 31 minutes Sliema managed to grab a lifeline and draw level. Stanley Ohawuchi finally found space inside the Birkirkara area after going past Mendoza from the left and beat keeper Habere with a powerful drive.

The goal briefly raised some hopes for Sliema until five minutes from the break when they were let down by some more sloppy defending. Paul Fenech darted through the middle, chasing a long ball forward by Zach Muscat to beat keeper Bonello at the far top corner with his looping header.

With Sliema failing to keep up the pace with their more enterprising opponents, it was no surpise that Birkirkara scored their third goal on 57 minutes. Scicluna played a short pass forward to Muscat who laid the ball in the path of Jhonnattan to hit beyond Bonello’s reach.

With the points virtually secured, Birkirkara eased down. Sliema put in Trevor Cilia for Kane Farrugia and the substitute forced keeper Haber into a good save with a long range drive.

A lull of proceedings followed as Sliema looked resigned to their fate. The only noteworthy episode before the end, came on 71 minutes with Herrera fluffing a good chance as he shot straight on the Sliema keeper when put clear by Shodiya, the loose ball falling to Scicluna who shot over.