SENGLEA ATH. vs VALETTA 0-1
Senglea: T. Aquilina, J. Bondin, I. Azzopardi, A. Terracciano, M. Garcia, T. Vella, M. Escobar (P. Sammut), N. Palmieri, B. Muscat (H. Vella), S. Bonnici, I. Paz (A. Caseres).
Valletta: H. Bonello, S. Borg, R. Camilleri, J. Gill Cruz, S. Malano, M. Mifsud (J. Borg), U. Uchenna, J. Zerafa, RI Saleh, R. Romao (D. Rocha dos Santos), N. Asceric (K. Nwoko).
Referee: M. Apap.
Asst refs: C. Francalanza, P. Abela.
Fourth official: M. Spiteri.
Scorers: M. Mifsud.
Yellow cards: J. Gill Cruz, M. Garcia, J. Zerafa,
Player of the match: M. Mifsud
TMI Top 3: 1. M. Mifsud, 2. J. Zerafa, 3. T. Aquilina.
Attendance: 753
Henry Brincat
A first half strike by veteran Michael Mifsud was enough for Valletta to register their second consecutive 1-0 victory of the new season yesterday as they overcame a defensive-minded Senglea side.
It was a deserved victory for the citizens who dominated for long stretches keeping the newly promised Senglea in their own half for long stretches.
In fact, Valletta held the edge and enjoyed the lion’s share of possession, but they found a stubborn Senglea defence and found it difficult to penetrate.
The citizens were obviously the best side on the field of play and Senglea simply had to defend for most of the time, even if it was obvious that their main intention was to try and keep the citizens at bay.
Valletta could have made sure of the points early in the second half, but Asceric missed a penalty which would have given them a healthy two-goal cushion.
(Photos Domenic Aquilina)
That miss kept Senglea in the match, but till the end, they were never given the chance to test goalie Bonello seriously.
On 19 minutes, Valletta had their first chance when from a Zerafa cross, Mifsud hit wide from close in.
Three minutes later, goalie Aquilina saved a Zerafa grounder and in the 27th minute from a good Romao cross, Asceric headed straight into Aquilina’s hands.
Valletta meritedly opened the scoring in the 34th minute. From a Zerafa cross, veteran Michael Mifsud showed class, finding the net with a fine back heel.
In the 48th minute, Antonio Terracciano floored Nikola Asceric in the area. Referee Apap showed no hesitation in awarding a penalty to Valletta, but the same Asceric hit wide from the spotkick.
In the 52nd minute, Senglea goalie Aquilina covered himself with glory saving in style an excellent freekick from Malano.
In the 63rd minute, it was Mifsud who went close with a half volley that just missed the post.
As Valletta insisted it was again Aquilina who denied Malano from another freekick and in the 83rd minute, it was Terracciano who blocked a dangerous Mifsud effort.
ST ANDREWS vs BALZAN 3-2
St Andrews: M. Calleja Cremona, T. Grant, A. Borg, E. Pena Beltre, M. Gauci, M. Grima (J. Walker), J. Farrugia, N. Perry (A. Friggieri), D. Jackson, K. Atkinson, T. Azian (R. Martin).
Balzan: I. Janjusevic, R. Fenech (CE de Fiori Mendes), S. Bezzina, P. Fenech, B. Kaljevic, U. Ljubomirac, A. Effiong, J. Borg (A. Da Paixao Alves), M. Johnson, E. Serrano Valero, L. Micallef (M. Lepovic).
Referee: P. Farrugia.
Asst refs: P. Apap, R. Aquilina.
Fourth official: D. Agius.
Scorers: K. Atkinson 2, A. Effiong, N. Perry, B. Kaljevic.
Yellow cards: T. Azian, J. Borg, N. E. Serrano Valero, T. Grant, R. Martin,
Player of the match: K. Atkinson
TMI Top 3: K. Atkinson, J. Farrugia, P. Fenech.
Atkinson stuns Balzan with late winner for St Andrews
Henry Brincat
Kevaun Atkinson scored a stunner on 87 minutes to give St Andrews a 3-2 win over the more fancied Balzan.
The Saints player, named Player of the Match, scored two of his side’s goals, having opened the scoring earlier in the match. Perry had scored the second goal for the Saints. Balzan had come from behind twice, first through Effiong and later through a Kaljevic penalty.
Balzan saw more of the ball and were the better equipped team technically, but the Saints did not stare at them and they also gave a valid contribution towards an interesting first 45 minutes.
In actual fact, the faster Saints proved more than a handful for the Balzan defence which was at sixes and sevens when the Saints strikers had the ball at their feet.
Except for Effiong’s temporary equaliser, Balzan had little to show at the end of the first 45 minutes.
(Photos Domenic Aquilina)
However, they showed more determination at the start of the second half. And it was no surprise that they equalised a second time after just four minutes, albeit from a penalty.
But after missing two great chances in the later stages, they suffered that 87th minute stunner which saw them suffering their first defeat of the new season.
The Saints were not perturbed and hit back to finish the match on a crescendo, also missing another chance to add a fourth goal to their tally.
St Andrews broke the deadlock on the 26th minute. And what a goal it was! Farrugia set Kevaun Atkinson outside the area. The latter went round at least three Balzan defenders before hitting home past Janjusevic.
Balzan equalised five minutes later. From a Ryan Fenech freekick, Alfred Effiong anticipated goalie Calleja Cremona to head into an empty net.
Five minutes from the interval, St Andrews re-established their lead. From a Grima cornerkick, Pena Beltre headed forward for Nehemiah Perry to head into the Balzan net.
Balzan went out in search of an equaliser in the second half and on the 49th minute, they were awarded a penalty when Grant floored Ljubomirac in the area. From the spot-kick, Kaljevic made no mistake.
Eight minutes later, Kaljevic set Effiong beautifully; the latter advanced only to see the onrushing goalie Calleja Cremona effect a very good block.
The Saints goalie was again prominent a few moments later when he rushed out of his charge to make another miraculous block on substitute da Paixao who advanced unhindered on another good pass from Kaljevic.
In the 87th minute, Kevaun Atkinson showed pace and skill as he deceived goalie Janjusevic before firing home a stunning winner.
HAMRUN SPARTANS vs HIBERNIANS- 0-1
Hamrun S: S. Sultana, K. Micallef (D. Camilleri), D. Zerafa, T. Agius (P. Gois), T. Caruana (J. Galea), T. Souza de Silveira, G. De Castro, T. Espindola, A. Macahdo, V. Gomes, F. Clavero
Hibernians: A. Hogg, M. Kreuzrigler, R. Gomes, J. Lima, R. Soares, M. Dias, J. Degabriele (J. Mbong), B. Kristensen, C. Failla (J. Elias), A. Agius, M. Sahanek (D. Vella)
Referee: F. Zammit
Asst.refs: L. Portelli, W. Debattista
Fourth official: E. Grech
Scorers: J. Degabriele 57
Yellow cards: G. De Castro, M. Sahanek, T. De Silveira, P. Gois
Player of the match: B. Kristensen (Hibernians)
TMI top 3: 1. F. Clavero 2. B. Krsitensen 3. T. Agius
Attendance: 1,086
Hibernians win after pedestrian start
Silvio Vella
A solitary second half goal was enough to decide a monotonous match in Hibernians’ favour.
Jurgen Degabriele gave a timely reminder of his attacking threat as he struck the winner with his only chance of the match.
Hibernians made a pedestrian start and did not look dangerous before taking the lead. They only improved slightly and took command after that, finishing as the more potent side.
For a whole hour, Hamrun seemed well on top until Degabriele shifted the power balance with his winning goal for the champions.
Hamrun must take credit for the strength of personality shown by their newly assembled side. But they need more aggression and a greater goal threat to win these kind of matches.
Despite enjoying the bulk of possession, they managed just one real attempt on target.
A change to Hamrun’s play was moving the ball quicker than they managed at any stage last season, and much of that was due to ‘Chico’ Clavero’s pace and directness.
Hamrun retained six Brazilian players in their line-up but Steve Sultana replaced Jake Galea in goal and Karl Micallef started instead of Chircop in defence.
In a first half of very few clear chances, Hamrun looked lively if not exactly subtle. Their best opportunity came past the quarter hour when De Castro was the first to test the Hibernians’ keeper Hogg, producing a smart save to hold out his effort.
Hibernians, who dropped Joseph Mbong to the bench and gave a start to Martin Kreuzriegler instead, never produced enough going forward to suggest they might breach the Spartans’ rearguard and Sultana’s goal was rarely threatened. In the opening 45 minutes the champions only showed up with a 37-minute Lima free kick and a Kristensen header that both missed the target.
Things shook up a bit short of the hour. Minutes after coach Mark Miller brought on Jorge Elias for Failla, to give his side some needed impetus in attack, Jurgen Degabriele chased a Lima long pass and as the striker burst inside the Hamrun area he put his effort past keeper Sultana.
It was a goal that puctured Hamrun’s promising start and interrupted their tempo.
Hamrun coach Jacques Scerri was quick to introduce other Brazilian forward Pedro Gois in an attempt to get back into the game.
But Hamrun failed to bother keeper Hogg and Hamrun’s Sultana ended up teh busier keeper as he helf out efforts from Lima and Soares in the dying minutes.
Hamrun’s chances of salvaging a point from an added-time corner, were thwarted by Hogg.
FLORIANA vs TARXIEN RAINBOWS 5- 0
Floriana: E. Akpan, J. Baldacchino, E. Pepe, E. Ruiz, S. Pisani, I. Varela (D. Grima), M. Vella, J. Cabral, A. Cini (N. Spiteri), M. Fontanella, E. Marcelina (C. Borg)
Tarxien R: C. Cassar, A. Scicluna, S. Cipriott, E. Calina, A. Agius, J. Brincat (M. Degiotgio), L. Grech, E. Baker, R. Faria, M. Desira Buttigieg, M. Brincat (A. Cilia Mumford)
Referee: A.M. Sant
Asst.refs: R. Vella, J. Spiteri
Fourth official: T. Farrugia Cann
Scorers: M. Fontanella 13, 54, I. Varela 42, S. Pisani 58 pen, M. Vella 64
Yellow cards: E. Baker, M. Brincat
Red card: E. Baker
Player of the match: M. Vella (Floriana)
TMI top 3: 1. M. Fontanella 2. M. Vella 3. S. Pisani
Floriana romp to first victory
Silvio Vella
Another shaky display by Tarxien Rainbows, condemned them a second straight disastrous defeat, this time against superior Floriana. Five more goals conceded, a total of nine in two matches, and completely short of ideas, suggest that this may be a frustrating Premier League season for the Rainbows.
Floriana dismantled their weak opponents with two goals from Mario Fontanella, and one each from Varela, Pisani and Maurcio Vella for a deserved first win.
Tarxien gave a debut start to new former Balzan keeper Christian Cassar to fill in for the long-term injuries to Andrea Cassar and Dean Sciberras. They also had forward Ryan Darmanin suspended.
Floriana made only one change from their previous draw against Birkirkara, as defensive midfielder Emerson Marcelina returned to the club to replace Leighton Grech in their starting line-up. Latest signing Dylan Grima made a substitute appearance.
Floriana did most of the pressing and passing without creating too many clear openings in the first half.
Their two first half goals both came courtesy of Tarxien defensive lapses.
A moment of hesitation between Grech and keeper Cassar allowed Mario Fontanella to pounce on the loose ball and knock it over the line for the Greens’ opening goal after 13 minutes.
The second, three minutes before the break, arrived after a Baldacchino powerful shot was poorly cleared by the Tarxien defenders and Ignacio Varela finished it off.
The Greens could have added further goals in the first half when Pisani had his effort turned into a corner by the Tarxien keeper and on 36 minutes Fontanella headed Vella’s cross from the left just over.
Floriana soon began building up a head of steam again after the interval. It had been already game over by the time Mario Fontanella added a third nine minutes into the second half, beating keeper Cassar with a low diagonal shot.
Things got worse for Tarxien, when they conceded a penalty and were down to ten men short of the hour. Cabral was put through inside the Tarxien area by Marcelina but was brought down from behind by Baker. It being the Tarxien defender’s second bookable offence, he was rightly expelled. This was the second conscutive time Tarxien had a player sent off in this new season. Steve Pisani tucked away the penalty with a confident strike.
Floriana’s fifth goal on 64 minutes was the result of poor goalkeeping when Christian Cassar failed to hold out Maurizio Vella’s low direct free kick.
And the bar came to Tarxien’s rescue on 75 minutes, when holding out Pepe’s header on a Fontanella cross.