Mosta 3
Lija Ath. 1
Mosta: A. Vella, LH Ferreira, T. Farrugia, T. Veronese, I. Maric, D. Ifeanyi Nworah (D. Fenech), Z. Brincat (K. Frendo), D. Xuereb, D. Zarate, CJ Martins, JR Ekani.
Lija Ath.: L. Bonnici, P. Babic (A. Galea), L. Muscat, D. Scerri, LJ Schembri (A. Sammut), A. Borg, A. Bello Osagie, C. McAllister, M. De Souza Dias (C. Cassar), O. Sidibe, D. Leeflang.
Referee: G. Tonna.
Asst refs: E. Spiteri, T. Zammit.
4th official: E. Barbara.
Scorers: D. Xuereb, Z. Brincat, LH Ferreira, D. Leeflang
Yellow cards: T. Farrugia,
Player of the match: CJ Martins Fernandes.
TMI Top 3: 1. CJ Martins Fernandes, 2. T. Veronese, 3. Z. Brincat.
Attendance: 126.
Lija no match for superior Mosta
Henry Brincat
Mosta registered their first win of the season yesterday as they easily overcame a poor Lija side who succumbed to a second defeat from two matches.
D. Xuereb and Z. Brincat scored in the first half while Leonardo Henrique Ferreira added the third in the second half. Leeflang’s goal near the end did not help to change the story.
In the first half, Mosta dominated for long stretches and kept the Athletic in their own half creating good opportunities and richly deserving their lead.
Lija were too defensive-minded and never appeared in condition to trouble the Mosta defence. When they suffered the second goal just before the interval, the match seemed to be already over.
In the second half, the match had little or no story as Mosta continued to dominate, especially after scoring a third goal early.
For Lija, this was a second consecutive heavy defeat and, even if it is still early in the season, it is obvious they will have to show a lot of improvement if they are to avoid relegation trouble in future.
The match had a very slow start but on the 17th minute a good shot by Thomas Veronese was turned to corner in style by Lija goalkeeper Luke Bonnici.
Two minutes later, Mosta went very close to open the scoring. Martins Fernandes crossed low for Ferreira to see his effort being cleared from over the line by Lija’s Antoine Borg.
Goalie Bonnici was again a protagonist in the 29th minute when he dived full length to turn to corner a good effort from Zac Brincat.
Mosta were rewarded for their efforts in the 32nd minute when they took the lead. From a Veronese cross, goalie Bonnici punched the ball right into the path of Dexter Xuereb who made no mistake with a first timer, the ball going into the net off the upright.
Lija reacted and five minutes later, Djamel Leeflang tried his luck with a low shot from the edge of the area, but the ball went wide.
At the other end, Martins Fernandes twice had good efforts going just over the bar for Mosta.
The Blues added a second goal on the 45th minute – a fine shot by Zac Brincat which beat goalie Bonnici all ends up.
Mosta remained the better team at the start of the second half and it was no surprise that they added a third goal in the 53rd minute through Leonardo Henrique Ferreira who netted after a personal action.
Lija had a rare chance on 67 minutes. From a Cassar cross, goalie Andreas Vella punched the ball out, but Bello Osagie headed wide with an open goal.
Lija finally scored a consolation goal through Djamel Leeflang in the 90th minute. He deviated into the net a Ousmane Sidibe shot.
NAXXAR LIONS- 1
SLIEMA WANDERERS- 5
Naxxar L: O. Borg, M. Botta, Y. Messias (G. Nagaoka), R. Grech, M. Micallef, D. Falzon, D. Bonnici (T. Nappa Licari), A. Lo, R. Cassar, A. Buhagiar, M. Fenech (J. Debono)
Sliema W: G. Sarao, S. Bianciardi, J. Mintoff (M. Muchardi), G. Aquilina, P. Xuereb, F. Temile, R. Correa (D. Micallef), M. Scerri (L. Motta), R. Spiteri, A. Muscat, N. Gavric
Referee: M. Degabriele
Asst.refs: T. Debono, S. Attard
4th official: F. Zammit
Scorers: F. Temile 8, 66, R. Spiteri 12, Y. Messias 40, A. Muscat 82, P. Xuereb 90
Yellow cards: R. Grech, A. Muscat, M. Scerri, D. Falzon, G. Aquilina
Red card: A. Lo
Player of the match: F. Temile (Sliema W)
TMI top 3: 1. F. Temile 2. G. Aquilina 3. Y. Messias
Attendance: 569
SILVIO VELLA
Following a draw against Senglea Athletic in the opening match, Sliema Wanderers got the better of other newcomers Naxxar Lions yesterday, to register their first win of the new campaign, in emphatic style, hitting five goals in the process.
It always promised to be a straightforward evening for the Wanderers, but Naxxar, playing with ten men for almost a whole half hour, produced some serious threat to the Sliema rearguard in the rare openings they had and apart from Messias’ goal, they were twice denied by the woodwork.
One new face in the Sliema side yesterday was that of Croatian central defender Nikola Gavric. Mark Scerri also returned for the Wanderers after missing the opening game.
Following defeat in their opening game, Naxxar dropped Francesco Serafino and Joel Ellul for yesterday’s game. Coach Dennis Fenech handed starts to Brazilian Yuri Messias and Ryan Grech.
Incidentally the match’s first chance fell to Naxxar. After only five minutes play, the Lions broke away and Messias, running clear inside the Sliema half, hit a powerful shot that demanded a smart save from keeper Sarao to turn the ball into a corner.
But most of the action was at the other end.
With the excellent Scerri, Xuereb and Aquilina impressing in central midfield, Sliema were the better side although it required defensive lapses by Naxxar for them to take an early double lead.
After eight minutes, some hesitation between defender Botta and his keeper, allowed Frank Temile to sneak in and score.
Hardly four minutes later. Naxxar failed to clear their lines on a Mintoff cross from the right and as the ball bounced invitingly inside their area, Ryan Spiteri headed it past keeper Borg.
That double lead put the Wanderers in the driving seat and although they remained menacing with efforts from Scerri and Temile, they were settling into something approaching a rhythmic passing groove by halftime.
However Naxxar, who had been struggling with their pace, were handed a lifeline five minutes before the break, thanks to a well executed Yuri Messias direct free kick, from wide on the left, that beat keeper Sarao.
Matias Muchardi took Mintoff’s place for Sliema for the second half, but Naxxar looked to respond well. On 54 minutes they even went close to drawing level when Buhagiar ran down the right flank and his low cross was met by Falzon who flicked the ball against the foot of the post.
Frustration nearly became despair for Naxxar one minute later, when reduced to ten men. Their central defender Lo was shown a straight red card for his reckless tackle on Temile.
Sliema needed to be more ruthless in search of that reassuring third goal. And after keeper Borg saved a low Aquilina effort, Frank Temile found an opening inside the Naxxar area on the left and hit an unstoppable strike that left keeper Borg clasping thin air.
Naxxar again hit the post from substitute Jurgen Debono on 70 minutes but the Wanderers stayed in control and even scored two late goals through defender Alex Muscat, after advancing down the right, and another by Peter Xuereb from a Spiteri corner.
GZIRA U- 2
BIRKIRKARA- 0
Gzira U: A. Curmi, A. Cohen (Z. Scerri), C. Gatt Baldacchino, M. Avila Perez, K. Pulo, S. Tounkara (N. Muscat), R. Briffa, G. Muir, S. Kamana, N. Okoye, A. Samb (S. Ogundare)
Birkirkara: P. Schranz, R. Bezerra, L. Maia, M. Guillaumier (W. Acevedo), R. Camenzuli, K. Zammit, M. Klein, C. Concalves (L. Montebello), E. N For, L. Cremona (J. Grech), B. Fernandez Brito
Referee: T. Farrugia Cann
Asst.refs: M. Borg, D. Petrovic
4th official: E. Grech
Scorers: S. Tounkara 68, A. Samb 81
Yellow cards: K. Zammit, L. Maia, M. Avila Perez, Z. Scerri
Player of the match: R. Briffa (Gzira U)
TMI top 3: 1. M. Avila Perez 2. R. Briffa 3. E. N Fo
SILVIO VELLA
Birkirkara’s reinvention under coach Peter Pullicino was always going to take time but it appears that, in the short term at least, their supporters’ patience is going to be severely tested.
After a draw against Floriana in the opening fixture, the Stripes yesterday were defeated by a highly efficient Gzira side and rarely if ever looked like hurting their opponents, who came into this match looking for their second consecutive victory of the campaign.
Gzira hit them with two goals within 13 minutes in the second period, from Samba Tounkara and the lively Amadou Samb, following a period of sustained pressure.
Gzira deserved to triumph as they remain reliably tight. They have opened their campaign with two wins.
They might not always be exciting to watch, but plenty of Gzira’s rivals learn from their organisation. The difficulties their opponents encounter while trying to break them down explains why the Maroons are likely to be free from relegation fears again.
Both teams made changes from their first outing. Birkirkara, who had Edmond Agius suspended, dropped Luke Montebello, Jake Grech and Alex Nilsson, with Matthew Guillaumier, Carlos Alberto Concalves and Ernest N For starting instead.
Gzira gave a debut start to their new Cameroon defender Sem Kamana and coach Darren Abdilla handed starts to forward Amadou Samb and midfielder Roderick Briffa. Briffa, such a focal point and showing the sort of form to suggest he feels ready to make an impact with his new club, was a pivotal presence. Cohen played in a more advanced role behind the strikers in the opening half but when substituted by Zach Scerri, at the start of the second, Avila Perez took that role.
For all the bullying presence of Brazilian De Brito and Cameroonian N Fo in their attack, the Stripes could not make inroads as Gzira resisted and keeper Anthony Curmi remained inoperative in the Gzira goal.
The build-up play in both directions was cautious and plodding, with bot sides content to pass the ball among themselves.
Chances were few and far between prior to the interval with the only two coming from Gzira. Briffa’s shot from a distance flashed just wide in the opening minutes and before the quarter hour Samb ran in well for Tounkara’s loe cross inside the Birkirkara area but keeper Schranz blocked on the ground.
Both sides went into the second half slightly more fired up. When N Fo sent a low cross to Brito, his effort was blocked by Pulo inside the area.
Gradually Gzira began to assert themselves more on the game, producing a couple of threats by Samb and Okoye. Before the hour, a Kamana header from a corner flashed acros the Birkirkara goal.
Birkirkara, sleepy at the back as well as disjointed in attack, did not heed the warnings and on 68 minutes they fell behind.
Samba Tounkara chased a Pulo through ball inside the area from the left and hit past the helpless keeper Schranz.
The Stripes, who put in Acevedo, Montebello and Grech to put themselves back into the contest, were deflated by Gzira’s second goal nine minutes from time. Scerri delivered the cross from the right and Amadou Samb headed the ball in from close range.