Wasteful Sliema made to sweat by gritty Pietà

Pietà Hotspurs 1
Sliema Wanderers 2

What was supposed to be a straightforward outing for champions-elect Sliema against Pietà turned out to be nothing of the sort as the leaders had to strain every sinew to emerge with the three points after a narrow 2-1 victory.

This was a strange encounter as Sliema, who now need one point from their remaining three matches to secure the league title or can even be crowned champions today if runners-up Birkirkara fail to beat Valletta, looked a solid bet to achieve a comfortable win when Pietà were reduced to nine men as early as the 13th minute of the second half following red cards to Malcolm Licari and Digger Okonkwo.

The Blues were leading 1-0 by the time Okonkwo was dismissed but Pietà had still managed to conjure some menacing attacks despite Sliema's ascendancy. Okonkwo's exit failed to dim Pietà's fighting spirit, never mind a series of niggling fouls by Ray 'Zazu' Farrugia's team, who thought they had salvaged a point when Giacomo Paniccia levelled matters on 77 minutes only for defender Brian Said to snatch Sliema's winner nine minutes from time.

Paniccia's articulate delivery from deadball situations caused some consternation to the Sliema defence in the opening 10 minutes but, in their first telling inroad into Pietà's half, the league leaders grabbed the lead.

Rupert Mangion vindicated Edward Aquilina's decision to draft him in the starting formation to replace Jeffrey Chetcuti as he put his team in the driving seat with a clinical finish from the edge of the penalty box after 11 minutes.

The Hotspurs, who were able to rely on three players, namely Lee Lombardi, Digger Okonkwo and Gareth Sciberras, that were ranked 50-50 before the match, had the ball in the net on 20 minutes but Licari's strike was annulled for offside.

Saviour Darmanin, the Pietà goalkeeper, fisted away a dangerous free-kick from Carlo Mamo that seemed destined to reach Said inside the box. On 29 minutes, it was Massimo Grima's turn to unleash a fierce shot from the distance that ended high.

Refusing to be intimidated by the reputation of Sliema and Mangion's early breakthrough, Pietà sought to create some problems of their own with some flowing moves.

However, it was Sliema who should have increased the lead but for the base of the post which stopped Orosco Anonam's header from a Mamo teasing cross.

Three minutes from half-time, Pietà's task of clawing back into contention became more difficult when the referee brandished the red card to dismiss Hotspurs skipper Licari presumably for abusive language.

Licari's frustration was caused by a debatable decision by linesman Ingmar Spiteri who raised his flag to signal an offside position when the Pietà striker was running unimpeded towards goal. The few Pietà fans at the National Stadium yesterday made their feelings known to the match officials as they walked towards the tunnel at half-time.

The start of the second half produced an early chance for Sliema but Doncic headed fractionally wide after an inviting cross from Mangion.

The enterprising Mangion was at it again a few minutes later as he sent in another cross towards Grima whose headed attempt was hooked away by the well-positioned Di Lello.

Murphy Akanji, the Sliema goalkeeper, effected a fine save to smother away a Paniccia thunderbolt as Pietà tried to make the most of their possession despite their numerical disparity. Akanji then saved from Sciberras and at the other end, Darmanin charged out of goal to clear before Anonam could connect with a long through-pass.

The energy looked to have ebbed away from Pietà's momentum when they were reduced to nine men 13 minutes into the second half. Okonkwo was the Pietà player receiving his marching orders after a late, spiteful tackle on Mangion who had to be substituted and rushed to hospital.

Facing heavily depleted opponents, Sliema were now expected to up the tempo in their bid to net a reassuring second goal. Darmanin displayed fine reflexes when turning away an Anonam header from a cross by Kevin Sammut who had come in for the injured Mangion.

On 70 minutes, Anonam threatened to add to Sliema's lead but his rising shot flew high and wide. The game descended into a scrappy affair after Okonkwo's expulsion as the Hotspurs were now forced to draw on their reserves of spirit and stamina to keep their opponents at bay.

Doncic may have put paid to Pietà's hopes but his low strike whizzed past the post. Turner headed wide from a David Camilleri cross as Sliema's poor finishing continued to let them down.

The feeling that Sliema's failure to make their superiority count was going to cost them dear increased when Pietà gained an unlikely equaliser 13 minutes from the end.

Paniccia, who seems to reserve his best for the clashes against Sliema, unleased a powerful shot that spun off Akanji's gloves and into the net.

Sliema were stunned but they regrouped immediately to restore their one-goal lead. Amidst a goalmouth melee, it was Said who stabbed the ball home after Sammut had hit the woodwork.

Akanji was relieved to parry a diagonal shot by Ivan Woods who had taken the entire Sliema defence by himself before pulling the trigger.

A glaring miss by Brincat in one-on-one situation with goalkeeper Darmanin typified the casualness engulfing Sliema's play in the second half but the Wanderers clug on to their lead to edge closer to the title.

Pietà H.: S. Darmanin, P. Aquilina, M. Di Lello, D. Okonkwo, G. Sciberras, I. Woods, M. Licari, G. Paniccia, K. Mamo, L. Lombardi, V. Obidimalor.

Sliema W.: M. Akanji, I. Ciantar, C. Mamo, B. Said, J. Brincat, M. Grima (D. Camilleri), N. Turner, D. Doncic, R. Mangion (K. Sammut), O. Anonam, K. Laferla.

Referee: Paul Caruana.

Scorers: Mangion 11th; Paniccia 77th; Said 81st.

Yellow Cards: Lombardi; Mangion.

Red Cards: Licari 42nd; Okonkwo 58th.

Player Of The Match: Rupert Mangion (Sliema W.).