Sliema stop slump with hard-fought win

Sliema Wanderers 2
Valletta 1

Following two consecutive defeats which all but ended their hopes of a fourth successive title, Sliema Wanderers registered a hard-fought win over Valletta to maintain their hopes of clinching the runners-up spot in this year's campaign.

Sliema seemed on their way to conceding the league title to rivals Birkirkara when they found themselves trailing to an Ian Zammit 51st minute goal. However, they showed great character in managing to turn the match in their favour courtesy of an own goal by Jonathan Bondin and an Ivan Woods penalty.

The Blues now await today's match between Birkirkara and Marsaxlokk to see whether their title dream is effectively over. A win for the Stripes would seal Birkirkara's second championship success.

Both sides had to take to this encounter with several key players missing. Valletta had Sebastian Monesterolo ruled out through suspension while Keith Fenech and Sean Sullivan had to skip the encounter through injury.

Kevin Cassar was also unavailable for the Lilywhites as coach Paul Zammit had to make some extensive reshuffling to his squad.

Miguel Montfort was given the onus to guard the Valletta goal and Dylan Zarb and Zammit were both roped in from the start.

Sliema welcomed the return of Stefan Giglio who was assigned defensive duties for this encounter in lieu of the suspended Mauro Di Lello.

Midfielder Joe Brincat made a late appearance in the second half as the champions continued to experience a list of injured players including long-term casualty Orosco Anonam plus Jeffrey Chetcuti and Joseph Farrugia.

The Blues paraded Daniel Bogdanovic in attack but when the player was substituted on the hour, he opted to rush out of the pitch by using the opponents' tunnel. This move clearly angered coaches Edward Aquilina and Hugh Caruana who were vindicated with their choice of roping in midfielder John Mintoff as the side drew level three minutes later and went on to win this crucial encounter.

It remains to be seen what action Sliema will take against Bogdanovic whose days with the club seem to be numbered after a similar incident earlier this year led him to be suspended by the club.

Valletta's Bondin will surely want to erase the afternoon from his memory. The youngster, who had a good match in defence, was unlucky to head into his own net Sliema's equaliser just after the hour. Then, with four minutes of normal time left, Bondin caught midfielder Roderick Bajada with a late tackle which prompted referee Clayton Pisani to brandish a second yellow card to the Valletta player which led to his expulsion.

Sliema threatened to draw first blood after seven minutes. Woods unleashed a testing shot from outside the area which was blocked in two attempts by goalkeeper Montfort.

The Blues came close again three minutes later. Bogdanovic delivered a cross towards Woods who towered well to head towards goal but Montfort saved easily.

Valletta's first sniff at goal came shy of the first quarter. Youngster Zammit volleyed a powerful low shot which was blocked by goalkeeper Murphy Akanji, skipper Gilbert Agius flashed in for the rebound with the attempt being cleared into a corner by Darren Debono.

The champions' best chance of the first half came on 20 minutes. Noel Turner served the unmarked Bogdanovic who beat the offside trap and surged inside the area but his shot missed the target altogether.

On the half hour, Sliema engineered an elaborated move which had the Citizens' rearguard on the verge of cracking.

Alex Muscat flicked the ball forward towards Woods who quickly served Doncic. The veteran striker opted for a delightful backheel that caught Montfort off guard as Bogdanovic tried his luck with a good shot that was blocked by Bondin.

A minute later, Montfort was called to make a reflex save as Woods' cross-shot took a wicked deflection off defender Branko Nisevic that skewed the ball's flight towards goal.

Ten minutes from the break, Bondin forced Akanji to get back to his tracks and tip over his lob from 35 metres out.

Six minutes into the second half, Valletta took the lead. Agius chipped an excellent cross and Zammit nipped in perfectly to head into the net past a surprised Akanji.

Two minutes later, Bogdanovic could only watch in frustration as his excellent header was brilliantly tipped over the bar by Montfort.

But there was little the Valletta goalkeeper could do on 63 minutes. The Valletta rearguard struggled to control a menacing move by their opponents and when Woods towered to meet a cross in the penalty area, Bondin did his best to clear the ball away but could only manage a back header that had the better of Montfort for an unfortunate own goal.

The goal spurned Sliema into action as the relentless running of Woods and man-of-the-match Turner started to take their toll on the Valletta defence which was being stretched to its limit.

The Citizens did create a good chance on 79 minutes as Zammit raced down the left flank and fed Agius who only managed a shot that sailed wide of goal.

Barely a minute had passed and Sliema stormed into the lead courtesy of Woods' well taken penalty after Sharlon Pace was deemed to have floored Doncic inside the penalty area.

The Citizens tried to save the match but the closest they came was on the stroke of time when Pace's effort was repelled by Akanji.

Despite the six minutes of added time signalled by the fourth official, Valletta had no more energy reserves to trouble their opponents. Sliema held on for a crucial win that delayed Birkirkara's title celebrations for at least 24 hours.

Sliema: M. Akanji-6.5, A. Muscat-6.5 ('83 l. Grima), B. Said-6, D. Debono-6.5, L. Lombardi-6.5 ('72 J. Brincat), N. Turner-7, D. Doncic-7, R. Bajada-7, I. Woods-7.5, S. Giglio-6, D. Bogdanovic-6 ('60 J. Mintoff-6.5).

Valletta: M. Montfort-7, J. Bondin, S. Pace-6, B. Nisevic-6, R. Forace-6.5, C. Dean-6, C. Mattocks-6, K. Magro-6 ('81 C. Camilleri), I. Zammit-7, G. Agius-7, D. Zarb-6.5 ('71 A. Debono).

Referee: Clayton Pisani.

Scorers: Zammit 51; Bondin 63 og, Woods 83 pen.

Yellow Cards: Debono, Bondin, Woods, Brincat, Mintoff.

Red Card: Bondin 86.

BoV Player of the Match: Noel Turner (Sliema Wanderers).