Sliema upset City to revive title bid

Sliema 2, Valletta 1

Sliema Wanderers are back in the title hunt after beating championship favourites Valletta 2-1 in a thrilling match at the National Stadium.

Thanks to this victory, Sliema joined Qormi on the 21-point mark, eight points behind sole leaders Birkirkara and five adrift of the Citizens who played the final 26 minutes of today’s match with 10 men after defender Kenneth Scicluna was expelled for two yellow cards.

Scoring chances proved hard to come by in the early stages but Sliema forged ahead on 26 minuret. Pedrinho’s corner from the left caused havoc in the Valletta box as Ian Azzopardi headed goalward as Valletta defender Luke Dimech’s last-gasp intervention to clear proved futile.

Valletta besieged the Sliema defence in the dying moments of the first half but efforts from Terrence Scerri, Kevin Sammut and Jordi Cruyff were warded off by the plucky blue-shirted defenders. Valletta’s hopes suffered a blow when, four minutes past the hour, defender Kenneth Scicluna was sent off for a second caution.

The Citizens equalised 17 minutes from time, captain Gilbert Agius rifling past Simon Agius after receiving from Terrence Scerri but Sliema regained their lead eight minutes from the end when substitute Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza shot past Andrew Hogg after being put through by Failla.

Sliema had the opportunity to apply the killer blow in the dying moments when they were awarded a penalty after Hogg downed Mifsud Triganza in the box.

Woods’s penalty drive was saved by Hogg. Sliema’s Alex Muscat was voted BOV player of the match.