Second-half subs do the trick for Sliema

Sliema Wanderers 2
Alhinho 51; Obiefule 77
Valletta 0

Two second-half goals from substitutes Valdo Alhinho and Obinna Obiefule guided Sliema Wanderers to victory in the Euro Cup, yesterday.

Both foreigners came off the substitutes' bench at half-time and left an immediate impact as the Wanderers deservedly won the season's curtain-raiser at the Centenary Stadium.

Both players, still on trial with the Blues, gave a good account of themselves with their goals demonstrating speed and strength.

If the first goal was primarily a demonstration of Alhinho's technique, the second was all about Obiefule's brute strength.

The Euro Cup may be dubbed a curtain-raiser but much of the encounter brought back unhappy memories of some tedious matches of the end of the season.

Could be that the 29C heat was to blame... or maybe it was the personnel.

At least, the sun was shining for the almost packed Centenary Stadium crowd, who had to wait 33 minutes for the first threat on goal when Ian Zammit should have done better than drag his effort wide in City's best move of the half after Hercules Cardoso Ottoni had deftly chested the ball into the striker's path following a Justin Grioli pass.

A few minutes later, another neat interchange between Kevin Sammut and Dyson Falzon unhinged the Sliema defence but the latter's final effort was well over the bar.

On the other side, Emiliano Lattes pounced on a poor back-pass from Grioli, only to direct a tame shot into the hands of goalkeeper Andrew Hogg.

Mark Marlow's thoughts on Sliema's first-half performance was reflected in his bold decision to make a double substitution at half-time when he replaced Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza and Andre Purtulez with former Ħamrun striker Obiefule, of Nigeria, and Portuguese midfielder Alhinho.

And the introduction of Obiefule almost paid instant dividends.

The Valletta rearguard left the Nigerian completely unmarked from a John Mintoff corner within two minutes of coming on, and he could hardly fail with a free header, yet the striker flicked his header wide.

But it was Alhinho's substitution which was to prove more crucial.

In the 51st minute, he capitalised on a lucky deflection off Obiefule to put the ball in off the right-hand post.

After 70 minutes, Valletta tried to force their way back into the game but substitute Omonigho Temile sliced a decent chance horribly wide.

At this point, Valletta coach Jesmond Zerafa threw in Terence Scerri but the towering striker made no difference.

Instead, seven minutes later, Obiefule was the quicker to read the flight of Alhinho's pass. He shrugged off Steve Borg's marking before curling the ball into the roof of the net.

Yet, glory ultimately also belonged to Sliema goalkeeper Viktor Szentpeteri, when he tipped Roderick Briffa's effort over the bar, eight minutes from time.

Sliema Wanderers
V. Szentpeteri, I. Azzopardi, B. Muscat, S. Sekoutidane, M. Scerri (68 A. Muscat), J.P. Mifsud Triganza (46 O. Obiefule), A. Purtulez (46 V. Alhinho), E. Lattes, C. Gatt Baldacchino, I. Woods, J. Mintoff.

Valletta
A. Hogg, J. Grioli, R. Briffa, S. Borg, S. Bezzina, R. Dos Santos, E. Agius (45 C. Frendo), D. Falzon (70 T. Scerri), K. Sammut, I. Zammit (49 O. Temile), H. Ottoni.

Referee: Clayton Pisani.

Yellow cards: Sekoutidane, Sammut, Woods.