Scerri downs plucky Qormi

Valletta 1
Scerri 83
Qormi 0

Valletta had to strain every sinew to see off the spirited challenge of Qormi yesterday.

Making a mockery of pre-match suggestions of an easy outing for the Citizens, Qormi ran and harried to all but nullify the threat posted by their more illustrious opponents only for their efforts to be undone by Terrence Scerri who fired a late winner for the Citizens.

Coming from a two-all draw with Hibs, Valletta ought to have been fired up to get back to winning ways but for long periods, they lacked the spark needed to break down sturdy opponents like Qormi who were not only disciplined but also showed positive football going forward.

For the City fans, it was another roller-coaster evening at the stadium as their expensively-assembled team struggled for inspiration with Scerri coming to their rescue as he had done against Hibs.

Having given as much as they got, Qormi were entitled to feel aggrieved by the final result but their display certainly bodes well for the rest of the season as coach Stephen Azzopardi is finally stamping his mark on this revamped team.

Captain Gilbert Agius and Roderick Briffa were two notable absentees for Valletta due to injuries. Jonathan Caruana took his usual place in the heart of defence after his participation in last week’s match with Hibs was cut short by a head wound.

Kevin Sammut stepped into Briffa’s boots and Joseph Okonwko came in for Dyson Falzon who had to be content with a place on the bench.

The onus of spearheading Qormi’s attack fell to Kosta Bjedov with Abubakar Bello-Osagie and Matthew Bartolo playing to the left and right of the Croatian forward.

Ramon’s first touch was greeted with a barrage of boos from the Qormi fans. The Brazilian defender was making his first appearance against Qormi, the team he left to join Valletta in the close-season.

The early exchanges offered little in the way of goalmouth action as both teams took their time to get their passing game off the ground.

On 16 minutes, Qormi unnerved their opponents when Ho Jung Kang sprinted forward to retrieve a crossfield pass. The South Korean’s shot took a deflection but the ball landed in front of the diving Andrew Hogg.

At the other end, Jason Vandelannoite did well to hurl his body in the way of Denni’s shot.

The Dutch defender was prominent with another well-timed intervention to block a menacing pass by Omonigo Temile after the Nigerian had outpaced Stefan Giglio.

Valletta’s toils on the field of play were reflected in the muted atmosphere among their fans in the stands.

The Citizens’ pressure increased as the minutes trickled by. Four minutes past the half-hour, Denni dallied his way into the box before rifling a cross-cum-shot that whistled behind Matthew Farrugia and across the face of goal.

Inside the first minute of the second half, Hogg prevented Qormi from taking the lead when smothering Bello-Osagie’s piledriver over the bar. Farrugia then sprinted off the line to close down Borg as the City right-back ran onto a long pass.

Valletta finally brought a sense of urgency to their game and Farrugia twice defied the Citizens as the Qormi keeper, having fisted away Scerri’s cross from the right, got up quickly to repel Temile’s follow-up effort.

Qormi’s counter-attacking threat remained conspicuous with Bello-Osagie and Bjedov seizing every chance to run at the City defence when their team had possession. On one occasion, Bello-Osagie’s cross from the left just eluded Bjedov.

Azzopardi’s men issued another reminder of their attacking potential as the enterprising Bello-Osagie created space for a shot but his effort was stopped by Hogg.

Valletta screamed ‘penalty’ when the steaming Scerri went down as he came in contact with Farrugia but referee Kevin Azzopardi saw nothing wrong.

As the match entered its final 15 minutes, Ian Zammit, who had come on for Okonkwo early in the second half, supplied an inviting cross from a corner but the ball whizzed past a posse of players and landed wide of the far post.

Mixed feelings of joy and relief engulfed the City fans when their team broke the stalemate. Sammut’s hopeful grounder from the distance was partially blocked by Qormi but Scerri nipped in to flick the ball into the net.

The Citizens might have doubled their lead when Zammit released Falzon, another second-half substitute, but the latter’s cross-shot was deflected away by Vandelannoite.

Valletta: A. Hogg-7.5, S. Borg-6.5, J. Caruana-6.5, Ramon-6.5, J. Pace-6, K. Sammut-6.5, O. Temile-5.5 (62 D. Falzon-6), Denni-6.5 (87 E. Agius), T. Scerri-7, J. Okonwko-5 (53 I. Zammit-7), I. Azzopardi-6.

Qormi: M. Farrugia-7, H.J. Kang-6, R. Sammut-6, J. Farrugia-7, G. Mallia-6.5 (86 B. Camilleri), S. Giglio-6, J. Vandelannoite-7, J. Bondin-6, K. Bjedov-6.5 (79 C. Frendo), M. Bartolo-6 (’88 J. Chetcuti), A. Bello-Osagie-7.5.

Referee Kevin Azzopardi.

Yellow cards Kang; Temile.

BOV player of the match Abubakar Bello-Osagie (Qormi).

Attendance 1,970.