City pull clear in closing stages

Valletta 4
Denni 19; Scerri 68 pen G. Agius 86; E. Agius 89;
Sliema Wanderers 0

Four days after emerging with flying colours from their skirmish with Marsaxlokk, Valletta were odds-on favourites to despatch a Sliema side that have blown hot and cold so far this season.

While Valletta were gunning to extend their unbeaten start, Sliema yearned for a positive result to make amends for a 2-1 reverse to Tarxien and claw their way back into a top-three position.

Sliema demonstrated admirable fight and also played some good football but Valletta, despite only showing glimpses of their best form, carried the heavier ammunition as they powered to a 4-0 victory that extended their lead at the top to seven points.

The scoreline provided a distorted picture of the run of play as Sliema only gave up their ghost after Valletta doubled their lead from a contentious penalty.

Two goals in the last four minutes added shine to Valletta’s victory, much to the delight of their numerous fans who again thronged the Tedesco Stadium.

The only change in Valletta’s starting XI from the Marsaxlokk game was enforced upon coach Jesmond Zerafa by the withdrawal of defender Ramon who suffered an injury in training on Thursday.

With Kenneth Scicluna still sidelined, Zerafa indulged in some positional tinkering as Steve Borg was moved to centre-half, Roderick Briffa switched to right-back and captain Gilbert Agius, making his first start in more than a month, took up his usual station in the centre.

For Sliema, Mark Scerri was back in the thick of things while left-back Steve Bezzina featured in the squad for the first time since his loan move from Valletta.

Sliema fashioned the first glimmer of a chance when Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza floated a pass to Obinna Obiefule who raced clear but his effort went wide.

On 16 minutes, referee Alan Mario Sant incurred the wrath of the Citizens after he deemed that Josef Mifsud’s tackle on Terrence Scerri on the edge of the box was legitimate.

Groans soon gave way to cheers though as Valletta surged ahead three minutes later. Latching on to Agius’s perfect pass, Denni burst into the box and clipped the ball past Viktor Szentpeteri.

Sliema’s riposte posed instant danger as Clifford Gatt Baldacchino crossed for Obiefule but the latter’s header was touched away by keeper Andrew Hogg.

A plastic glass full of beer was hurled in the direction of the referee after he booked Denni for encroachment as Sliema were preparing to take a free-kick in the City half.

Sliema increased the frequency of their forays into their opponents’ half. They would have levelled on the half-hour were it not for a fine save from Hogg who pawed away Jackson Lima’s first-time shot.

At the other end, Dyson Falzon volleyed wide after getting on the end of Briffa’s service.

The brisk movement of the Sliema wingers and forwards disconcerted Valletta in the final stages of the first half as Zerafa’s men grew increasingly sloppy.

A Jackson Lima grounder, just before half-time, was blocked by Hogg.

Seven minutes into the second half, Denni profited from a poor clearance to lay the ball to Kevin Sammut but the latter’s shot lacked the power to trouble Szentpeteri.

Still, Valletta continued to struggle for pace.

A miscued backpass by Jamie Pace gifted Sliema an opening as Obiefule charged towards the box. Borg managed to hold off the Nigerian but the ball landed in the path of Lima who again passed to Obiefule whose ferocious shot whistled past the near post.

The Citizens had the chance to kill off Sliema when Agius released Sammut but the former Wanderers midfielder shot straight at the Blues’ keeper.

Twenty minutes into the second half, Valletta benefited from a very dubious decision after Sant ruled that Sekou Tidiane Souare had tripped Scerri when it looked as though the latter had shoved the defender off the ball.

Sliema’s protests were justified but Sant stuck to his decision and Scerri drilled the penalty past Szentpeteri.

Scerri then missed a glorious chance to widen Valletta’s advantage, heading wide from an inviting position.

Inevitably, the Blues’ caution-free approach in the final stages left them exposed at the back.

Valletta squandered a gilt-edged chance to pull out of sight as Scerri advanced unimpeded but his shot was repelled by the keeper. The loose ball squirmed into the path of substitute Ian Zammit whose effort was hooked away by Souare.

In next to no time, Valletta were 3-0 up, Agius glancing the ball home after meeting a cross from substitute Omonigo Temile.

Valletta made it 4-0 two minutes from time, Edmond Agius, who had just come on for Gilbert Agius, slotting past Szentpeteri after receiving from Zammit.

Valletta
Hogg-7.5, S. Borg-7.5, G. Agius-6.5 (87 E. Agius), J. Caruana-7, I. Azzopardi-6, R. Briffa-7, J. Pace-5, K. Sammut-6 (81 I. Zammit), D. Falzon-5.5 (65 O. Temile-5.5), T. Scerri-6, Denni-7.

Sliema Wanderers
V. Szentpeteri-5, J. Mifsud-6, S. Souare-6.5, M. Scerri-6.5, J.P. Mifsud Triganza-4 (79 M. Ciantar), C. Gatt Baldacchino-6.5, Jackson Lima-6, O. Obiefule-6, R. Bajada-5 (62 J. Paris-5), J. Mintoff-6.5, B. Muscat-5 (74 S. Bezzina).

Referee: Alan Mario Sant.

Yellow cards: Denni; Gatt Baldacchino; Lima; Mifsud; Briffa.

Attendance: 1,427.

BOV player of the match: Gilbert Agius (Valletta).