Wanderers hold nerve to complete top-six mission

Qormi 1
Farrugia 71 pen.;
Sliema Wanderers 3
Lattes 55; Bogdanovic 68; Eyenga 90;

As referee Fyodor Zammit blew his whistle to signal the end of an incident-packed encounter, Sliema Wanderers coach Danilo Doncic embraced club president Keith Perry.

Their elation was justified as Sliema had accomplished their Championship Pool mission thanks to a hard-earned win over fellow top-six rivals Qormi.

Both sides came into this match, their penultimate of the first phase, under mounting pressure to win, especially Qormi who started the day two points outside the top-six zone.

Sliema, who had not won in their last four games, needed a win to dispel the spectre of a second season in the Relegation Pool but their performance in a generally low-key first half had left much to be desired as the best chances fell to Qormi.

A slow-burning match burst into life in the second half as the rejuvenated Blues, driven on by Emiliano Lattes and Danail Mitev, raced into a two-goal lead only for Qormi to resuscitate their hopes when converting a penalty.

A cagey finale ensued as both teams finished with 10 men but Sliema, also boosted by Doncic’s substitutions, held their nerve to apply the killer blow in stoppage time.

Feelings of relief and happiness engulfed Sliema players and fans who applauded each other after the match as this victory lifted the Blues alongside Birkirkara on the 32-point mark and dispelled the grim prospect of a nerve-jangling encounter with Mosta.

As for Qormi, their top-six chances have receded after this defeat but they are still in with a shout.

Their initial XI showed no changes from the 4-1 victory over Mqabba. Heartened by his team’s solid showing in their last outing, Qormi coach Stephen Azzopardi opted for a three-man defence and a dense midfield in which Triston Caruana occupied the holding role with Jonathan Bondin and Matthew Bartolo on the flanks.

The return from suspension of Mitev, Josef Mifsud and Clifford Gatt Baldacchino enhanced the resources at the disposal of Sliema coach Danilo Doncic who had been shorn of several first-choice players for the previous three games.

Gatt Baldacchino’s availability enabled Doncic to deploy captain Alex Muscat on the right of midfield in an adventurous 4-4-2-cum-4-2-4 formation. Mitev and Lattes, Sliema’s two central forwards, were under orders to drop deep and swap places in a bid to expose chinks in Qormi’s defensive armour.

The first chance came Qormi’s way after 10 minutes. Bondin swung in an inviting ball from the right and Abubakar Bello-Osagie swivelled to lose his marker inside the box only to rifle over from an inviting position.

Matthew Farrugia, the Qormi goalkeeper, was called upon to produce a routine save from Lattes’s tame grounder.

Shortly afterwards, Qormi threatened again when Jorginho profited from the confusion in the Sliema box to retrieve possession at the far post but his effort was wide.

Qormi began as the more enterprising side but Sliema recovered from a shaky start to share the exchanges with their opponents.

Abrasive tackles and mishit passes turned the game into a battle of attrition for most of the half.

As the first period wore on, Sliema began to show themselves more often in Qormi’s half. Mitev had a ferocious drive pushed away by Farrugia who, on 33 minutes, was prominent again when using his feet to block Muscat’s low strike after the Sliema captain had made an intelligent run into the box to reach Lattes’s through-ball.

Qormi appealed for a penalty when Jorginho went down in the box after being held back by Mifsud but referee Zammit saw nothing wrong.

Six minutes from half-time, Henry Bonello, the Sliema goalkeeper, blocked Joseph Farrugia’s inswinger from a left-wing corner.

Sliema had a big let-off two minutes from half-time.

Farrugia’s exquisite delivery was in evidence again as the Qormi captain’s cross from a right-wing free-kick soared towards the far post and defender Vincent Kouadio looked certain to score but his header cannoned off the two posts before Ryan Fenech cleared the danger.

This came when Qormi were playing with 10 men as Bello-Osagie was receiving medical treatment after hurting his thigh as he chased a lost ball close to the touchline.

The Nigerian didn’t reappear for the second half, his place taken by Brazilian Caio.

Doncic also made one change at half-time, Beppe Muscat coming on for Gatt Baldacchino.

A combination of a mistake by Kouadio and Lattes’s persistence resulted in Sliema opening the scoring 10 minutes into the second half.

Kouadio, Qormi’s towering defender, looked well-placed to head clear but somehow lost balance and sliced the ball backwards, leaving the way clear for the persevering Lattes to beat Farrugia with a perfect lob.

The Blues might have doubled their lead as Mitev left Kris Thackray in his wake as he raced into the area but his angled effort was kept out by Farrugia.

The Qormi goalkeeper beat away Trevor Cilia’s cross-shot from the ensuing corner as the Blues, galvanised by their opener, continued to push forward.

Lattes nearly got his second goal but his grounder was pushed away by Farrugia.

Sliema’s breakthrough jolted Qormi who were now finding it difficult to cope with their opponents’ attacks.

Mitev and Lattes combined well to unlock the Qormi defence but the Argentine’s diagonal effort was parried away by Farrugia. This came on 67 minutes.

Moments later, Sliema deservedly doubled their lead thanks to the hard-working Nikola Bogdanovic who broke free into the box from the right and beat Farrugia with a low shot.

Bartolo hit wide from inside the box but Qormi gained a lifeline 20 minutes from time.

They were awarded a penalty after Beppe Muscat was adjudged to have illegitimately impeded Jorginho in the box and Farrugia made no mistake from the spot.

Qormi suddenly regained confidence. Jorginho turned past Rumen Galabov but his grounder was stopped by Bonello.

Having replaced Mitev with Cameroonian striker Anicet Eyenga, Doncic then moved to stiffen his midfield with the introduction of Ryan Grech for Cilia.

Seven minutes from time, Eyenga rendered himself useful at the back as the lanky striker headed the ball off the line despite being challenged by Thackray after Caruana’s backheader from Farrugia’s set-piece cross had looped over keeper Bonello.

Sliema suffered another setback when Beppe Muscat was red-carded after getting a second yellow card for dissent.

But numerical parity was soon restored as Qormi defender Roderick Sammut was given his marching orders, presumably for hitting an opponent in an off-the-ball incident.

The Blues put the result beyond Qormi in stoppage time.

In a sweeping counter-attack, Fenech charged clear through the middle before serving the un-marked Eyenga who took a touch before slotting past Farrugia.

Qormi
M. Farrugia-6.5, R. Sammut, M. Bartolo-5, J. Chetcuti-4, J. Farrugia-6, J. Bondin-5.5, Jorginho-7.5, K. Thackray-5, T. Caruana-5, A. Bello-Osagie-6.5 (46 Caio-5.5), V. Kouadio-5 (66 F. Mirarchi-5).

Sliema Wanderers
H. Bonello-6, A. Muscat-6, N. Bogdanovic-7, J. Mifsud-6, D. Mitev-7 (72 A. Eyenga), S. Bezzina-6, C. Gatt Baldacchino-4 (46 B. Muscat), T. Cilia-5 (80 R. Grech), R. Fenech-6.5, R. Galabov-7, E. Lattes-7.5.

Referee: Fyodor Zammit.

Yellow cards: A. Muscat; Thackray; Fenech; B. Muscat; Mifsud; Chetcuti; Galabov.

Red cards: B. Muscat (S) 87; Sammut (Q) 90.

BOV player of the match: Emiliano Lattes (Sliema Wanderers).