Rabat Ajax 2
Licari 82; Cauchi 90
Qormi 1
Bilbao Zarate 31
Two goals in the final eight minutes secured a vital victory for Rabat Ajax over ten-man Qormi yesterday.
It was a dramatic turnaround to a match which had Jesmond Zerafa’s team in the lead until eight minutes from time but the second-half dismissal of Jonathan Bondin coupled with quick-fire goals from Malcolm Licari and Yan Cauchi enabled the Magpies to move out of the relegation zone.
Silvio Vella’s team are now third from bottom on nine points, one ahead of Ħamrun Spartans and two ahead of Melita who are rooted at the bottom of the standings.
Goalkeeper Steve Sultana and Alessio Cassar were named in Qormi’s starting formation as coach Zerafa made two changes from the team that beat Balzan in the FA Trophy quarter-finals.
Rabat’s starting XI also showed two changes from the 3-0 loss to Valletta in the FA Trophy as Sean Mintoff was preferred to Jonathan Azzopardi while Gaetano Ges-ualdi was drafted back into the first teamin place of Patrick Borg.
The Magpies were the better side in the opening stages. They came close to breaking the deadlock on 20 minutes when Sultana was forced to dash out of his goal to close down Josè Luis Armaro Negrin who had sped clear of the Qormi defence.
On 29 minutes, a whipped-in cross by Diego Carrillo Pendas was met by Armaro Negrin but Sultana easily blocked his effort.
However, it was Qormi who struck on 31 minutes. Leighton Grech orchestrated Qormi’s opener when he surged past two defenders and his perfect cross gave Edison Bilboa Zarate the easiest of tap-ins.
Rabat could have felt hard-done being a goal down but they could have equalised four minutes later.
They were awarded a penalty when Qormi midfielder Duncan Pisani pushed Carrillo Pendas in the box. Armaro Negrin’s intial shot was pushed away by Sultana before the Spaniard put the rebound into the hands of the goalkeeper.
Rabat survived a scare early in the second half when Alfred Effiong charged clear but fired over the bar.
Qormi were reduced to ten men after Bondin was dismissed for a second yellow card following a foul on Cauchi.
One expected the Ajax to take the initiative but for all their running, they were finding it difficult to breach Qormi’s defensive lines.
However within minutes, Rabat risked conceding another goal when Avila-Perez combined to set up Effiong but Mintoff kept out the Nigerian’s drive with the goalkeeper justifying his selection ahead of Azzopardi.
Licari, who had came on for Gesualdi, left his mark on 82 minutes when the former Balzan striker scored with a glancing header into the far corner following Pendas Carrillo’s cross, it seemed Rabat had at least saved a point.
Then came Yan Cauchi in the dying moments, rifling the ball into the right corner and leaving the Qormi players stunned.
Rabat Ajax: S. Mintoff-7, G. Gesualdi-5 (68 M. Licari-6), I. Carapic-5, J. Caruana-6, J. Armaro Negrin-4, M. Fuster-6, D. Falzon-4 (41 Y. Cauchi-7), C. Brincat-6, D. Carrillo Pendas 7.5-, D. Azzopardi-6, C. Gauci-6.
Qormi: S. Sultana-7, K. Thackray-6.5, A. Effiong-6, C. Cassar-4 (38 J. Chetcuti-5), M. Avila Perez-6, E. Bilboa Zarate-6, D. Pisani-5, J. Bondin, A. Cassar-5, S. Wellman-5, L. Grech-6 (65 L. Scibberas-4).
Referee André Arciola.
Yellow cards Bondin; Carrillo Pendas; Zarate; Avila Perez; Gauci; Sultana.
Red card Bondin (Q) 59.
Missed penalty Armario Negrin (R) 31.
BOV Player of the match Diego Carrillo Pendas (Rabat Ajax).