Sliema Wanderers 4
Bianciardi 8; Muchardi 57; Bello-Osagie 81; Navarra 90;
Rabat Ajax 1
Licari 70;
Sliema Wanderers had to rely on all their reserves to break Rabat’s dogged resistance in a nervy 4-1 victory.
With memories of last weekend’s defeat by Mosta still fresh in mind, Sliema again looked edgy and lacked inspiration before Abubaker Bello-Osagie and Matias Muchardi took the team’s reins before substitute Andrea Navarro put an underserved gloss on the scoreline.
Rabat were buoyed by the return of goalkeeper Pavle Velimirovic as coach Steve D’Amato made four changes from the 0-0 draw against Qormi with Zachary Tanti, Patrick Borg and Malcolm Licari all coming in for suspended duo Clifford and Shawn Gauci and the injured Adam Smeir.
Senegalese striker Pape Gueye provided the one change to Sliema’s starting line-up as he replaced Navarra.
The shock 3-2 defeat by Mosta from the previous outing had been a reminder to Sliema that no Premier League fixture can be taken for granted and the Blues’ resolve to take maximum points at the Magpies’ expense was in abundant evidence yesterday when Alfonso Greco’s troops seized the lead after just eight minutes.
Paltemio Barbetti was the architect, sending in a free-kick towards the far post where Stefano Bianciardi headed past Velimirovic.
Somewhat surprisingly, scoring chances for Sliema proved hard to come by after their opener as both teams lacked fluency in their play.
The Wanderers enjoyed a slight edge though but Rabat gave little away at the back. Rabat’s work-rate was admirable, their players often doubling up on Sliema’s main threats Gueye, Matias Muchaardi and Trevor Cilia.
But Rabat were not content to merely sit back and defend in numbers. Shy of the half hour, Diego Carrillo Pendas escaped the marking of Clifford Gatt Baldacchino only to roll his shot just wide of the left-hand post with goalkeeper Henry Bonello to beat.
Just before half-time, Daniel Peleaz Bellido threatened from a long-range free-kick but his ferocious drive was tipped over the bar by Bonello.
The Wanderers showed marked improvement at the start of the second half with Abubaker Bello-Osagie firing over after some confusion in the Rabat defence.
The Nigerian was a constant menace cutting in from the right flank and his forays into the centre led to Sliema’s double advantage. Never hesitant to take up a challenge, Bello Osagie combined with Mintoff wide on the right flank and Muchardi sneaked ahead of his marker to head in from two metres out.
The relief was palpable, both for Greco and the Sliema fans, but they still had work to do.
Rabat continued to push and they halved the deficit after 70 minutes when Licari had to exercise his neck muscles to reach Peleaz Bellido and arch a header over Bonello.
But with nine minutes remaining, Sliema put the seal on their win when Barbetti floated a pass to Muchardi who ran past onrushing Jonathan Azzopardi before Bello-Osagie arrived at the back post to squeeze in the Argentine’s ball from a tight angle.
Just before the final whistle Navarra rounded up Sliema’s victory with a fourth goal that came in bizarre circumstances. Bellido Pelaez’s free-kick hit Rabat team-mate Dylan Falzon and the ball rolled kindly in Navarra’s path for the easiest of goals.
Sliema Wanderers
H. Bonello-6, A. Muscat-6, J. Mintoff-6, M. Scerri-5.5, A. Bello-Osagie-7.5, C. Gatt Baldacchino-5.5, T. Cilia-6, P. Gueye-6 (78 A. Navarra), P. Barbetti-5, M. Muchardi-7, S. Bianciardi-5.5.
Rabat Ajax
P. Velimirovic-6 (81 J. Azzopardi), Z. Tanti-6, D. Azzopardi-5, I. Carapic-6, D. Falzon-5.5, P. Borg-5.5 (74 C. Vella), D. Pendas Carrillo-5.5, D. Peleaz Bellido-5, M. Avila Perez-5, M. Licari-6, J. Bajada- (35 A. Azzopardi-6).
Referee: Malcolm Spiteri.
Yellow cards: Carrillo, Barbetti, Gueye, Pelaez, Falzon.
BOV player of the match: Abubaker Bello-Osagie (Sliema Wanderers).