Sliema Wanderers 3
Ohawuchi 3, 30, 50;
Balzan 0

When Sliema Wanderers were flying high in the opening weeks of the season, Stanley Ohawuchi was their leading light.

His goals enabled the Blues to stay within touching distance of the front-runners in those early stages but Ohawuchi’s injury-enforced absence jolted their momentum to the point that Sliema headed into their second-round meeting with Balzan 10 points adrift of leaders Birkirkara.

They were under pressure to return to winning form ahead of their second-round meeting with Balzan after gathering only one point from their last two games.

Not for the first time this season, Ohawuchi stepped forward to elevate his team’s flailing morale as the Nigerian struck a hat-trick in a 3-0 win over Balzan.

With Balzan needing a win to reassert their top-six credentials, more was expected of Jesmond Zerafa’s outfit but they were torn apart by Sliema... or make that Ohawuchi.

His pace and understanding with the returning Ivan Woods, allied with the forceful running and crosses of a rejuvenated Trevor Cilia, proved too much for the porous Balzan rearguard who were guilty of some horrendous defending.

The return of Mark Scerri, who has completed a two-match ban, compensated for the absence of the suspended Paltemio Barbetti.

Wanderers coach Alfonso Greco didn’t restrict himself to one change as Italian defender Alessandro Rapino was preferred to Beppe Muscat and Woods started ahead of Senegalese striker Pape Gueye.

Ryan Darmanin’s reward for his two-goal salvo in Balzan’s 2-2 draw with Rabat was a place in the Balzan line-up as Joselito had to make do with a place on the substitutes’ bench.

Darmanin positioned himself at the apex of Balzan’s 4-2-3-1 formation with Jose Luis Armario Negrin, initially starting on the right wing.

The other change saw midfielder Luke Sciberras, back from suspension, take the place of Gianluca Calabretta.

Sliema were off to a strong start. Three minutes of the game had elapsed when Gatt Baldacchino dragged in a cross and Ohawuchi’s header nestled into the net.

Dylan Grima’s shot was deflected by Stefano Bianciardi who sent the ball flying just past the post.

There was another scare for Sliema when, from the ensuing corner, the ball landed in the path of Lydon Micallef who looked odds-on to score but his drive skimmed the foot of the post.

Sliema were quick to respond. Ohawuchi’s speed unsettled the dithering Rodrigo Pereira who surrendered possession. The Sliema forward sprinted into the box and dragged the ball back for Scerri who skied his shot.

Sliema doubled their lead on the half-hour mark.

Clifford Gatt Baldacchino won possession with a robust challenge in midfield before passing to Woods who in turn served Ohawuchi. Balzan stopped for offside but assistant referee Chris Francalanza’s flag stayed down and Ohawuchi ad-vanced before slotting the ball past goalkeeper Guilhermo Lorenzi.

Galvanised by their two-goal lead, Sliema remained the more coherent side.

Five minutes from half-time, captain Alex Muscat, yesterday filling the left-back role as Jacob Borg was again left out, headed just wide from Cilia’s free-kick.

Balzan needed a goal to get back into the game. They should have reduced the arrears when Fabio Vignaroli’s cross from a free-kick arced towards Pereira but the Brazilian’s header was too weak to quicken Henry Bonello’s pulse.

On the cusp of half-time, Sliema should have pulled further clear of their misfiring opponents as Cilia, again thwarting Balzan’s offside ploy, charged clear on the right before picking out Ohawuchi who flicked wide in front of a gaping goal.

Any hopes Balzan might have had of launching a fightback were dashed five minutes into the second half as Sliema surged three goals ahead.

Balzan were again caught out at the back as Woods dashed into the box before squaring to the un-marked Ohawuchi who nudged the ball past Lorenzi.

That proved Ohawuchi’s final contribution as Greco, mindful not to overwork his leading forward who has just recovered from an ankle problem, withdrew the Nigerian.

In a rare attacking forway, Balzan worked the ball towards Darmanin but his effort from outside the box was stopped by Bonello.

Balzan’s improved efforts produced another chance on 64 minutes. Vignaroli’s cross from a free-kick arrowed into the box and Andrew Scicluna’s header was pushed away by Bonello.

The game fell into a lull as Sliema looked content to sit back and protect their lead, an approach that invited Balzan to step up to their attacking efforts but to no avail.

Seven minutes from time, it was Sliema who nearly made it 4-0 but Gueye’s thunderbolt whistled wide of the far post.

In the first minute of stoppage time, Gueye spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his name on the scoresheet as he fired wide from inside the six-yard box after receiving from Cilia.

Sliema Wanderers
H. Bonello-6, A. Muscat-6, A. Rapino-6.5, J. Mintoff-6.5 (70 A. Xuereb-6), M. Scerri-7, S. Ohawuchi-8.5 (57 P. Gueye-4), C. Gatt Baldacchino-6, I. Woods-6.5 (63 B. Muscat-5.5), T. Cilia-7.5, M. Muchardi-6.5, S. Bianciardi-6.5.

Balzan
G. Lorenzi-4, J. Grioli-5, S. Bezzina-5, R. Pereira-4, A. Scicluna-4, F. Vignaroli-5, D. Grima-6.5 (46 A. Agius-5.5), L. Micallef-5, L. Sciberras-5, J.L. Armario Negrin-5.5 (72 Joselito), R. Darmanin-5.5.

Referee: Glenn Tonna.

Yellow cards: Micallef; Woods; Pereira.

BOV player of the match: Stanley Ohawuchi (Sliema).

Attendance: 408.