Joseph Chetcuti scores Qormi’s winning goal against Naxxar, yesterday. Photo: Matthew MirabelliJoseph Chetcuti scores Qormi’s winning goal against Naxxar, yesterday. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Qormi 1
Chetcuti 48;
Naxxar Lions 0

Joseph Chetcuti marked his return to Qormi FC with the winning goal as the Yellow-Blacks handed new coach Josef Mansueto a perfect debut in their Premier League with a deserved victory over Naxxar Lions yesterday.

Qormi imposed themselves on the game right from the outset with new signings Zoran Levnaic, formerly of Hibernians, Anderson Santos and Emerson Vella working tirelessly throughout.

Upfront, Frank Temile, after a disappointing campaign with Birkirkara last season, seems to have rediscovered his best form with his surging runs and excellent link up play with the equally-impressive Alfred Effiong to cause continuous problems to the Naxxar defence.

On their part, Naxxar will surely feel let-down by their performance yesterday as their failure to convert clear-cut scoring opportunities in the first half came back to haunt them.

Winston Muscat, the Naxxar Lions coach, named five new signings in his starting formation, with David Fenech, Terence Vella and Andrew Scicluna all selected alongside new foreigners Sydney Nery Da Silva and Uchenna Emenike, but the new-look Lions were soon on the back foot.

Qormi, who handed first starts to four new foreigners, Mauricio Mazzetti, Anderson, Levnaic and Temile, dominated proceedings in the opening minutes but too often Mansueto’s men could not find an end product for all their clever build-up play.

The presence of Temile in their team’s starting formation surely lifted the spirits of the Qormi fans and the Nigerian quickly showed he could be a main asset for the team with some clever touches.

Temile went close early on when he let fly an angled shot which was blocked by Julian Azzopardi, the Naxxar goalkeeper.

A couple of corners around the midway point of the half hinted at a growing threat for Naxxar and on 26 minutes they had a glorious chance to forge ahead.

Vella showed great footwork to create space for himself on the right channel before teeing up Emenike inside the area. The Nigerian striker miscued his effort with the ball falling kindly to Gilmar who, with only goalkeeper Matthew Farrugia to beat, he incredibly fired the ball over.

The second half maintained the same pattern with Qormi playing the more fluent football.

Three minutes into the second half the stalemate was finally broken.

Effiong lofted the ball inside the area where Chetcuti did well to avoid’s Azzopardi’s challenge before he cooly slotted the ball into an empty net.

The Lions were stunned and Qormi could have doubled their lead soon after when Effiong managed to burst inside the area but his effort was pushed away by Azzopardi.

All routes seemed to be leading to Azzopardi at this stage. Temile rose unimpeded to meet Vella’s cross but he failed to make a decent connection.

Eight minutes from time, Temile, Qormi’s most enterprising player, unleashed another powerful run down the left before releasing Effiong whose effort finished wide.

Two minutes later, Qormi fashioned another good scoring opportunity when Effiong burst forward on the right but Chetcuti wasted a glorious opportunity to put the game beyond the opponents’ reach by shooting over the bar.

Winston Muscat’s men almost stunned Qormi a few moments later, when Emenike demonstrated some excellent footwork to retain possession in Naxxar’s box before shooting wide as Mansueto’s side held on for a winning start.

Qormi
M. Farrugia-6, J. Bondin-6, M. Mazzetti-6.5, E. Vella-6.5, D. Pisani-6, S. Agius-6 (71 R. Sammut), J. Chetcuti-6 (85 B. Bondin), Anderson-6.5, Z. Levnaic-6.5, A. Effiong-7, F. Temile-7 (90 P. Viggiani).

Naxxar Lions
J. Azzopardi-6.5, A. Buhagiar-5, Gilmar-4, P. Doffo-5, U. Emenike-6.5, D. Falzon-4.5 (76 D. Bonnici), D. Fenech-5, S. Nery Da Silva-5 (46 J. Debono-5), D. Reano-5, A. Scicluna-5, T. Vella-5.

Referee: Trustin Farrugia Cann.

Yellow cards: Pisani; E. Vella; Chetcuti; Anderson; Gilmar.

BOV player of the match: Alfred Effiong (Qormi).

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