SLIEMA WANDERERS 1

Shodiya 89

NAXXAR LIONS 2

Demba 51, Bonnici 56

Naxxar boosted their prospects of retaining their Premier League status with a 2-1 win over Sliema Wanderers to condemn their opponents to their fifth consecutive defeat.

But during this clash it was the Italian goalkeeper Albero Gallinetta, making his debut for Naxxar, who caught the eye with a string of excellent saves to frustrate the Wanderers in the first period.

Johann Bezzina, playing in a central midfield position, slipped a through-pass for Farrugia who fashioned a long-range shot but Gallinetta saved after 11 minutes. Sliema pressed on the pedal and in next no time, the Italian custodian pulled off another superb save from Farrugia’s header.

Six minutes from time, Bezzina veered infield from the left before rifling a low shot but Gallinetta managed to get a touch on the ball to put it into corner.

Naxxar failed to wilt under this wave of pressure in the opening period and surprisingly they took a shock lead as early as the sixth minute of the second half, Jurgen Debono delivered a perfect corner which led to Demba Toure heading firmly behind Glenn Zammit, the Sliema goalkeeper.

Still shell-shocked, Sliema were again caught off guard, when player-of-the-match Debono’s excellent ball for Bonnici unsettled the defence, the latter was quick to capitalise, sweeping past the overtures of Clifford Gatt Baldacchino, before scoring with a thumping shot.

The clock marked 72 minutes of play when Debono unleashed a 25-metre drive which sliced just wide off the near post with Zammit beaten as the Maltese winger could only hold his head in disbelief.

Despite this double handicap, Sliema halved the deficit two minutes from time when Alex Muscat cut a low cross for the surging Shola Shodiya who evaded Awaro Rosero and smacked a stinging past Gallinetta.

Naxxar had to ensure some nail-biting momemts as their opponents tried their utmost to clinch a point from the encounter but in the end the Lions rearguard held on for a morale boosting win.