Toninu Camilleri played for Gżira United and Sliema Wanderers.

Toninu Camilleri was born in Sliema on February 6, 1945.

He started his football career with modest club Għargħur in the lower divisions of the league but in 1960-61 he joined Gżira United and went on to play 47 First Division games for the Maroons before joining Sliema Wanderers in 1972.

Well build and stocky, Camilleri had a surprisingly fine burst of speed which made him one of the most dreaded strikers of his era.

His career with the Wanderers was short but eventful. He only managed 45 league games for the Blues and scored 21 goals.

Camilleri won three honours with the Wanderers – the FA Trophy and Independence Cup in 1973-74 and the Sons of Malta Cup the previous year.

His name, however, will always be linked to the famous goal he scored for Malta in the World Cup qualifier against Sweden on November 11, 1973.

That was the last match of the group. Austria were leading Sweden by two points at the top of the provisional standings and the Swedes needed at least a 2-0 victory to overtake the leaders on goal-average.

At the other end of the table, Malta had lost all its matches, conceding 18 goals and had still to score a goal. Therefore, one could not really blame the Nordics if they were confident of reaching their objective.

Malta stood no chance but for once the underdogs rose to the occasion to overwhelm the favourites.

Urged on by a 20,000-strong crowd, the locals gave the Swedes the fright of their lives. Against all odds they took the lead when Camilleri beat keeper Hellstroem with a fine shot after one of his spectacular forays inside the enemy territory.

The visitors were jolted into action. They increased the pressure and Kindvall equalised but the Maltese continued to share the exchanges.

However, a few minutes from half-time Greek referee Katsoras awarded the Swedes a very dubious penalty. This decision did not go down well with the crowd.

Trouble erupted on the stands and the game had to be stopped for over six minutes until the police could restore order and the penalty taken.

For the rest of the game, the Swedes went all out in search of the elusive third goal but Malta held tight to lose narrowly 2-1.

Camilleri played another great game in 1997 in the Champions Cup against Lahden Reipas, of Finland. Sliema won this game 2-0 but they should have won it more convincingly and made sure of a place in the second round of the competition.

Unfortunately, they wasted too many chances and they were made to rue their slips in the away leg when they lost 1-4.

Sliema’s best player in the home game was Camilleri who capped an excellent performance with two first-class goals. His second was a gem!

Receiving a defence-splitting pass from Ritchie Aquilina, he coolly bypassed a defender. Then, he feigned as if to shoot and catching international goalkeeper Holli on the wrong foot he placed the ball into an un-tenanted net.

These two goals sum up Camilleri’s career.

A great centre-forward who could beat any defence on his day but whose career, marred by injuries, left one feeling that with his tremendous talent he could have achieved much more.