ST ANDREWS 1
Kastrevec 30
SLIEMA WANDERERS 4
Muscat 36, Farrugia 65, 76, Muchiardi 90
Fresh from his first international goal against Slovakia last Sunday, Jean Paul Farrugia scored a late brace to help Sliema earned a hard-fought win over St Andrews.
St Andrews defender Bong Won Che was sent off early in the second half after tugging Sliema striker Denni back before he could reach the box, receiving a straight red card.
Sliema had 28 minutes left to exploit their numerical advantage.
His dismissal complicated matters for St Andrews coach Danilo Doncic as Sliema raised their game by a few notches to score three times within 25 minutes and gain a deserved victory.
Midway through the second period, Jean Paul Farrugia managed to breach the St Andrews rearguard on 65 minutes, courtesy of Muscat. A pin-pointed cross from the right flank seared across goal and onto the head of the Malta striker. In no time the ball was in the net and Blues supporters were overjoyed.
Muchiardi nearly put his clan’s minds at rest, but Galea turned his scorcher to corner. From the ensuing corner, Farrugia put the issue beyond doubt by hammering a shot home via the underside of the bar after Galea block Mark Scerri’s effort. Muchiardi hit in a fourth with a great shot after Galea rushed off hid lines to deny Farrugia a hat-trick.