Sliema Wanderers 0
Valletta 0

Seven days after serving up a gripping FA Trophy duel, champions Valletta and Sliema Wanderers met in the league.

Last weekend’s cup tie produced a goal feast and an extraordinary five-goal fightback by the Citizens but there was no repeat of those fireworks yesterday as the match ended goalless.

Blown away by Valletta’s attacking prowess in the second half of the Trophy encounter, Sliema were fully aware that they had another mammoth task to stop the Citizens’ juggernaut but they certainly lived up to the challenge.

Making light of the absence of a host of first-choice players, the Blues showed great resilience and tactical discipline to restrict the leaders to a handful of chances but Sliema’s undisputed hero was certainly goalkeeper Henry Bonello who saved a penalty, taken by Michael Mifsud, in the second half.

Critics will argue that Sliema resorted to defensive tactics as coach Danilo Doncic opted for a prudent approach but after their chastening experience the previous weekend, few expected them to play in a different way, especially considering their list of absentees.

Valletta dominated large swathes of possession but they lacked the cutting edge to break down a well-drilled team who packed their defence and midfield. The City forwards tried to swap positions and attack down the wings but they were hardly given a chance to push forward with speed as Sliema’s pressing was non-stop.

The draw earned Sliema a precious point in their quest to make the Championship Pool, moreso after Birkirkara lost to Floriana. As for Valletta, they are six points clear of Floriana and seven ahead of Hibs but the Paolites will narrow the gap to four if they win against Ħamrun Spartans today.

Valletta’s starting XI showed three changes from the U*Bet FA Trophy win over Sliema.

Argentine midfielder Nahuel Pulitano Jimenez, who was making his Valletta debut, started ahead of Gilbert Agius while Edmond Agius and Ousseni Zongo replaced William Barbosa and Dyson Falzon, the latter having since joined Mosta on loan.

Young Slovenian striker Miha Robic, another new signing for Valletta, was named among the substitutes.

Danilo Doncic’s resources were hampered by the suspension of Danail Mitev and Steve Bezzina and the injury to midfielder Mark Scerri. Captain Alex Muscat, Josef Mifsud and Jerry Ani filled the void left by the absent trio while Cleaven Frendo deputised for Ryan Fenech who started on the bench.

Fenech, who signed on loan from Valletta till the end of the season, had faced his parent club in the FA Trophy match and Wanderers officials yesterday denied that the loan agreement barred the Malta midfielder from playing against the Whites in the championship. According to Sliema, Fenech was nursing a hamstring injury.

Striker Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza was also on the bench for Sliema in what was probably his last match for the Blues after the club reached an agreement with Birkirkara over his transfer with Trevor Cilia and Andrew Decesare moving in the opposite direction.

The Nigerian-born Ani was deployed at the tip of Sliema’s 4-2-3-1-cum-4-3-3 formation with Alex Muscat and Emiliano Lattes pushing up the wings when the Blues had possession.

Valletta’s tactical configuration was similar with the difference that their initial XI contained more offensive players, the likes of Michael Mifsud, Alfred Effiong, Denni and Zongo.

Four minutes into the game, Roderick Briffa made good progress on the right wing and centred for Mifsud whose first-time volley ended high.

Profiting from a mistake in the Sliema defence, Mifsud darted into the box but his angled drive flashed against the side-netting.

Jimenez, who flanked Agius in central midfield, was wide with a curling shot.

Valletta were dominating possession but the energetic Blues refused to yield an inch. Close to the half-hour, the Citizens threatened when Ian Azzopardi sent in a teasing cross into the box and Denni slipped his marker but his effort was parried away by Bonello.

On another occasion, Jimenez’s floated pass reached Mifsud whose shot on the turn ended wide. Bar an occasional foray by Sliema, most of the action was taking place in the Blues’ half. Jimenez, lurking in the Sliema box, had a glorious chance to mark his debut with a goal but he miscued his effort from Briffa’s cross.

Effiong flicked wide after latching on to Jimenez’s short pass seven minutes from half-time.

Valletta were toiling to breach Sliema’s defensive lines as Rumen Galabov and Josef Mifsud were very vigilant at the back while Ryan Grech and Roderick Bajada effected some good interceptions in front of the Wanderers’ four-strong rearguard.

Attacking-wise, Sliema did little but they tried to catch the Valletta defence off guard with long balls to Ani and Frendo, another on-loan City player with the Wanderers.

Late in the first half, Frendo ran himself into space outside the City box but his drive ended in no man’s land.

A quick interchange involving Zongo and Mifsud disconcerted Sliema, leading Clifford Gatt Baldacchino to trip the Burkina Faso winger close to the touchline. The Sliema right-back was booked by referee Clayton Pisani. Twelve minutes into the second half, Lattes’s left-wing corner for Sliema sailed towards the far past but Mifsud’s header flew high.

As the champions laboured for creativity, coach Jesmond Zerafa withdrew Effiong and brought on Barbosa who took up an attacking role. Gilbert Agius then replaced Jimenez.

In between, Denni’s long-ranger was deflected wide.

Barbosa’s arrival had the desired effect as, with 20 minutes remaining, the Brazilian won his team a penalty after he looked to have been felled by Galabov inside the box. As Pisani pointed to the spot, Galabov held his head in his hands, protesting his innocence but the referee was unmoved.

Mifsud marched towards the penalty spot but his low drive was repelled by the alert Bonello.

With 10 minutes left, Zerafa unleashed Robic who replaced Denni. Valletta now played 4-2-4 with Robic partnering Mifsud in attack and Gilbert Agius and Zongo supporting from the wings.

In a rare counter-attack, Sliema got the ball to Ani whose piledriver finished over.

Four minutes from time, Mifsud Triganza came on for Ani. In the closing stages, Zongo drifted infield from the left and tried to surprise Bonello with a curling flick but his effort was too weak to trouble the Sliema goalkeeper.

Sliema Wanderers
H. Bonello-8, A. Muscat-7, J. Mifsud-7, R. Grech-7 (90 D. Vukovic), C. Gatt Baldacchino-6.5, R. Galabov-7, J. Ani-6 (86 J.P. Mifsud Triganza), R. Bajada-7, E. Lattes-6.5, C. Frendo-6.5, B. Muscat-6.5.

Valletta
A. Hogg-5, J. Caruana-6, S. Borg-6, I. Azzopardi-6.5, R. Briffa-6, E. Agius-5.5, O. Zongo-6.5, N.P. Jimenez-6 (67 G. Agius-6), Denni-6 (81 M. Robic), A. Effiong-5.5 (64 W. Barbosa-5.5), M. Mifsud-5.5.

Referee: Clayton Pisani.

Yellow card: Gatt Baldacchino.

Missed penalty: Mifsud (V) 72.

BOV player of the match: Henry Bonello (Sliema Wanderers).

Attendance: 1,585.

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Valletta	18	14	3	1	40	13	45
Floriana	18	12	3	3	30	14	39
Hibernians	17	11	5	1	40	14	38
Sliema	18	6	9	3	27	21	27
Balzan Youths	18	8	3	7	25	26	27
Birkirkara	18	8	2	8	23	23	26
Qormi	18	7	2	9	29	30	23
Mosta	18	4	5	9	17	30	17
Mqabba	17	4	4	9	20	29	16
Ħamrun	17	4	3	10	23	39	15
Tarxien	17	4	1	12	21	38	13
Marsaxlokk	18	3	2	13	20	38	11