Qormi 0
Mqabba 1
Mamic 53;
In a Premier League season which has so far thrown up so much that was expected, Mqabba continued to surprise. Few could have predicted their position so far.
Clive Mizzi’s team yesterday again showed their ability to attack with verve and defend with enterprise and endeavour.
Incredibly, in a game of countless chances, Bojan Mamic’s second-half strike proved enough to clinch Mqabba’s third win of the season.
It was a game which could so easily have headed in any direction after Mamic’s contribution as Qormi battled to stay in touch and created a hatful of chances but Mqabba finished as the worthy winners.
Before kick-off, Qormi skipper Joseph Farrugia, laid a bouquet of flowers on the seat where avid fan Charlon Borg used to sit to watch his favourite team. Borg passed away earlier this month after falling unconscious in a cesspit in his hometown.
There were no changes in Qormi’s line-up from the Floriana stalemate with Stephen Azzopardi starting with their three-pronged attack of Jorge Pereira da Silva, Daniel Nwoke and Abubaker Bello Osagie.
The injuries of Ryan Sammut and Clayton Micallef forced Clive Mizzi into two changes from the Valletta defeat. Rene Duca and Mark Anthony Psaila deputised for the duo as the mentor opted for a 4-3-2-1.
The Mqabba squad has been put together with relatively low budget but the resolve and unity within the team is priceless.
Two players stood out – Claudio Calleja and Marlon Briffa. Their pacy, weaving runs threatened to open up the Qormi defence but Briffa should have supplied the finishing touch to one of his mazy dribbles after 10 minutes when he ran towards the corner flag but his cross-cum-shot flew dangerously across the face of goal with Mamic just failing to make contact with the ball.
Seven minutes later, Calleja played a short ball towards Thiago Mazzitelli but the Brazilian fired his shot over the bar.
Mamic’s presence allowed Mazitelli and Calleja more space to shine and the duo combined to almost give Mqabba a goal on 38 minutes. Calleja delivered a great ball but Matthew Farrugia hooked Mamic’s ball onto the crossbar.
Mqabba could have felt harddone for not breaking the deadlock before the half-time and their first-half display did merit a goal but they soon found the net after the re-start.
Calleja displayed all his sprinting skill as he exchanged the ball with Duca before pulling the ball for Mamic who fired a shot into the bottom corner.
With Qormi in complete disarray, Mamic and Mazzitelli responded with some delightful interchanges only to see Farrugia produce a great save to keep out Mamic’s shot. The rebound fell kindly to Briffa who hit the foot of the post.
But Qormi’s reaction was desperately lacking imagination and Daniel Nwoke was guilty of some glaring misses.
On 66 minutes the Nigerian was clean through and with only goalkeeper Kris Calleja to beat he elected to pass the ball to Bello Osagie, only for the latter to fire wide.
Then seconds later, a superb cross from Pereira fell between Farrugia and Scicluna allowing Nwoke to shoot on goal but saw his effort beaten away by a defender.
The Nigerian’s lack of self-belief was most evident in the 75th minute when Nwoke shot feebly from a good position.
Qormi’s biggest hope of grabbing a lifeline came in the shape of substitute Jonathan Bondin who tried his luck with a strong shot from distance that came off the post after 83 minutes.
Four minutes later, Joseph Farrugia was unlucky to see a goalbound free-kick hit the Mqabba wall and finish just wide.
At the death, Mamic missed an excellent chance to take the result beyond their opponents’ reach when he delayed too long in a central position and Scicluna recovered to clear at the last moment.
Qormi
M. Farrugia-6.5, J. Chetcuti-5(62 J. Bondin), R. Sammut-5, M. Bartolo-5, J. Farrugia-6, L. Sciberras-5.5, K. Scicluna-5, J. Pereira da Silva-5, S. Wellman-5, A. Bello Osagie-5 (68 Jos Chetcuti), D. Nwoke-4.5 (78 D. Cachia).
Mqabba
K. Calleja-6, P. Grima-6, M. Potezica-7, M.A. Psaila-6, B. Timotic-6.5, M. Briffa-7.5 (84 S. Magro), D. Azzopardi-5, C. Calleja-8 (90 C. Micallef), R. Duca-6.5,T. Mazitelli-6, B. Mamic-6.5 (90 J.P. Muscat).
Referee: Fyodor Zammit.
Yellow cards: Mamic, Psaila, Jef. Chetcuti, Sciberras, C. Calleja, Pereira.
BOV player of the match: Marlon Briffa (Mqabba).