Marsaxlokk 0
Sliema Wanderers 2
Mitev 24 pen., 90;

Cutting a frustrated figure on the sidelines as he watched his team huff and puff with little effect, Sliema coach Danilo Doncic must have rued the fact that he hung up his boots a few years back.

The Blues had countless opportunities to put the result beyond doubt but they wasted chance after chance in a one-way traffic game.

Marsaxlokk battled to stay in touch until the 87th minute when the game had a sting in the tail and Anton Cremona’s men were presented with a lifeline in the shape of a penalty. But, Malcolm Licari crashed his effort against the bar as Sliema finally sealed the issue with the very last kick of the match.

In reality, Sliema barely had to break sweat to beat Marsaxlokk, thin in resources and yesterday also missing skipper Carlo Mamo through suspension.

The Wanderers went into the game knowing a win would see them open up a three-point gap on fellow Championship Pool challengers Qormi and Balzan Youths.

On paper, it seemed they could not get an easier opportunity with crisis club Marsaxlokk having won only once in five matches.

Sliema’s problems were more of the traditional kind – Clifford Gatt Baldacchino was still sidelined but they were boosted by the return of Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza.

Soon the chances began to arrive but Mifsud Triganza wasted a string of opportunities to put Sliema ahead.

In the eighth minute, he capitalised on a poor Clive Brincat clearance to drill the ball straight at Christian Cassar, the Marsaxlokk goalkeeper. Four minutes later, with just Cassar to beat, Mifsud Triganza fired into the side-netting.

That lack of self-belief was most evident on 15 minutes when he squandered another gilt-edged chance, shooting wide as the hapless Cassar simply stood and watched the ball fly past him.

The chances kept coming for Sliema as Cassar pulled off a superb reflex save from Danail Mitev’s near-post shot in the 20th minute.

It was a matter of time before Sliema went in front, and when Sacha Borg hauled down Beppe Muscat inside the box, they seized the opportunity. Mitev scored from the penalty spot after 25 minutes.

Just before the break, a lovely Sliema move led to Roderick Bajada finding space in midfield before picking out Mifsud Triganza who drove over the bar.

The gulf in class remained stark after the break, though the Wanderers had to wait until the hour to trouble the Marsaxlokk rearguard when Cassar was almost caught wrong-footed as a 20-metre shot from Jackson Lima took a deflection off a defender.

Cremona’s men had a glimmer of hope in the 66th minute but their appeals for a penalty were waved away by referee Kevin Azzopardi after Licari went down in the penalty area. Sliema quickly regained the upperhand with Bajada causing plenty of problems, first by pulling a shot wide before Mifsud Triganza failed to make the most of a fine cross by the nippy midfielder in the 69th minute.

Nine minutes from time, Mitev ran clear of defence but saw his shot turned away by the toe of Cassar as Marsaxlokk failed to make a reaction.

Three minutes from time, the unexpected happened as Marsaxlokk had a great opportunity to level matters and make Sliema pay for their wastefulness. Sliema substitute Mark Scerri, lying on the ground after picking up a minor injury, handled the ball on the line to block Sunday Eboh from charging down the box. However, striker Licari hit the crossbar and Modesto Valeriani headed out the rebound.

And, in the final minute of stoppage time, Mitev showed ice-cold composure as he dinked the ball beyond Cassar to heap more misery on Marsaxlokk.

Marsaxlokk
C. Cassar-7.5, M. Valeriani-5, P. Borg-6.5, C. Brincat-6.5, S. Borg-4, S. Eboh-6, M. Licari-5, G. Caruana-6, J.P. Farrugia-5, D. Grech-5 (59 S. Cutajar-5), K. Polidano-5.

Sliema Wanderers
H. Bonello-6, B. Muscat-6.5, R. Bajada-7 (84 R. Grech), Jackson Lima-6, Jorge-5, R. Galabov-6, S. Bezzina-5.5, D. Mitev-7, C. Frendo-5.5 (55 M. Scerri-4), J. Mifsud-5.5, J.P. Mifsud Triganza-5 (77 A. Muscat).

Referee: Kevin Azzopardi.

Yellow cards: Galabov; Scerri; Bonello; Farrugia.

Missed penalty: Licari (M) 87.

BOV player of the match: Christian Cassar (Marsaxlokk).

Attendance: 885.

Standings