Qormi 3
Farrugia 49, 92; Pereira 90;
Balzan 0
Qormi netted three second half goals to dispose of the challenge of Balzan Youths and register their first win in this season’s BOV Premier League.
It was a merited victory for Stephen Azzopardi’s men who were the better side right from the outset but they still had to wait till the 49th minute to forge ahead courtesy of their influential midfielder Joseph Farrugia.
Any hopes Balzan might have had of getting back in the match were severly jolted with the second-half dismissal of Brazilian striker Pedrinho and from then on Qormi flexed their muscles and wrapped up a convincing victory with two goals in stoppage time.
Both teams had their chances early on. Qormi defender Jonathan Bondin tested Balzan goalkeeper Matthew Camilleri with a stinging drive that drifted across the face of goal and finish just wide.
At the other end, Pedrinho orchestrated the best moments for the Youths, but his shot on the turn and curling free-kick were both turned around the post by Matthew Farrugia, the Qormi goalkeeper.
On 27 minutes, Jorge Pereira da Silva broke away down the left flank in a sweeping attack, before fizzing a shot from the edge of the box that Camilleri could only parry.
Five minutes from half-time, Daniel Sibalin’s header from Pedrinho’s cross flew in past Farrugia but referee Alan Mario Sant ruled that the striker had strayed offside.
Sibalin’s miserable day continued few moments later when he was booked for simulation after going down under the challenge of Stephen Wellman deep inside the Qormi box.
Balzan began the second half in quieter fashion and that, along with Joseph Farrugia’s supreme accuracy, swung the game in favour of Qormi.
The clock marked 48 minutes when Pereira was brought down just outside the area and Qormi were awarded a free-kick on the left flank.
Farrugia took responsibility and he arrowed his kick into the top right corner and although Camilleri tried to get a touch on it at the back post, the ball flew straight in to send the Qormi supporters into raptures.
Balzan’s evening deteriorated further two minutes later when Pedrinho was sent off for an off-the-ball incident with Bondin.
Qormi remained maintained their ascendancy as substitute Abubaker Bello Osagie wriggled his way past Clifton Ciantar and Nikola Tasic but his angled drive was blocked by Camilleri.
The Youths carved the first opening of the second period after 82 minutes as Tasic’s pull-back found Lydon Micallef but the striker hooked his effort wide.
Qormi showed Balzan no mercy adding two more goals in the stoppage time to make sure of their win.
With the Youths in disarray, Bello Osagie was the creator for Pereira with the pass that gave the Brazilian the opportunity to beat Camilleri with aplomb as the ball zipped into the net, via the base of a post.
But there was still time for one more moment of magic from Farrugia as he exchanged passes with Joseph Chetcuti and curled a measured shot past a dejected Camilleri into the top corner of the net.
Qormi
M. Farrugia-6, Jeffrey Chetcuti-6, R. Sammut-5 (44 D. Cachia-6), M. Bartolo-6, G. Chircop-7, J. Chetcuti-6, J. Farrugia-8.5, C. Karamanolis (21 S. Wellman-6), K. Scicluna-6, J. Bondin-6 (72 A. Bello Osagie-5), J. Pereira da Silva-7.5.
Balzan Youths
M. Camilleri-5, C. Ciantar-5, R. Forace-5, B. Guga (14 J. Francica-5), Y. Camilleri-5, N. Tasic-6, D. Grima-5, M. Ciantar-5 (64 D. Fenech), L. Micallef-5, Pedrinho, D. Sibalin-5 (57 S. Ciscaldi-4).
Referee: Alan Mario Sant.
Yellow cards: Camilleri, Farrugia, Calcado, Sibalin, Bondin, Francica, Ciantar, Chircop.
Red card: Pedrinho (B) 52.
BOV player of the match: Joseph Farrugia (Qormi).
Attendances: 1,065.