Sliema Wanderers 3
Mitev 36 pen, 71; Jorge 45;
Tarxien Rainbows 0
Sliema Wanderers coach Danilo Doncic had to make a bold effort last summer to persuade Danail Mitev to join the Blues. Having worked with Mitev at Lokomotiv Sofia, Doncic was confident that that the Bulgarian winger would boost Sliema’s firepower and he is being proved right.
On target in Sliema’s 3-3 draw with Qormi last weekend, Mitev offered further evidence of his improving form yesterday as he scored a brace to inspire Sliema Wanderers to a merited 3-0 victory over Tarxien Rainbows.
Mitev capped a man-of-the-match performance with a fine goal in the second half as Sliema’s counter-attacking prowess tore the Tarxien defence to pieces.
Tarxien came into this game in high spirits after back-to-back wins but the absence of Brazilians Rodrigo Andreis Galvao and Caio Suguino left them short of creativity and bite in attack.
The opposite is true of Sliema who relied on the pace and direct running of their forwards, especially Mitev and Brazilian Jorge, to torment the slow Tarxien defence as the Blues cruised to an emphatic win, their first in six games.
Faced with a shortage of central defenders due to Josef Mifsud’s suspension and injury to Clifford Gatt Baldacchino, Doncic switched Steve Bezzina to centre-half while Beppe Muscat started at left-back.
Striker Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza was among Sliema’s substitutes after recovering from a hamstring problem.
Tarxien coach Patrick Curmi was forced to make three changes from the team that started the 3-2 victory over Birkirkara. Brazilian forward Galvao and Manuel Caruana were out injured while Caio was serving a one-match ban. Steve Sadowski was also missing for the Blues.
Curmi had to indulge in some positional tinkering as Lee Galea and Julian Vella were handed marshalling duties in the centre of midfield as Orosco Anonam took up a more advanced position.
Ricardo Costa was Tarxien’s target man with Karl Pulo flitting in and out of the left wing and Daniel Mariano Bueno often dropping deep to be more involved in the Rainbows’ build-up play.
Sliema goalkeeper Anthony Curmi, who was facing his former team, saved a central free-kick from Justin Grioli on 16 minutes.
In their next foray into Tarxien’s half, Sliema threatened to go ahead. David Cassar, the Tarxien goalkeeper, dashed out of goal to try and fist the ball from Mitev. The ball landed at the feet of Jackson Lima who tried to chip the ball into the net but Cassar managed to save.
Tarxien also went close but Ricardo’s low strike from long range flashed against the base of the post with Curmi beaten.
The early exchanges were balanced and keenly-contested as both teams sought to push forward when in possession.
Jorge went close with a dangerous shot that whistled past the far post but Tarxien were quick to respond. Carl Sammut whipped in a teasing cross from the left and Galea’s diving header was deflected into the path of Anonam whose far-post effort was beaten away by the alert Curmi.
Sliema were quick to get the ball into Tarxien’s half as Jackson Lima accelerated into the box from the right but slumped to the ground as he was challenged by Stefan Giglio. The Tarxien defender signalled that the Brazilian had dived but referee Glenn Tonna pointed to the spot and Mitev rifled home as Cassar dived the other way.
The Rainbows might have gained an instant equaliser as Ricardo chested the ball towards Anonam who volleyed high.
Two minutes from half-time, Jackson Lima tried to surprise Cassar with a pulverising free-kick from the distance but the Tarxien goalkeeper punched the ball away.
Sliema extended their lead on the stroke of half-time after a prolonged action that featured two goal-line clearances.
In a swift Sliema breakaway, Jorge surged clear on the left before squaring to Frendo whose initial effort was blocked by Everton. The loose ball rolled to Jorge whose effort was cleared by Giglio but the Brazilian scored from the rebound.
Tarxien protested that right-back Justin Grioli had been fouled in the action leading to Sliema’s second goal but their pleas fell on deaf ears.
At the start of the second half, Doncic brought on Mifsud Triganza for Scerri and switched to 4-4-2.
Cassar saved Tarxien from a dangerous situation when palming away Jackson Lima’s corner and, at the other end, Bueno laid the ball back for Ryan Mintoff but the Tarxien substitute’s shot was off target.
The Rainbows poured forward in a bid to reopen the issue but in so doing left themselves vulnerable at the back. Sliema almost punished them when Mifsud Triganza made headway on the left before slipping a through-ball to Mitev who evaded Tarxien’s offside trap but the Bulgarian’s lob was high.
Mitev atoned for his miss as, with 18 minutes remaining, he let fly a thunderous drive that soared above Cassar, hit the underside of the crossbar and dropped into the net.
Doncic’s men threatened to pile more misery on Tarxien as Cassar fumbled Jackson Lima’s free-kick, given for Everton’s foul on the advancing Jorge, but the Tarxien custodian redeemed himself by blocking Mifsud Triganza’s follow-up.
Sliema Wanderers
A. Curmi-6.5, A. Muscat-6, M. Scerri-6.5 (46 J.P. Mifsud Triganza-6), D. Mitev-8, S. Bezzina-6.5, Jackson Lima-6, R. Galabov-6.5, R. Bajada-6, Jorge-7, C. Frendo-6 (82 R. Grech, 89 A. Caligari), B. Muscat-6.
Tarxien Rainbows
D. Cassar-5, C. Sammut-7, Everton-6, S. Giglio-5, Ricardo-5.5 (56 A. Carabott-4), K. Pulo-6 (88 L. Vella Critien), D.M. Bueno-5, J. Vella-5, O. Anonam-5, L. Galea-6 (56 R. Mintoff-5), J. Grioli-6.5.
Referee: Glenn Tonna.
Yellow cards: Galea; B. Muscat; Bezzina; Jorge; Everton.
BOV player of the match: Danail Mitev (Sliema Wanderers).
Protest adjourned
The Malta FA Protest Board yesterday started hearing a complaint lodged by Birkirkara FC over the result of last week’s match against Tarxien Rainbows which the latter won 3-2.
Birkirkara were contending that a techincal error occured during the match which favoured Tarxien.
The Protest Board is expected to continue hearing the case later on this week.