Sliema Wanderers 4
Jackson Lima 18; Lachkhem 19, 90+, Mifsud Triganza 90;
Vittoriosa Stars 3
Edison 30 pen.; Jorge 45, Ewurum 74;
Sliema Wanderers were teetering on the brink of a potentially catastrophic defeat as, with the first two of four minutes of stoppage time gone, they were losing 3-2 to Vittoriosa Stars.
Down to 10 men after Brazilian forward Edison had been expelled for two cautions 14 minutes from time, Vittoriosa thought they had done enough to protect their slim one-goal lead but Sliema conjured up an extraordinary two-goal show in the concluding stages that left their fellows-in-distress reeling.
Having opened his account with a perfectly-flighted volley 19 minutes into his Sliema Wanderers debut, Tunisian striker Chakib Lachkhem crowned a vibrant performance with a second goal that sealed the Blues’ 4-3 victory four minutes into injury time.
This duel between two struggling teams in the Premier League resembled a relegation scrap as both sides traded goals, scoring chances and yellow cards.
Vittoriosa made a hefty contribution to this absorbing encounter as they recovered from a 2-0 deficit to move 3-2 up with 16 minutes left but Edison’s red card and Sliema’s fightback led to their late collapse.
Relief was the predominant feeling in the Sliema camp after their late flourish enabled them to snap their winless run and revive their Championship Pool bid, but, in fairness, they had been marginally the better side and had also created the better chances in the second half.
The three-point harvest took Sliema on the 14-point mark, one adrift of the sixth-placed Marsaxlokk. Vittoriosa’s defeat all but ends their hopes of making the Championship Pool as they remain stuck to the bottom on seven points.
Donning the no.20 shirt, Lachkhem was the central figure in Sliema’s attack as Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza and Miguel Ciantar were deployed on the wings.
Sliema coach Mark Marlow was without Nigerian striker Obinna Obiefule, John Mintoff and long-term injury victim Alex Muscat.
Brazilian forward Edison and Nigerian Anthony Ewurum were granted licence to interchange in attack as Vittoriosa coach Winston Muscat favoured a 4-4-1-1 formation.
Injury robbed Muscat of Brazilian midfielder Carlos Compagnoli and Pierre Aquilina.
Eight minutes into the game, Jackson Lima’s free-kick was partially cleared by the Vittoriosa defence but the ball landed at the feet of Sliema defender Josef Mifsud whose first-time attempt whistled past the foot of the near post.
Sliema threatened again when Mifsud Triganza’s cross from the right invited Miguel Ciantar to attack the open space on the left-hand side of the Vittoriosa box. The nippy winger raced clear but his strike was parried away by Simon Agius, the Vittoriosa Stars goalkeeper who was facing his former team-mates yesterday.
The Blues persisted with their brisk approach, Jackson Lima going close with a curling free-kick that flew inches wide of the upright. It looked only a matter of when not if Sliema would break the deadlock and they didn’t have to wait long to go ahead.
The game was only 18 minutes old when Lachkhem, lurking in midfield to strengthen Sliema’s resistance, retrieved possession and quickly released Mifsud Triganza with a perfect through-ball. Mifsud Triganza ran clear before squaring to the advancing Jackson Lima who drilled his shot past Agius.
Uplifted by their opener, Sliema doubled their lead a minute later, Lachkhem scoring 19 minutes into his debut with an angled volley after pouncing on Jackson Lima’s perfect pass into the Vittoriosa box.
Vittoriosa looked shell-shocked as they laboured to stage a reaction but Edison lifted their flailing spirits when winning a penalty on 29 minutes after his elusive run inside the box was halted by Clayton Failla. Referee Marco Borg promptly pointed to the spot and Edison drove past Viktor Szentpeteri to drag Vittoriosa back into contention.
Edison’s goal jolted Sliema’s momentum as Vittoriosa imbued their game with some much-needed urgency. The improved movement of Brazilian striker Jorge and Ewurum was central to Vittoriosa’s revival.
Four minutes from half-time, Jorge advanced through the middle but his shot was off target.
The Stars made it 2-2 in the dying minutes of the first half. They were awarded a free-kick after Mifsud felled Edison just outside the box and Jorge curled his free-kick past the wall and into the bottom-right corner.
Vittoriosa threatened to heap further misery on Sliema when, within 30 seconds of the start of the second half, Jorge darted into the box and pulled the ball back for Edison but the latter’s central drive was repelled by Szentpeteri.
Referee Borg waved away Sliema’s claims for a penalty after Lachkhem finished on the turf following a challenge by Chetcuti.
Lachkhem’s astute running helped Sliema to make inroads into Vittoriosa’s rearguard. The Tunisian was foiled by Agius who beat away his strong drive and, on another occasion, Lachkhem outpaced Sharlon Pace but flicked wide of the near post.
After the flurry of chances in the opening 10 minutes of the second half, there was a decline in the rhythm of the game. Sliema offered more going forward but the Vittoriosa defence stood its ground.
Midway into the second half, Failla’s free-kick sailed over the bar. With 17 minutes remaining, Sliema came close to regaining their lead when Lima’s thunderbolt was fisted away by Agius after the Vittoriosa defence had blocked a powerful run by Lachkhem.
From the possibility of going ahead, Sliema found themselves 3-2 down as Vittoriosa struck on the counter.
Leighton Grech initiated the move with a charging run through the middle before switching the ball to Jorge on the right. The Brazilian ran past the back-tracking Sliema defence and squared to the unmarked Ewurum who prodded home.
Vittoriosa were over the moon but they were soon brought down to earth when Edison was dismissed for a second bookable offence two minutes later.
Marlow’s men upped their efforts as they sought to make their numerical advantage count. Substitute Noel Turner came close but his low shot was stopped by Agius.
Sliema’s late barrage yielded an equaliser three minutes into stoppage time when Mifsud’s flicked cross from inside the box sailed towards Mifsud Triganza who nodded past Agius.
More drama was in store as, within a minute of their equaliser, Sliema struck again.
As the Vittoriosa defenders backed off, Mifsud Triganza dashed into the box on the left-hand side and passed to Lachkhem who blasted home from close range.
Sliema Wanderers
V. Szentpeteri-5, J. Mifsud-6, M. Scerri-6, J.P. Mifsud Triganza-6.5, M. Ciantar-6 (67 J. Paris-6), S. Bezzina-6, Jackson Lima-7, C. Lachkhem-8, R. Bajada-5.5 (85 A. Spiteri), B. Muscat-5, C. Failla-5.5 (80 N. Turner).
Vittoriosa Stars
S. Agius-6, A. Ewurum-6.5 (89 C. Micallef), K. Sammut-5, S. Pace-5, J. Chetcuti-5, Edison, J. Xerri-5, Jorge-8, S. Wellman-6, L. Grech-5 (80 D. Cachia), K. Mifsud-6.
Referee: Marco Borg.
Yellow cards: Failla; Mifsud; Lachkhem; Edison; Bezzina; Chetcuti; Scerri; Wellman.
Red card: Edison (VS) 76.
BOV player of the match: Jorge (Vittoriosa Stars).