SLIEMA WANDERERS-1, MOSTA-1
Mosta halted Sliema Wanderers' winning run after their first-round clash ended 1-1.
Coming from four victories on the trot, Sliema should have made it five as they were the better side but were denied by a string of good saves from goalkeeper Yenz Cini in the second half after Mosta had made the most of a rare scoring opportunity to equalise.
Sliema Wanderers were the better side in the opening half.
They took the lead on 24 minutes when Mattias Muchardi traded passes with Jean Paul Farrugia whose shot was blocked by Yen Cini, the Mosta goalkeeper, but Wisdom Salomon flashed in to stab the ball home.
Late in the first half, Sliema missed a great chance to increase their lead when Mark Scerri lifted his shot over the bar after Muchardi had headed on Alex Muscat's cross.
Moments later, Cini denied Sliema when saving Farrugia's close-range header from Gary Muir's free-kick.
Sliema threatened inside the opening four minutes of the second half. Farrugia passed to Salomon inside the box but his effort was beaten away by Cini.
A powerful run by Njongo Priso raised Mosta's optimism as the Cameroonian swe[t past Marko Potezica but Scerri made a timely tackle to flick the ball away for a corner.
Priso levelled for Mosta 12 minutes into the second half as his effort from inside the box was deflected past Glenn Zammit after the former Valletta winger had connected with Atkinson's cross.
Sliema had a good chance to regain their lead when Aquilina's cross from the left sailed into the box but Farrugia, rising high, headed over.
The match opened up as Mosta grew more dangerous, mainly through Priso.
On 65 minutes, Priso went past Potezica from the left but rifled wide.
As the minutes rolled by, Sliema regain the initiative.
Muir produced a powerful drive from the distance but Cini was alert. Cini was prominent again when saving from Denni who had been first to Muir's cross.
The Mosta goalkeeper took centre-stage in these dying stages, making another fine save to touch away Muscat's piledriver before stopping Muchardi's shot.
Muchardi was named BOV player of the match.