Qormi 2
Bondin 22; Farrugia 90+2;
Marsaxlokk 2
Gravata 69 pen; Alcorse 90+4;
The Championship Pool race literally went down to the wire.
On an afternoon of endless drama, Marsaxlokk and Qormi conjured up a pulsating finale as they traded two goals in stoppage time to take their fans on an emotional roller-coaster.
Needing a win to keep their top-six bid alive, Qormi, down to 10 men for the last 23 minutes, looked as though they had accomplished their mission as they put their noses in front thanks to a fine goal from captain Joseph Farrugia in the second minute of stoppage time.
Marsaxlokk were staring at the prospect of a nerve-wracking decider against the same Qormi but they refused to accept defeat.
What followed was truly extraordinary as, with the Qormi supporters still in a delirious state, Marsaxlokk struck to eke out a coveted point that guaranteed them a place in the Championship Pool.
The source and manner of Marsaxlokk’s equaliser added to the drama of this scintillating encounter as Argentine striker Julio Alcorse netted the decisive goal only seconds after entering the fray.
Alcorse’s salvo broke Qormi’s hearts as it consigned them to the Relegation Pool.
Heartened by their team’s 4-1 rout of Birkirkara, the Qormi fans turned up in large numbers for yesterday’s crucial tie.
Coach Stephen Azzopardi kept faith with the 11 players who started the victory over Birkirkara with Michael Mifsud, their hat-trick hero in that match, charged with the onus of leading their attack alongside Brazilian Josue as Abubakar Bello-Osagie played at the tip of Qormi’s four-man midfield.
Marsaxlokk’s resources were diluted by the absence of Gareth Sciberras, Andrew Spiteri, Rumen Galabov and Martin Deanov, all suspended, while defender Clive Brincat was ruled out by injury.
Nevertheless, coach Patrick Curmi was still able to field a strong line-up as the likes of Luca Lodetti, Sunday Eboh, Peter Pullicino and Trevor Templeman were drafted into the first team.
Ryan Darmanin was also awarded a first-team recall at the expense of Gary Caruana.
With Carlo Mamo and Emil Yantchev manning the centre of Marsaxlokk’s defence, Eboh was assigned the holding midfield role while Darmanin and Alfred Effiong led their attack in a 4-4-2 formation.
Qormi showed their attacking intent from the outset but it was Marsaxlokk who created the first chance of the game. Fastening onto a pass from Darmanin, Alfred Effiong surged into the box but his shot was kept out by Matthew Farrugia, the Qormi goalkeeper.
Reuben Gauci, the Marsaxlokk custodian, repelled Bello-Osagie’s cross-shot after the Nigerian accelerated into the box from the left.
Marsaxlokk settled as the first half progressed. They protested for a penalty when Qormi goalkeeper Farrugia barged into the leaping Effiong but referee Adrian Azzopardi saw nothing untoward.
The Blues’ frustration deepened when, midway into the first half, Qormi took the lead thanks to Jonathan Bondin whose dipping shot from out on the right soared past a startled Gauci.
A catalogue of fouls disrupted the rhythm of the game after Bondin’s opener but Qormi remained the livelier side going forward.
Ten minutes from half-time, Malcolm Licari embarked on a good run down the left and pulled the ball back for Templeman who drove wide from the edge of the box.
Bondin then threw his body in the way of Pullicino’s shot after some good work by Florent Raimy.
As Azzopardi whistled the end of the first half, Effiong approached the referee to seek an explanation for an earlier decision that saw the Nigerian penalised after he looked to have been thrown off balance by Keith Fenech’s body charge.
Three minutes into the second half, Effiong charged into the box to reach Templeman’s forward pass but his angled effort whistled past the far post.
Marsaxlokk now pressed forward with purpose. Lodetti advanced on the right before delivering an inviting centre that dropped to Darmanin whose close-range effort was blocked by Bondin.
The ball squirmed towards Effiong who swivelled before hitting a low shot that came off the sliding Stefan Giglio.
Sensing Qormi’s toils to get their passing game off the ground, Marsaxlokk increased their efforts in search of an equaliser. Effiong had a shot repelled by Fenech and Raimy’s free-kick was blocked by Qormi’s human barrier.
Templeman almost scored a carbon-copy goal to that of Bondin when his cross-cum-shot from a wide position on the right arced towards goal but Farrugia managed to palm the ball onto the crossbar.
Just past the hour-mark, Curmi brought on Ruben Guerreiro Gravata for Lodetti. The Portuguese was detailed to play on the right wing as Templeman was moved to right-back.
Marsaxlokk survived a scare when Matthew Bartolo, who had just come on for Mallia, unleashed a powerful drive from outside the box but Gauci pawed away his shot.
Amid the ensuing melee, Jason Lee Vandelannoite fell under the challenge of Eboh inside the area but Qormi’s shouts for a penalty were waved away by Azzopardi.
The southerners were quick to transfer the ball forward and, with Qormi short on numbers at the back, Effiong sprinted into the box but his progression was illegitimately halted by Farrugia. Azzopardi pointed to the spot and dismissed the Qormi goalkeeper.
Josue made way for reserve goalkeeper Matthew Camilleri but the latter’s first intervention was to pick the ball from the net after being beaten by Gravata’s penalty kick.
Emboldened by their equaliser and numerical advantage, Marsaxlokk stepped on the accelerator. Effiong swept past Christos Karamanolis and Giglio but his rising shot was off target.
Qormi intensified their attacking endeavours in the final stages. The woodwork came to Marsaxlokk’s rescue when, five minutes from time, Giglio’s thunderbolt crashed against the crossbar.
Marsaxlokk should have applied the killer touch when man-of-the-match Pullicino directed a through-ball to Effiong who chipped wide.
In their next raid, in the second minute of stoppage time, Qormi scored courtesy of captain Farrugia who beat Gauci with an exquisite volley after receiving a headed assist from Bello-Osagie. Cue wild celebrations among the Qormi players and fans.
Qormi thought that was that but more drama ensued. Marsaxlokk summoned the energy and courage to bite back, also thanks to coach Curmi whose decision to bring on Alcorse late on proved decisive.
Gravata’s long cross from a central free-kick was headed by Alcorse and Effiong floated the ball towards the far post where Pullicino was unmarked.
The veteran midfielder’s lob caressed the crossbar but Alcorse was on hand to poke the ball home to send the Marsaxlokk fans into raptures.
Qormi
M. Farrugia, J. Vandelannoite-5.5, S. Giglio-6, C. Karamanolis-4, K. Fenech-5.5 (79 J. Chetcuti), M. Mifsud-5.5, J. Farrugia-6.5, A. Bello-Osagie-6, G. Mallia-5 (62 M. Bartolo-4), J. Bondin-7, Josue-4 (69 M. Camilleri-5).
Marsaxlokk
R. Gauci-6, L. Lodetti-5.5 (61 R.G. Gravata-6.5), E. Yantchev-7, C. Mamo-6.5, M. Licari-6, S. Eboh-5, P. Pullicino-8, T. Templeman-6, F. Raimy-6 (90 J. Alcorse), R. Darmanin-5.5, A. Effiong-7.
Referee: Adrian Azzopardi.
Yellow cards: Licari; Lodetti; Bello-Osagie; Eboh; Templeman; Gravata; Fenech; Mifsud; Farrugia; Alcorse.
Red card: M. Farrugia (Q) 67.
BOV player of the match: Peter Pullicino (Marsaxlokk).
Attendance: 1,500.