Sliema Wanderers 2
Mifsud Triganza 29; Scerri 90
San Ġwann 0
Sliema Wanderers crawled into the fourth round of the National League 100 Anniversary Cup after an unconvincing 2-0 victory over Division One side San Ġwann at the Centenary Stadium, yesterday.
A win for the Blues was regarded as a foregone conclusion but Stephen Azzopardi's men made heavy weather of beating the industrious Saints.
Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza's goal on 29 minutes looked to have set Sliema on their way but most of their football thereafter was sloppy.
Prior to kick-off, San Ġwann captain Justin Spiteri presented flowers to Ian Ciantar, the Sliema skipper, as this match was the first ever competitive meeting between these two neighbours.
Azzopardi didn't give in to the temptation of reshuffling his team.
This meant that fringe players like Brazilian goalkeeper Michael Gustavo Biscuotto Lima, Miguel Ciantar and Nigerian forward Henry Isaac again had to make do with a place on the subs' bench.
Ivan Woods has recovered from his hamstring injury but was again left out of Sliema's starting XI.
San Ġwann's hopes of avoiding a repeat of their 4-0 debacle to Floriana in the FA Trophy were hampered by the absence of several first-choice players, the likes of Sergio Hili and Ryan Sell. On the plus side, Joe Brincat was bolstered by the return of Spiteri, the team's regular goalkeeper.
The first genuine scoring chance came Sliema's way after 11 minutes. Ryan Fenech's inswinger sailed towards the far post where Josef Mifsud, standing on the goal-line, was unmarked but contrived to head the ball over the bar.
Sliema began to stamp their authority on the match. Matthew Bartolo's deft flick from a deep midfield position set Mifsud Triganza on a run. The striker charged forward before switching the ball with Fenech - yesterday playing as an advanced midfielder - on the left but the latter miscued his shot.
Spiteri then thwarted Bartolo when pushing away his diagonal shot but on 29 minutes, Sliema opened the scoring.
There seemed little danger for the Saints when a mishit pass rolled into the path of Mario Caruana outside the box. Instead of passing to a team-mate, the veteran defender tried to shepherd the ball towards goalkeeper Spiteri. Caruana's hesitancy was punished by Mifsud Triganza who nipped in and tucked his shot into the unguarded net.
A soft goal indeed.
Sliema were now expected to raise the tempo of the game and put their opponents to the sword but the Wanderers lacked fluency.
Five minutes from time, San Ġwann's Firas Aboulezz tried his luck with a shot from outside the box but his effort was easily saved by Simon Agius.
At the start of the second half, Azzopardi brought on Woods for Bartolo.
Three minutes into the second half, Mark Scerri made good progress through the middle before picking out Woods on the right. The Sliema midfielder crossed for Fenech but the latter headed over.
Despite their limited resources, San Ġwann continued to frustrate Sliema who looked short of ideas and motivation.
It said everything about the failure of Sliema's 'stars' to shine that the most intelligent and polished football originated from the feet of San Ġwann's Aboulezz.
Midway into the second half, Fenech lifted his shot over the bar. Seconds later, the former Ħamrun midfielder made way for Miguel Ciantar.
San Ġwann offered very little going forward but they showed admirable resilience to keep their more illustrious opponents at bay.
In stoppage time, Isaac, a second-half substitute, had a shot saved by Spiteri and at the other end, Agius palmed away a free-kick by Lee Cumbo.
From the ensuing action, Sliema doubled their lead as Scerri got on the end of a through-ball, rounded Spiteri and poked the ball home.
Sliema Wanderers
S. Agius, I. Azzopardi, J. Mifsud, R. Fenech ('68 M. Ciantar), M. Scerri, J.P. Mifsud Triganza ('83 H. Isaac), M. Bartolo ('46 I. Woods), C. Gatt Baldacchino, L. Dronca, I. Ciantar, C. Failla.
San Ġwann
J. Spiteri, C. Giordemaina, L. Cumbo, M. Francica, M. Caruana, A. Borg, C. Cuschieri ('90 R. Sammut), F. Aboulezz, Q. Bregman ('52 C. Gatt), L. Bonett ('86 V. Brincat), S. Pisani.
Referee: Adrian Casha.
Other Cup tie
Żurrieq 1
Oluseyi 26
Mellieħa 2
Micallef 8; Borg St John 65
Referee: Philip Farrugia.