Qormi 2
Pisani 29; Bello-Osagie 64;
Sliema Wanderers 1
Ciantar 6;
Two bizarre moments defined this slow-burning game which saw Qormi turn the tables on Sliema Wanderers after the stuttering Blues had taken an early lead.
Qormi made the most of their luck yesterday.
After man-of-the-match Abu-bakar Bello-Osagie had profited from a defensive howler by Sliema to put his side 2-1 up on 64 minutes, in stoppage time Qormi survived an almighty scare when goalkeeper Henry Bonello failed to score from point blank after going up to help his team-mates when Sliema were awarded a free-kick.
The Blues left the ground in Corradino bemoaning their ill-luck and although a draw would probably have been a fair result, Qormi deserve credit for showing character and raising their game, parti-cularly in the second half.
Bello-Osagie’s clever runs between the channels played a key role in Qormi’s turnaround but goalkeeper Matthew Farrugia was also instrumental, producing three vital interventions in the first half when Sliema threatened to put the game beyond their opponents.
After an encouraging start, Sliema faltered in the second half, especially after the forced withdrawal of midfielder Mark Scerri only three minutes before Qormi scored the winner.
Chilean newcomer Edison Bilbao Zarate and Gaetan Spiteri were named in Qormi’s starting formation as coach Stephen Azzopardi made two changes from the 3-0 defeat to Valletta.
Sebastian Aurelio Sirito and Matthew Gauci had to settle for a place on the bench.
The task of leading Qormi’s attack fell to young forward Vincenzo Pisani as Azzopardi’s strategy was 4-1-4-1 with Kris Thackray and Zarate alternating the holding midfield position.
Sliema also had a new player in their ranks, Italian defender Stefano Bianciardi. He partnered Josef Mifsud in the heart of the Blues’ rearguard. Ivan Woods, an injury doubt before the game, was given the green light to start as Omar El Ghaouti was among the subs.
John Mintoff was preferred to Andrew Decesare.
Coach Alfonso Greco opted for 4-3-3 with Miguel Ciantar and Alain Faccini playing either side of Woods, the central striker in the Wanderers’ formation.
Six minutes from the start of the game had elapsed when Sliema opened the scoring.
Bello-Osagie’s headed clearance inside the Qormi box triggered a scramble before Ciantar retrieved possession and curled his shot beyond Farrugia’s reach and into the far corner.
Jonathan Bondin saved Qormi from a potentially damaging situation when nudging the ball away from the advancing Faccini who had been sent clear by Woods after the latter had dispossessed the stumbling Thackray in midfield.
The game descended into a battle of attrition after Sliema’s early breakthrough with both sides toiling to make headway in attack.
Qormi did try to stage a reaction but their persistence in attacking through the middle often meant that they ran into a wall of blue shirts.
Bello-Osagie, yesterday handed a roaming role behind Pisani, was dangerous with a thunderous shot that produced a fine save from Bonello, the Sliema goalkeeper.
The rebound fell to Spiteri but his effort was deflected away for a corner.
From the corner, Zarate’s cross was not cleared by Sliema as the ball drifted towards the far post where Pisani, his back to goal, mustered an audacious overhead volley to equalise for Qormi a minute short of the half-hour.
Sliema threatened to restore their lead but Farrugia first came out to push the ball away from Ciantar inside the box before parrying away Matias Muchardi’s follow-on effort.
Farrugia’s show continued as the Qormi goalkeeper fisted away Alex Muscat’s point-blank header from Paltemio Barbetti’s corner.
Ciantar then shot wide after receiving from Faccini as Sliema stayed on the attack.
Erratic passes were hampering Qormi’s attempts to gain ground.
When Muscat intercepted a pass intended for Spiteri on the right, danger beckoned for Qormi as the Malta wing-back sped forward before hitting a perfect cross to Faccini but the latter’s first touch was heavy.
Azzopardi brought on Gauci for Alessio Cassar at the start of the second period.
Eleven minutes into the second half, Joseph Chetcuti’s left-wing corner whizzed across the face of Sliema’s goal but Pisani just failed to make contact with the ball.
Beppe Muscat replaced the injured Scerri for Sliema while Leighton Grech came on for Spiteri a minute past the hour.
In no time, eyes were drawn to the Sliema box.
Josef Mifsud and Bonello looked well-placed to deal with a Grech lob but both seemed to hesitate, allowing Bello-Osagie through. The Nigerian accepted the gift by poking the ball into the unguarded net.
Sliema looked shell-shocked.
They nearly fell 3-1 behind when, with 15 minutes remaining, Bello-Osagie guided an excellent throughball to Pisani who peeled away from Mintoff but his grounder smacked against the foot of the post with Bonello beaten.
The Sliema goalkeeper then thwarted Pisani after the Qormi forward had skipped past Mifsud and Bianciardi.
In committing more men forward, Sliema conceded more space to Qormi and Azzopardi’s introduction of a speedy winger like Grech was intended to add width to his team’s attack.
Sliema’s troubles to translate their possession into clear openings prompted Greco to introduce Daniel Ortega for the ineffective Muchardi.
Two minutes from the end, Ciantar headed Muscat’s cross over the bar.
At the other end, Bello-Osagie pulled the ball back for substitute Luke Sciberras whose first-time drive came off Mifsud.
When, in stoppage time, Sliema were awarded a free-kick, Bonello sprinted upfield to add further presence to his team’s attack.
Barbetti’s dipping cross was pushed clear by Farrugia but the loose ball fell to substitute El Ghaouti whose first-time effort looked to have been deflected on to a post. The ball dropped at the feet of the unmarked Bonello less than a metre away from the goal-line but the Sliema goalkeeper’s scrambled effort was also deflected out of play, much to the relief of Qormi.
Qormi
M. Farrugia-7, K. Thackray-6, R. Sammut-6.5, M. Bartolo-6.5, V. Pisani-7, J. Chetcuti-6, A. Bello-Osagie-7.5, E. Zarate-6.5 (81 L. Sciberras), G. Spiteri-5.5 (61 L. Grech-6), J. Bondin-7, A. Cassar-5 (46 M. Gauci-5).
Sliema Wanderers
H. Bonello-5.5, J. Mintoff-6, J. Mifsud-6, S. Bianciardi-6.5, A. Muscat-6.5, P. Barbetti-6.5, M. Scerri-6.5 (61 B. Muscat-5), M. Muchardi-4 (86 D. Ortega), M. Ciantar-6, A. Faccini-5 (67 O. El Ghaouti-5.5) I. Woods-5.5.
Referee: Fyodor Zammit.
Yellow cards: Scerri; Faccini; Ciantar; Thackray; Zarate; Bondin; B. Muscat; Barbetti; Mifsud; Grech.
BOV player of the match: Abubakar Bello-Osagie (Qormi).
Standings
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Birkirkara | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 12 |
| Valletta | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 9 |
| Hibernians | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 5 | 9 |
| Qormi | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Floriana | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Sliema W. | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Hamrun | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| Mosta | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 3 |
| Rabat Ajax | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 1 |
| Melita | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 1 |
| Tarxien | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
| Balzan | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 1 |