Qormi move back on track

Dingli Swallows vs Sliema Wanderers 0-2 (HT 0-1)

With two rather controversial goals, one in each half, Sliema Wanderers defeated Dingli Swallows 2-0 to register the second win in a week.

The Wanderers lacked once again Alex Muscat, John Mintoff and Henry Isaac. Kevin Borg was missing for Dingli but Andre Rocha Da Silva was back in the starting line-up.

Sliema took the lead on 16 minutes when they were awarded a penalty after Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza was brought down, apparently just outside the area. Referee Saviour Tanti pointed to the penalty spot and Lucian Dronca made no mistake.
Dingli replied with a Joseph Okonkwo effort which was partially saved on 22 minutes and off the rebound, Roderick Spiteri hit high.

Three minutes in the second half, following a good run on the left flank, Ryan Fenech, ball deflected into a corner from resulting corner by Fenech, Josef Mifsud headed just wide.

The Wanderers doubled the score on 62 minutes thanks to a cross shot from the right by Matthew Bartolo. The ball was saved by goalkeeper Jeffrey Farrugia but was judged to have crossed the goal-line by assistant referee Malcolm Mercieca and hence by referee Saviour Tanti among the protests of the Dingli players and Farrugia in particular.

Dingli went close to reducing the gap on 74 minutes but his attempt was deflected into a corner by Ciantar. From the resulting corner, a header by Shawn Tellus was neutralised by Simon Agius.

DINGLI Jeffrey Farrugia, Renato Garcia Conceicao, Shawn Tellus, Roderick Spiteri (68′ Matthew Borg), Haruna Doda (80′ Etienne Farrugia), Kurt Formosa, Victor Fiteni, Christian Muscat, Dino Cachia, Andre Rocha Da Silva (77′ Dylan Zarb), Joseph Okonkwo.
Subs not used: Ivan Cassar, Clint Caruana, Justin Muscat, Christopher Azzopardi.
Coach: Jesmond Zammit
Team Manager: Mark Chetcuti

SLIEMA Simon Agius, Ian Azzopardi, Josef Mifsud, Ryan Fenech, Mark Scerri (74′ Noel Turner), Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza (42′ Ivan Woods), Matthew Bartolo (85′ Miguel Ciantar), Clifford Gatt Baldacchino, Lucian Dronca, Ian Ciantar, Clayton Failla.
Subs not used: Jeremy Alden, Michael Gustavo Siscoutto Lima, Amadeo Mercieca, Luca Martinelli.
Coach: Stephen Azzopardi
Team Manager: Rupert Perry

Referee: Silvio Tanti
Assistant Referees: Mariano Debono, Malcolm Mercieca
Fourth Official: Alan Mario Sant
Yellow Cards: Failla, Da Silva
BOV Player of the Match: Josef Mifsud
Scorers: 16′ Lucian Dronca (pen)
62′ Matthew Bartolo

Tarxien Rainbows vs Qormi FC 1-2 (HT 0-0)

Qormi moved back on track as they scored twice in the second half to beat Tarxien Rainbows 2-1 and join Valletta on top the BOV Premier League table with thirteen points.

The Rainbows created better chances during the first half but after the break, Qormi took the initiative, building a two-goal lead and despite a late rally by Tarxien, the Yellow Blacks managed to take home the three points.

Qormi lacked Joseph Farrugia, Steve Meilak and Matthew Camilleri. Tarxien, on the other hand, were in full strength.

Although the two teams shared the exchanges, the Rainbows created the best chances. On 11 minutes, there was no one to conclude off a cross by Gianluca Calabretta following a good run by the latter. Then on the half-hour, following a cross from the right, Anderson Mendes Ribeiro headed just wide. Three minutes later, a rising shot by Denni Rocha Dos Santos ended just wide.

Three minutes in the second half, Massimo Grima tried his luck with a direct freekick from the left which was neutralised by Farrugia.

Qormi managed to take the lead on 53 minutes. It was a great freekick by Camilo Da Silva Sanvezzo from a distance of around 35 metres that simply gave goalkeeper David Cassar no chance.

Alfred Effiong doubled the score on 67 minutes when he received a perfect pass by Camilo Da Silva, advanced on the left and into the area before beating the Tarxien custodian with a diagonal shot.

Nine minutes from time, Tarxien pulled one back with Gianluca Calabretta beating Matthew Farrugia with a good shot from inside the area.

Camilo Da Silva had a close-range effort saved by Cassar on 87 minutes and two minutes later, Matthew Farrugia performed a good save on a shot by Denni from the left. Finally a Ryan Mintoff header for Tarxien ended just wide.

TARXIEN David Cassar, Steve Sadowski, Manuel Caruana (83′ Kurt Magro), David Camilleri, Gianluca Calabretta, Everton Antonio Pereira, Anderson Mendes Ribeiro, Mark Tanti (61′ Andrew Decesare), Luke Vella Critien, Denni Rocha Dos Santos, Ryan Mintoff.
Subs not used: Anthony Curmi, Stacey Vella, James Shead, Mario Bajada, Lee Galea.
Coach: Noel Coleiro
Asst. Coach: Michael Church

QORMI Matthew Farrugia, Ramon Dos Santos, Massimo Grima, Keith Fenech (67′ Ryan Deguara), Joseph Chetcuti (82′ Kenneth Spiteri), Camilo Da Silva Sanvezzo (93′ Malcolm Buttigieg), Jonathan Bondin, Sharlon Pace, Roderick Sammut, Stephen Wellman, Alfred Effiong.
Subs not used: Jurgen Cilia, George Chircop, Ryan Cauchi, Jurgen Gerada.
Coach: Vince Carbonaro
Team Manager: Jesmond Zerafa

Referee: Chris Lautier
Assistant Referees: Ingmar Spiteri, Alan Camilleri
Fourth Official: Anton Zammit
Yellow Cards: Sammut, Wellman, Mintoff, Effiong, Grima, M. Farrugia, Deguara, R. Dos Santos
BOV Player of the Match: Camilo Da Silva Sanvezzo
Scorers: 53′ Camilo Da Silva Sanvezzo (Q)
67′ Alfred Effiong (Q)
82′ Gianluca Calabretta (T)