Qormi, B'Kara move fourth

Qormi moved fourth in the BOV Premier League as they returned to winning ways, beating Marsaxlokk 3-1. A win which puts Stephen Azzopardi’s side, three points behind Floriana and one ahead of Sliema.

Hardly thirty seconds had passed that Qormi went close to taking the lead when off a good move between Bartolo and Pereira da Silva, Daniel Nwoke hit just wide with a diagonal shot from the right. A freekick by Joseph Farrugia on the 5th scraped past the post.

Two minutes later, Qormi took the lead when off a Matthew Bartolo cross from the right, Jorge Pereira da Silva headed the ball home.

The Blacks went close once again with a Farrugia freekick ending just wide on the 9th minute. Marsaxlokk replied with a powerful drive by Obinna Obiefule which was turned into a corner by Qormi goalie Matthew Farrugia on 24 minutes.

Qormi doubled the score on 32 minutes when they were awarded a penalty after Malcolm Licari brought Jorge Pereira da Silva down inside the area. From the penalty spot, Joseph Farrugia made no mistake.

In the second half, Qormi continued where they had left and on 54 minutes, Abubakar Bello-Osagie had a powerful shot deflected into a corner. Daniel Nwoke then missed a good opportunity, hitting wide from close-range on 67 minutes.

On the other side of the pitch, Roderick Sammut came to the rescue as he cleared off the goal line an Emiliano Lattes effort from the right. Substitute Joseph Chetcuti then had a low shot from inside the area neutralized by goalkeeper Reuben Gauci.

Qormi scored the third goal on 77 minutes when Jonathan Bondin, served by Bello-Osagie, managed to beat Gauci with an angled shot from the right.

Jeffrey Chetcuti risked committing an own goal after deflecting a cross by Patrick Borg on 86 minutes.

Clive Brincat was sent off for Marsaxlokk on the 90th as he received a second yellow card for a foul on the goalkeeper.

Three minutes in added time, Marsaxlokk scored a consolation goal thanks to Martin Deanov who placed the ball at the back of the net with a lob from the left.

Jorge Pereira da Silva was voted BOV Player of the Match.

Photos: Copyright © www.stephengatt.com

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QORMI Mathew Farrugia, Jeffrey Chetcuti, Roderick Sammut, Matthew Bartolo, Joseph Farrugia (81’ Dino Cachia), Daniel Chimezie Nwoke (70’ Joseph Chetcuti), Federico Mirarchi, Kenneth Scicluna, Jonathan Bondin, Jorge Pereira da Silva, Abubakar Bello-Osagie (85’ Charlon Sammut).
Subs not used: Steve Sultana, Luke Sciberras, Stephen Wellman, Gabriel Buttigieg.
Coach: Stephen Azzopardi
Technical Advisor: Steve D’Amato

M’XLOKK Reuben Gauci, Carlo Mamo, Malcolm Licari (40’ Patrick Borg), Clive Brincat, Sunday Eboh, Carlos Campagnoli, Florent Raimy, Emiliano Lattes (80’ Modesto Valeriani), Dylan Kokavessis (78’ Gary Caruana), Obinna Obiefule, Martin Deanov.
Subs not used: Christian Cassar, Jonathan Xerri, Sacha Borg, Stefan Cutajar.
Coach: Winston Muscat
Asst. Coach: Darren Abdilla

Referee: Esther Azzopardi
Assistant referees: Joe Camilleri, Mariano Debono
Fourth official: Paul Caruana
Yellow Cards: Licari, Brincat, Scicluna, Mamo, Jeff. Chetcuti
Red Cards: 90’ Clive Brincat
Scorers: 7’ Jorge Pereira da Silva, 32’ Joseph Farrugia (pen), 77’ Jonathan Bondin, 90+3’ Martin Deanov

Birkirkara joined Qormi in fourth place thanks to a comfortable 4-0 over Hamrun Spartans.

The Spartans lacked the suspended Massimo Grima and Gianluca Calabretta and the injured Roderick Fenech and Dene Shields.

On the 5th minute, Omar Borg turned into a corner a Trevor Cilia effort following a cross by Terence Vella.

Five minutes, later, the Stripes were awarded a penalty after Luis Fernando Silva floored Terence Vella inside the area. From the penalty spot, Trevor Cilia converted.

On 42 minutes, Omar Borg turned into a corner a powerful drive by Joseph Zerafa.

Two minutes in the second half, Anderson RIbeiro failed to connect off a cross by Carlo Polli from the left.

Birkirkara doubled the score on 69 minutes when off a cross from the left by Terence Vella, the ball reached substitute Angus Buhagiar slammed the ball past goalkeeper Omar Borg.

The Spartans were reduced to ten men on 75 minutes when Carlo Polli collected a second yellow card for a foul and was therefore given marching orders by referee Chris Lautier.

On the 85th, Moises Avila Perez missed a good chance hitting high from an ideal position inside the area and then Trevor Cilia was unlucky to hit the crossbar with a shot from inside the area.

One minute in added time, substitute Leighton Grech concluded a swift run with a low shot from inside the area which beat goalkeeper Andrea Cassar to make it 3-0.

Two minutes later, Leighton Grech scored a fourth goal for Birkirkara when he received a pass by Gareth Sciberras, rounded Cassar and placed the ball at the back of the net.

Terence Vella was voted BOV Player of the Match.

Photos: Copyright © www.stephengatt.com

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HAMRUN Omar Borg (73’ Andrea Cassar), Nikica Gacesa, Rupert Mangion (73’ Glenn Azzopardi), Anderson Mendes Ribeiro, Lee James Agius, Kevin Sammut, Matthew Gauci, Carlo Polli, Gaetan Spiteri, Luis Fernando Silva (73’ Carlos Eduardo Toneto Porcari), David Camilleri.
Subs not used: Daniel Zerafa, Ayrton Micallef, Craig Debattista, Luke Grech.
Coach: Jesmond Zammit
Asst. Coach: Vincent Carbonaro

B’KARA Jorge Mora, Trevor Cilia, Dragan Perisic, Joseph Zerafa, Andrew Decesare (46’ Angus Buhagiar), Paul Fenech, Rowen Muscat (77’ Alan Tabone), Terence Vella (85′ Leighton Grech), Gareth Sciberras, Rodrigo Pereira, Moises Avila Perez.
Subs not used: Karl Magri, Ryan Camenzuli, Ryan Scicluna, Leighton Grech, Shola Shodiya.
Coach: Paul Zammit
Asst. Coach: Peter Pullicino

Referee: Chris Lautier
Assistant referees: Konrad Borg, Sammy Attard
Fourth official: Trustin Farrugia Cann
Yellow Cards: Gacesa, Silva, Fenech, Polli, Ribeiro, Buhagiar
Red Cards: 75’ Carlo Polli
Scorers: 10’ Trevor Cilia (pen), 69’ Angus Buhagiar, 90+1′ Leighton Grech, 90+3′ Leighton Grech
Attendance: 1,178