Msida St. Joseph vs Qormi FC 0-3 (HT 0-1)
Camilo Da Silva Sanvezzo was the hero for Qormi as he scored three goals in a 3-0 win over Msida St. Joseph. Qormi therefore maintain the pace with leaders Valletta as they lie in second place, two points behind the Citizens.
For Msida, this was their first outing after being re-instated in the top division by the Council of the Malta Football Association.
Msida had no less than seven new players in their starting line-up namely, Cedric Sciberras, Ryan Xuereb, Roderick Baldacchino, Lydon Micallef, Neville Arpa together with foreigners Emiliano Lattes and Zoran Levnaic. Goalkeeper Manuel Bartolo was back after a long period of suspension. Qormi, on the other hand, lacked goalkeeper Matthew Camilleri.
The Yellow Blacks held the initiative right from the start going close with a Stephen Wellman long-distance shot which as parried by Bartolo. Qormi took the lead three minutes later when Camilo Da Silva Sanvezzo concluded a good move on the right with a diagonal shot which beat Manuel Bartolo.
On 31 minutes, Jonathan Bondin tested Bartolo with a fine cross shot from the right and a minute later, Grima served Camilo Da Silva who concluded a good move with a great shot which hit the foot of the upright.
Qormi had an excellent opportunity thanks to which they could have doubled the score on 37 minutes when Effiong and Da Silva ended all alone in front of Bartolo on the edge of the area but rather than concluding, the Nigerian striker served Da Silva who was in an offside position and the latter’s goal was therefore disallowed. A freekick by Massimo Grima from the left was then neutralised by the Msida custodian.
After that a powerful shot by Stephen Wellman off a cross by Joseph Farrugia ended wide for Qormi, Msida replied with an Emiliano Lattes effort missing the target six minutes in the second half.
The Saints now started to share the exchanges with their opponents. However, on 68 minutes, Camilo Da Silva Sanvezzo doubled the score as he concluded a fine run on the left flank with another diagonal shot from inside the area which beat Manuel Bartolo.
Da Silva went close to increasing the lead further on 78 minutes with a rising shot from the right which ended just over the bar.
Eight minutes from time, Camilo Da Silva Sanvezzo scored a third goal when he received another through pass and beat the Msida custodian with another low shot from inside the area.
Alfred Effiong could have added his name to the score sheet on 83 minutes when he hit the upright with a good shot from inside the area.
MSIDA Manuel Bartolo, Stefano Grima (76′ Matthew Borda), Cedric Sciberras, Kevin Mifsud, Ryan Xuereb (37′ Andrew Formosa), Emiliano Lattes, Roderick Baldacchino, Zoran Levnaic, Lydon Micallef, Neville Arpa, Tyrone Farrugia.
Subs not used: Ludwig Fardell, Darren Caruana, Kirsten Brincat, Luke Saliba, Kurt Grech.
Coach: Mark Marlow
Asst. Coach: Keith Gouder
QORMI Matthew Farrugia, Jonathan Bondin, Roderick Sammut, Ramon Dos Santos, Stephen Wellman, Massimo Grima (87′ Kenneth Spiteri), Keith Fenech (69′ Steve Meilak), Joseph Farrugia, Joseph Chetcuti (82′ Ryan Deguara), Camilo Da Silva Sanvezzo, Alfred Effiong.
Subs not used: Jurgen Cilia, Malcolm Buttigieg, Antoine Galea, George Chircop.
Coach: Vince Carbonaro
Manager: Jesmond Zerafa
Referee: Andre Arciola
Assistant Referees: Edward Spiteri, Glen Tonna
Fourth Official: Adrian Azzopardi
Yellow Cards: M. Grima, K. Mifsud
BOV Player of the Match: Camilo Da Silva Sanvezzo
Scorers: 6′ Camilo Da Silva Sanvezzo
68′ Camilo Da Silva Sanvezzo
82′ Camilo Da Silva Sanvezzo
Birkirkara FC vs Hamrun Spartans 2-1 (HT 2-1)
Birkirkara claimed a second successive win as they defeated Hamrun Spartans 2-1 who were making their return to the BOV Premier League after being re-instated by the Council of the Malta Football Association.
The Stripes held the initiative early in the game but the Spartans soon started to share the exchanges with their opponents.
The Spartans had five new players in their starting line-up, namely Mark Barbara, Timothy Fleri Soler, Jonathan Holland and foreigners Martin Hrubsa and Marcelo Pereira. Sixteen year old goalkeeper Andrea Cassar deputised for the suspended Ivan Casha. Birkirkara, on the other hand, had Branko Nisevic and Nikola Vukanac making their debut.
Birkirkara managed to take the lead on 7 minutes when a cross from the right was deflected by Hamrun defender Martin Hrubsa onto former Spartans striker Sylvano Comvalius to beat Andrea Cassar.
Comvalius once again tried his luck with a shot from inside the area on 23 minutes which was neutralised by Cassar.
Hamrun levelled matters on 25 minutes when a shot by Gaetan Spiteri was blocked by Spanish goalie Jorge Mora and off the rebound, Marcelo Pereira smashed the ball home.
Five minutes from the end of the first half, the Spartans missed an excellent opportunity when Pereira concluded a fine move with a perfect pass for substitute Diego Cucciardi who hit wide from an ideal position inside the area. Three minutes later, Trevor Cilia brought the best out of Andrea Cassar who managed to block the Birkirkara midfielder’s angled shot.
One minute in added time, Birkirkara regained the lead when in a swift counter-attack, Gaetan Spiteri beat Neville Galea on the run and beat Cassar with a low shot from the right.
Hardly a minute in the second half, Diego Cucciardi went close with a rising shot which was deflected into a corner, when served by Gaetan Spiteri inside the area. On 56 minutes, Manolito Micallef released Marcelo Pereira who hit wide.
In added time, Hamrun went close with a good shot which was saved in two attempts by goalkeeper Jorge Mora. Clashes between a number of players at the end of the game resulted in a red card for Hamrun Spartans midfielder Manolito Micallef.
B’KARA Jorge Mora, Thomas Paris, Branko Nisevic, Paul Fenech, Trevor Cilia, Michael Galea (72′ Carl Pulo), Nikola Vukanac, Sylvano Comvalius (86′ Alan Tabone), Shaun Bajada, Joseph Zerafa (46′ Angus Buhagiar), George Mallia.
Subs not used: Omar Bog, Andrew Scicluna, Andreas Galea, Rowen Muscat.
Coach: Paul Zammit
Team Manager: Mario Gatt
HAMRUN Andrea Cassar, Rupert Mangion, Roderick Fenech, Manolito Micallef, Mark Barbara (81′ Mead Mifsud), Neville Galea, Marcelo Pereira, Gaetan Spiteri, Martin Hrubsa, Timothy Fleri Soler (46′ Aaron Attard), Jonathan Holland (10′ Diego Cucciardi).
Subs not used: Luca Grech, Dalton Caruana, Christian Cacciattolo, Lee James Agius.
Coach: Steve D’Amato
Asst. Coach: Marco Grech
Referee: Silvio Tanti
Assistant Referees: Philip Agius, Joe Camilleri
Fourth Official: Paul Caruana
Yellow Cards: Barbara, Cucciardi, Zerafa, Vukanac, Fenech
Red Cards: Micallef
BOV Player of the Match: George Mallia
Scorers: 7′ Sylvano Comvalius (B)25′ Marcelo Pereira (H)
45+1′ George Mallia (B)