Senglea Athletic returned to winning ways as they registered a comfortable 4-0 win over Qormi in a clash between the two teams who were sharing the bottom place in the BOV Premier League table at the Hibernians Stadium on Sunday.
This was the first win for Senglea after suffering five consecutive defeats. A win which puts them three points behind Pieta Hotspurs and three ahead of Qormi. For the latter, this was the eleventh consecutive defeat.
Both sides had a number of players making their debut. Qormi technical director Mario Muscat handed Brazilians Mateus Regis da Silva, Wellington de Oliveira Vieira and Lucas Santana dos Santos their first appearance. Manolito Micallef and the three Brazilian players were preferred to Alan Abela, Tensior Gusman, Danny Kabeya and Mario Andres Arrieta who has not been retained by the club.
Senglea, on the other hand, had no less than six changes from their last outing as new signings Sidqy El Mehdi, Yudai Miyamoto, Romulo Silva Santos and Diego Venancio da Silva, goalkeeper Matthew Farrugia and Leighton Grech replaced Genza Bence Perger, Ferdinando Salvati, Braian Volpini, Karl Cutajar, Larson Mallia and Dylan Micallef who joined Mqabba.
Senglea took the lead on the 13th minute when off a Leighton Grech cross from the right, Augusto Rene Caseres headed home.
Qormi went close to equalising on the 33rd with a Mateus Regis da Silva effort hitting the upright.
Senglea doubled the score on the 72nd minute when off a Diego Venancio da Silva cross, Imanol Gonzalez headed home.
Ten minutes later, Vincenzo Potenza’s side made it 3-0 thanks to Matias Nicolas Garcia whose low shot gave goalkeeper Jamie Azzopardi no chance.
Three minutes from time, Senglea scored the fourth goal through Romulo Silva Santos whose shot from the right beat the Qormi custodian.
SENGLEA Matthew Farrugia, Sidqy El Mehdi, Zachary Cassar, Leighton Grech (52′ Gary Camilleri), Yudai Miyamoto, Romulo Silva Santos (90′ Rayson Vella), Diego Venancio da Silva, Imanol Gonzalez, Matias Nicolas Garcia, Augusto Rene Caseres (73′ Karl Cutajar), Andre White.
Subs not used: Brandon Mangion, Matthew Bartolo, Luke Scorfna, Larson Mallia.
Coach: Vincenzo Potenza
Asst. Coach: Darren Anton VellaQORMI Jamie Azzopardi, Davide Mansi, Yannick Yankam, Antonio Rozzi, Manolito Micallef, Mateus Regis da Silva, Freud Gnindokponou, Michael Borg (46′ Tensior Gusman), Wellington de Oliveira Vieira (70′ Alessio Cassar), Lucas Santana dos Santos, Iven Zammit (80′ Alan Abela).
Subs not used: Dorian Bugeja, Nick Ghio, Sheldon Seychell, Kassiano Soares Mendonca.
Coach: Matthew Psaila
Goalkeepers Coach: Mario MuscatReferee: Fyodor Zammit
Assistant Referees: Duncan Sultana, Duncan Spencer
Fourth Official: Darryl Agius
Yellow Cards: Gusman, Romolo
BOV Player of the Match: Augusto Rene CaseresAttendance: 367