Rabat Ajax 0
Mosta 3
Fernandes 57, 84; S. Gauci 76 og;
Mosta’s build-up to the season had been anything but plainsailing as the club, conscious of their financial limitations, opted for a prudent approach in the transfer market.
Unlike last year when Mosta made a string of headline-grabbing signings, this summer the club devoted most of their energies towards recruiting good foreign players who have the hunger to succeed here and potentially enhance their chances of moving abroad.
These are still early days but their policy looks to be reaping the desired rewards as their Brazilian players, especially Diego Pereira, Ricardo Silva Faria, debutant Yuri de Jesus Messias and Cristian Fernandes, who came on the second half, produced influential displays to inspire Mosta to a deserved 3-0 win over Rabat Ajax.
Buoyed by their 2-0 victory over Vittoriosa Stars, Mosta had too much attacking ammunition for the battling but limited Rabat Ajax who managed to keep their opponents at bay in the first half but collapsed in the second half.
Rabat did manufacture some scoring chances but they lacked the flair and firepower to fully exploit the talent of winger Diego Carrillo Pendas, their best player yesterday.
While the Magpies remain with no points from three games, Mosta made it two in a row.
Three minutes into the game, de Jesus Messias raced into the box from the right but his effort was stopped by Pavle Velimirovic.
Mosta started brightly but Rabat went close to breaking the stalemate in their first notable foray. Carillo Pendas tricked his way into the box but his dipping cross found no takers before Mosta cleared away.
From the ensuing corner, Carrillo’s exquisite cross looked to have been headed onto the crossbar by a Mosta defender before the Blues hooked the ball away from the danger zone. The half-clearance fell to Daniel Pelaez whose low shot rolled towards Jonathan Bajada but the latter’s close-range flick was deflected past the near post.
After a low-key start, Rabat were now showing signs of improvement. Malcolm Licari adjusted his body beautifully to make contact with Carrillo’s low pass from right but his half-volley brushed the post.
With Rabat pushing forward with greater intent, the onus was on Mosta to regain their earlier fluency.
On 19 minutes, De Jesus Messias cut inside from the right before laying the ball back for Lukas Duriska who lifted his shot high and wide.
The two teams’ inclination to attack made for a lively start.
On 25 minutes, Mosta’s Pereira did well to dart into the box but Dylan Falzon made a last-ditch intervention to deflect the Brazilian’s effort away for a corner.
From the resultant corner, the ball dropped to Faria who teed up Montenegrin striker Bojan Kaljevic whose angled strike rattled the post. The danger was not over for Rabat as, amid the ensuing melee, Pereira turned before firing a low shot that was blocked by Velimirovic.
Mosta stayed in command. They should have taken the lead when on 36 minutes, De Jesus Messias had time and space to take aim just outside the box only to rifle over.
Shortly afterwards, a teasing cross from Agius almost deceived Velimi-rovic, who had been unsettled by Kaljevic’s towering presence, but the ball cannoned off the bar.
Mosta looked to carry on where they left off in the first half when the game resumed after the break.
Silva Faria crossed for Kaljevic who headed over two minutes into the second half.
Rabat responded when Avila Perez nipped behind the two centre-halves to latch on to a long ball but his grounder flashed wide.
Mosta swiftly transferred the ball to attack with De Jesus Messias waltzing his way into the box only to be felled by David Azzopardi’s late challenge. Referee Andre Arciola pointed to the spot and booked Azzopardi before Fernandes drove his penalty past Velimirovic.
Rabat would have fallen two goals behind but for the woodwork as Pereira’s stinging drive shook the crossbar after taking a deflection.
Doncic’s troops kept pouring forward in search of a second goal. Tyrone Farrugia was denied by a spectacular save from Velimirovic.
Mosta’s pressure stretched Rabat to their limit but in a rare attack, the Magpies were unlucky not to equalise as Avila-Perez raced towards the bye-line before pulling the ball back to Carrillo whose first-time effort crashed against the bar.
There was a scare for Mosta as Pelaez’s cross from a free-kick eluded a host of players as it bounced in the six-yard box but Borg fisted the ball over the bar.
This opportunity must have raised Rabat’s optimism of an equaliser but their hopes were dashed when Mosta doubled their lead 14 minutes from time through an own goal by Shaun Gauci who turned Pereira’s cross into his own net.
The score became 3-0 six minutes from time when a cross by Pereira was touched by Velimirovic but Fernandes was on hand to nod the ball home at the far post.
Rabat’s woes increased when Dylan Falzon was dismissed for a second bookable offence two minutes from time.
Rabat Ajax
P. Velimirovic-6.5, I. Carapic-4, S. Gauci-4, D. Carrilo Pendas-7, C. Gauci-4, M. Licari-6.5 (71 W. Borg-4), J. Bajada-5 (79 R. Micallef), D. Falzon, D. Pelaez-5, D. Azzopardi-5, M. Avila Perez-5.
Mosta
O. Borg-7, B. Agius-6 (69 M. Brincat-6), T. Farrugia-7, K. Farrugia-6.5, M. Micallef-6, L. Duriska-6, R. Grech-6.5 (79 K. Zammit), R. Silva Faria-7, D. Pereira-8, Y. De Jesus Messias-7.5, B. Kaljevic-5 (56 C, Fernandes-7).
Referee: Andre Arciola
Yellow cards: Carrillo Pendas; Carapic; Azzopardi; Grech; Falzon; Micallef.
Red card: Falzon (R) 88.
BOV Player of the match: Diego Carrillo Pendas (Rabat).