Naxxar Lions’ Moise Gnenegbe heads the ball first ahead of Bobby Frederick, of Mosta. Photo: Domenic Aquilina

Mosta 0
Naxxar Lions 2
Lattes 14, 17;

Clive Mizzi could not have hoped for a better start as coach of Naxxar Lions as the league strugglers grabbed their first win of the season after defeating rivals Mosta yesterday.

It was an eye-catching performance from the Lions who looked a transformed side from the one that had stuttered so badly before this match.

They looked fully motivated to take something from the match and their cause was aided by a quick-fire double scored by Emiliano Lattes that put them on a solid platform to grab their first points.

Mosta tried to hit back but they were a pale shadow of the team that had hammered champions Hibernians 4-1 earlier this month. Despite holding much of the possession the Blues never got going.

Mizzi brought in five new faces from the team that was humbled by Pembroke 5-1 before the international break.

Julian Azzopardi was back in goal while Moise Gnenegbe,Ishmael Grech and Blazo Razovic were drafted in to give more solidity in defence while Ryan Cassar started in midfield.

Mosta coach Ivan Zammit handed a recall to Samuel Chukwide and Yau Hassan as they replaced Edin Murga, who was serving a one-match ban, and Mark Brincat who was among the substitutes.

The Blues seized control of the match in the opening stages but it was clear they were finding it hard to break down a solid Naxxar rearguard.

Instead it was the Lions who drew first blood on 14 minutes when Lattes ran through before hitting a powerful shot that had the better of goalkeeper Yenz Cini.

Mosta were rattled and conceded another goal three minutes later.

It was Lattes again who punished Mosta’s loose marking as the winger was allowed space to control the ball on the edge of the area before letting loose another powerful drive that flew into the net.

Naxxar were in dreamland while Mosta were still coming to terms with what had hit them.

Coach Zammit was particularly unhappy so he withdrew Ryan Grech and Chukwide and roped in James Brincat and Samuel Fidelis.

The changes seemed to have left the desired effects as Mosta soon started to get more into the picture.

Nine minutes from the break, they were awarded a free-kick. Ekani Rodriguez crossed in the direction of Bobby Frederick whose firm header was too central to trouble goalkeeper Azzopardi.

Two minutes from the break, Ice Cream Guobadia tried his luck from the distance but his effort flew over the Naxxar goal.

The Lions could have killed off Mosta soon after the restart when from a swift break Jurgen Debono released Daren Falzon but his effort was blocked by the feet of keeper Cini.

The Lions threatened again when Lattes showed some deft footwork to turn past Tyrone Farrugia but his effort was pushed away by the Mosta keeper.

The Blues were again holding the majority of possession but their ploy of launching continuous crosses was backfiring as Azzopardi was proving dominant in the Lions penalty area.

Azzopardi denied Mosta again 20 minutes from time when he dived full stretch to keep out Frederick’s header.

Six minutes from time, Mosta were unlucky not to pull one back. They were awarded a central free-kick from which Fidelis’s inswinger came off the bar and from the rebound Tyrone Farrugia’s header was cleared off the line by Andrew Scicluna.

A minute from time Lattes profited from an indecision by Cini but his shot was intercepted by the back-tracking Guobadia.

At the final whistle, a scuffle broke out between the players with Mosta’s Ian Zammit and Richard Cardozo, of Naxxar, both shown the red card.

Mosta
Y. Cini-5, T. Farrugia-5 (85 A. Borg), M. Micallef-5, I. Guobadia-5, R. Grech-5 (33 J. Brincat-6), H. Yau-5, S. Chukwide-5 (33 S. Fidelis-6.5), E. Rodriguez-5, E. Miche-letti-5, I. Zammit-5, B. Frederick-5.

Naxxar Lions
J. Azzopardi-6, B. Rajovic-6, A. Scicluna-6, M. Gnenegbe-6, R. Cardozo-6.5 (87 D. Bonnici), D. Falzon-6.5 (65 O. Sidoine), R. Cassar-6, J. Debono-6, I. Grech-6, E. Lattes-7.5, Mandinho-7 (79 M. Del Negro).

Referee: Clayton Pisani.

Yellow cards: Chukwide, Guobadia, Azzopardi, Debono, Rajovic, Fidelis, Lattes.

BOV player of the match: Emiliano Lattes (Naxxar Lions).