Mosta 1

Farrugia 90

Sliema 1

Temile 46

Sliema Wanderers arrived at the Centenary Stadium in sizzling form, having won five out of their last six matches, and it did not take them long to take stranglehold on this match.

The Wanderers should have taken the lead through Nicolae Milincenau before half-time when he had a clear sight of goal from few metres out. But the Moldova striker failed to get enough purchase on his shot and Tyrone Farrugia cleared off the Mosta goal-line.

It looked a matter of when not if for Sliema to take the lead. They did that just after the break, when in a swift breakaway, Frank Temile slipped past his marker to slot the ball behind Andreas Vella, the Mosta goalkeeper.

Three minutes later, Jefferson’s teasing cross from the right dropped menacingly on Matias Muchardi who headed the ball goalwards but Vella managed to nudge the ball before the Argentine midfielder could cause further damage.

On 70 minutes, Jefferson connected to Ricardo Correa’s cross but surprisingly, thr Brazilian headed wide in front of a gaping goal.

Second best for much of the match, Mosta beamed signs of improvement after 74 minutes. A good move by the erstwhile subdued David Ifeanyi was indiciative of Mosta’s renewed efforts.

Ten minutes from time, Jefferson squandered a gilt-edged chance to put the game to bed as the Brazilian was guilty of an embarrassing miss. With the goal at his mercy, after a swift counter-attack, the striker shot wide.

Sliema almost paid the price straight away at the other end but Glenn Zammit pulled off a smart save to stop a Neil Frendo shot.

But just as everything looked lost for Mosta, an innocuous-looking corner at death, led to Ifeanyi setting up Farrugia who lying on the ground looped an overhead kick past a static Zammit.