SLIEMA WANDERERS 2
Satariano 54
Oyama 62

GŻIRA UNITED  0

Paul Zammit’s debut as Gżira coach could not have gone worse as his team were trumped by an inspired Sliema Wanderers team at the Centenary Stadium on Saturday. 

Alex Satariano put in a man of the match performance as Arthur Oyama confirmed the Wanderers’ win with a stunning strike from the corner flag.

After both teams suffered defeats in their last league outing, Gżira had been looking for the win that would see them close the gap on leaders Floriana before the latter face neighbouring rivals Valletta on Sunday. 

Sliema, on the other hand, were fighting for a way out of the relegation positions, level on 14 points with Sta. Lucia before the start of the match. 

While the Maroons dominated the opening minutes of the match, Sliema were not short of confidence and were closest to opening on 20 minutes as Juri Cisotti tipped the ball over his marker and hit a cross into the box where Satariano rose above all, backheeling a volley towards an open Federico Vasilchik. The Argentine wasted the chance of a lifetime with his first header going wide in front of an empty goal. 

Gżira responded with a swift play of their own, five minutes later. Hamed Kone dribbled from the right and set up Wilfried Demoraud. The Frenchman laid the ball to skipper Andrew Cohen but his shot was steadily caught by Jake Galea.

Sliema mentor Alfonso Greco introduced Juan Gill into the defence at the start of the second half instead of Jonathan Pearson but the major difference from the first 45 minutes came in attack as it was their two wide forward players who both scored a fine goal from their respective side of the pitch. 

Just ten minutes into the half, Satariano collected the ball from a throw-in on the left and hit a cannon of a shot from outside the box which slammed the upright and fell into the net for a deserved opener. 

Ten minutes later, the hosts got their second after Oyama hit a perfect corner from the right which flew above every player and curved over Gżira custodian Justin Haber into the top corner. 

Sliema had the chance to make it three on 68 minutes as their upset got closer to becoming reality. Captain Mark Scerri infiltrated the Gżira area after a cross from Michele Sansone but his shot went wide with only Haber to beat.

Gżira’s best chance of the game came in the last ten minutes as a pinpoint cross from Marco Criaco found substitute Martin Davis, who had come in after the hour in a double substitution which also brought on former Mosta player Dexter Xuereb for Amadou Samb, ready to head at the face of goal but the Sliema custodian was on his toes to parry it away and preserve his clean sheet. 

Gżira tried to step up the pressure but the score remained unchanged as Sliema held onto their precious win.