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Derby victories for Sliema Wanderers and Naxxar Lions

Published: 26-11-2017 07:00
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SLIEMA WANDERERS 2GŻIRA UNITED           1 Sliema Wanderers came from a goal down to win their derby against Gżira United in dramatic fashion on Saturday.  The Blues started strongly and after just two minutes, Frank Temile concluded a solo run with a shot that hit the side-netting. A minute later, Riccardo Correa’s shot for Sliema was turned away for a corner by Gżira goalkeeper Anthony Curmi. Gżira came more into the game and dangerous efforts by Amadou Samb and Andrew Cohen, from a free-kick, brought good saves from Sliema goalkeeper Glenn Zammit. The Maroons opened the scoring on nine minutes. A corner by Cohen from the left was headed by Samb but Zammit kept the ball out with the help of the crossbar. Emmanuel Okoye was on hand to head home from the rebound. Sliema staged an immediate reaction to level matters two minutes from half-time. John Mintoff’s teasing cross surprised everyone, including Gżira goalkeeper Curmi who was put under pressure by Matias Muchardi, with the ball rolling into the net.  In the second half, Sliema were the better team, going close through Nikolae Milincenau and Michele Sansone. Sliema scored the winner on the stroke of time when Gabriel Aquilina passed to Milinceanu who beat Curmi with a shot from outside the box. SPITERI ENJOYS PERFECT DEBUTNAXXAR LIONS 2MOSTA              0 Naxxar Lions gained a much-needed boost as they beat Mosta in the derby to give new coach Oliver Spiteri a perfect debut. Mosta had the better chances early on with Leandro Henrique Ferreira’s shot flying across the face of goal while Thomas Veronese cross-shot ended high. In their first meaningful move, Naxxar went close to opening the scoring late in the opening half as Yuri De Jesus Messias’s strike hit the upright with Andreas Vella beaten. Naxxar were transformed after the break. Daren Falzon’s cross from the left found Bastos who attempted an overhead kick which sailed just high. A minute later a powerful shot by Messias was brilliantly saved for a corner by Vella. Naxxar’s efforts were awarded midway into the second half when a free-kick by Falzon was punched away by goalkeeper Vella who also blocked Ndoye’s header but could do nothing to stop Scott James Fenwich’s close-range shot. After Messias’s screamer came off the crossbar in the dying stages, Naxxar doubled their advantage three minutes into stoppage time. In a fast counter-attack, substitute Duane Bonnici ran clear and fired home to seal the win for the Lions. CRIACO HITS BRACEĦAMRUN SPARTANS 5LIJA ATHLETIC          1 Ħamrun Spartans maintained their positive run with a 5-1 rout of Lija Athletic to keep the pace with the leading pack. On the other hand, Lija suffered their ninth defeat of the season which left them anchored at the bottom of the table. New signing Marco Criaco put the Spartans ahead early on and Luke Sciberras doubled their lead in the 15th minute. Erjon Beu pulled one back on 32 minutes but Davide Succi – another debutant, restored the Spartans’ two-goal lead, 3-1, after converting a penalty. Criaco added another in the 70th and Cristian Zaccardo made it 5-1 for the superior Spartans after scoring from the penalty spot. KALJEVIC ON TARGETBALZAN                    1SENGLEA ATHLETIC 0 A goal just before the end of the first half by Bojan Kaljevic was enough for Balzan to beat Senglea Athletic 1-0 on Saturday. Balzan’s narrow win was enough to keep them top of the pack as they moved three points clear of Gżira United and Valletta who meet rivals Floriana this afternoon. Senglea now share 10th place with Naxxar Lions. STRIPES WINBIRKIRKARA 2ST ANDREWS 0 On Friday, Birkirkara returned to winning ways after beating St Andrews 2-0. The first half was quiet with very few opportunities for both teams. Birkirkara went close to opening the scoring in the 33rd minute when Luke Montebello’s effort finished just wide. Six minutes later, Montebello had en effort diverted away for a corner by a St Andrews defender who almost committed an own goal.  Before the break, Jake Grech’s effort for Birkirkara ended wide. Three minutes into the second half, St Andrews forward Aidan Friggieri tried his luck from outside the box but Philip Schranz saved. Matthew Calleja Cremona, the St Andrews goalkeeper, saved his team on the hour mark when he denied Carlos Alberto Da Silva Goncalves in a one-on-one situation. From the resulting corner, Birkirkara forged ahead when Martin Klein’s header had the better of Calleja Cremona. Birkirkara wrapped up their win 10 minutes from the end when an inviting cross by Carlos Alberto Da Silva Goncalves was met with a fine first-time shot by Montebello.