Matchday 15: Valletta 1 Sliema W 1
03/02/2024
A goal on each side in the first half of the second half gave a point to Valletta and Sliema Wanderers.
This victory was the eighth consecutive useful result for Sliema who have not lost since November, while Valletta have continued with their kind of renaissance as they have now gone three games without losing in the league. For Sliema, the January acquisition Daniil Kondrakov started from scratch after coming on as a substitute against Birkirkara a week ago, while for Valletta Diego Cardoso kept his place in the first eleven for the second time in a row after the double a week ago in victory against Sirens.
In the tenth minute, from a corner kick, Valletta striker Federico Falcone finished with his back to the goal, but Joseph Minala headed the ball away. Two minutes later, the City captain Shaun Dimech built a personal action on the right which concluded it from an angled position but Rashed Al Tumi received the ball.
With half an hour to play the Wanderers came close to the goal with a direct free kick by Edmond Agius that went just outside the posts of Alessandro Guarnone.
Shortly before the first half, Valletta’s best scorer of this league, Federico Falcone, was injured and substituted by Santiago Ferraris.
Sliema opened the score in the tenth minute of the second half when the hardworking Geoffrey Achaempong passed to Samuel Gomes who spotted Alessandro Guarnone’s exit and was quick to throw the ball behind him in the net.
With an hour of play Victor Luiz provided a ball from the left to Diego Cardoso but Rashed Al Tumi came out in time and anticipated the Brazilian.
Valletta managed to level the score in the middle of the second half when after a pass by the sixteen-year-old substitute Keyon Ewurum, Santiago Ferraris’ shot was deflected by Jean Borg and ended up in the net of Sliema Wanderers.
Ten minutes from the end Valletta lost another Argentinian as Enzo Ruiz was also injured, who was replaced by the recent acquisition Milan Jezdimirovic.
VALLETTA: Alessandro Guarnone, Enzo Ruiz (Milan Jezdimirovic), Victor Luiz, Juan Bolanos, Neil Micallef, Fernando Barrientos, Goncalo Vieira, Brandon Paiber, Shaun Dimech (Keyon Ewurum), Diego Cardoso, Federico Falcone (Santiago Ferraris)
SLIEMA WANDERERS: Rashed Al Tumi, Gustavo Alcino, Henrique Murilo, Jean Borg (Neil Frendo), Denis Kouao, Myles Beerman, Joseph Minala, Edmond Agius (Mark Scerri), Samuel Gomes (Joachim Adukor ), Geoffrey Acheampong, Daniil Kondrakov (Mohamed Awad).
Yellow cards: E. Ruiz, N. Micallef (V), G. Alcino, J. Adukor (S).
Scorers: 55′ S. Gomes (S), 68′ J. Borg (o.g)
Referee: P. Farrugia
BOV Player of the Match: G. Acheampong (S).
