FGURA UNITED 1
QRENDI 2
Qrendi climbed three spots into seventh place on Sunday after a dominant performance gave them a 2-1 win over Fgura United at the Victor Tedesco Stadium.
It was the Greens’ prolific forward Alexander Nilsson who sealed the win for the southerners with goals on either side of half-time.
Speaking to the Times of Malta, Nilsson admitted this win was something the team needed after two losses in their previous three games.
“I’m very happy that we managed to get the three points today,” Nilsson said on Sunday.
“It was very well needed so it’s a relief that we got the three points. I’m happy with the team because we fought like a team and playing as a team, we got the win as well.
“Before, we hadn’t really fought for each other. Today we did that, and we won straight away. It’s very important that we keep this up.”
Last season’s third place finishers have had it tough this time round, but Nilsson insists the side can continue to push forward if they keep their focus on the next game.
“We just need to focus about next game – we’re not thinking about what’s going to happen in three or four games, or what we can do if something happens. This is the most important thing for us at the moment, so we’re taking it one game at a time.”
It took the Swede nine minutes to open proceedings from the first real chance of the game. After a long ball into Fgura’s half, Nilsson outsmarted his marker to get himself alone with goalkeeper Lydon Moore, before hitting towards the low post.
Fgura responded on 14 minutes with a Charles Gandini shot from distance that failed to trouble Qrendi shotstopper Julian Azzopardi.
After the break, it was Qrendi who went further in front, this time from the spot after Sebastian Perdomo was tripped inside the area by Gandini.
Nilsson was up for the task as he made it two for the side.
Just before the hour mark, referee Shaun Calleja waved off protests for a Fgura penalty after a free-kick saw confusion in the box before Azzopardi collected the ball.
The Reds got their shot from the spot anyway on 65 minutes.
After a pass into the area from substitute Saturday Nanapere, Fgura’s Dylan Caruana was floored by Steve Schembri as he attempted to switch direction.
David Mbala, brought on for Takumi Yanagizawa just a minute before, took the shot sending Azzopardi the wrong way and bringing Fgura back into the game.
Gandini went close to get Fgura’s equaliser on 67 minutes but his shot went slightly over the bar.
It was all Fgura from then on but Qrendi held on to take the three points.
FGURA: L. Moore, C. Ciantar (46 S. Nanapere), J. Vella, J. Barbara (64 J. Stensen), C. Gandini, S. Borg (90 J. Cassar), N. Ojuola, T. Yanagizawa (64 D. Mbala), J.P. Attard, G. Martin, D. Caruana.
QRENDI: J. Azzopardi, D. Azzopardi (28 D. Zarb), S. Schembri, J. Busuttil, L. Martinelli, B. Muscat, C. Camilleri, M. Brincat, D. Bueno (75 M. Gatt), S. Perdomo, A. Nilsson (86 J. Diumasumbu).
Referee: Shaun Calleja.
Scorers: Nilsson (Q) 10, 54 pen.; Mbala (F) 66 pen.
Best Player: Alexander Nilsson (Qrendi).
SUMMARIES
SWIEQI UNITED 3
SAN ĠWANN 3
SWIEQI UNITED: E. Gatt, I. Micallef (84 K. Muscat), M. Attard, J. Micallef, J. Willy (84 F. Temile); A. Schembri Wismayer (61 L. Zammit), M. Vella, C. Cutajar, T. Ayorinde (66 A. Okamura), J. Azzopardi, M. Ivanovic.
SAN ĠWANN: C. Formosa (55 D. Sciberras), K. Bartolo (61 G. Pace), J. Bowman (70 A. Zammit), Q. Adediran, L. Mallia (70 A. Falzon), C. Gauci, S. Kuyper (61 A. Chibueze), O. Spiteri, C. Omoruanzoje, C. Gauci, U. Calistus.
Referee: Andrea Sciriha.
Scorers: Adediran (SĠ) 16; Schembri Wismayer (SW) 32; Willy (SW) 34; Zammit (SĠ) 84; Temile (SW) 87 pen; Gauci (SĠ) 90 pen.
QORMI 0
ST ANDREWS 3
QORMI: M. Falzon, O. Sidibe, M. Busuttil (68 D. Abela Borg), A. Ayoub (72 L. Williams), L. Theuma, D. Camilleri (46 N. Falzon), R. Caruana, I. Mizzi, N. Gauci, A. Oliveira (46 R. Uriu), S. Seychell (46 N. Meli).
ST ANDREWS: D. Formosa, M. Muscat, I. Azzopardi, M. D’Alessandro (65 M. Vella Vidal), N. Bradshaw, M. Bartolo, K. Sano, A. Borg Olivier (76 Z. Muscat), G. Stefansson (65 J. Sixsmith), L. Borg (65 K. Bituemi), D. Jackson (46 M. Ono).
Referee: Daniel Casha.
Scorers: Bradshaw 7, 45; Stefansson 37.
MARSA 1
PEMBROKE ATHLETA 1
MARSA: N. Vella, P. Chircop, J. Bondin (44 M. Gauci), D. Agius (75 J. Galea), A. Monticelli, M. Micallef, C. Gatt Baldacchino, D. Grima, P. Teixeira, S. Shodiya (75 L. Grech), L. Micallef (85 I. Zammit).
PEMBROKE: P. Schranz, A. Marshall, K. Farrugia, D. Sant, K. Frendo, J. Ogunuppe (75 J. Etim), N. Frendo, A. Abdeen (60 L. Chiedozie), C. Zammit, J. Bajada, P. Sammut (M. Zarb).
Referee: Philip Farrugia.
Scorers: Teixeira (M) 28; Ogunuppe (P) 53 pen.
MQABBA 0
VITTORIOSA STARS 0
MQABBA: M. Buhagiar, N. Falzon, D. Pace (66 J. Azzopardi), R. Cauchi, K. Cutajar, R. Spiteri (76 J. Castano), K. Borg (46 M. Bangoura), S. Pisani (29 G. Cesani), D. Micallef, B. Sciberras (46 N. Abouaisha), G. Micallef.
VITTORIOSA STARS: R. Marmara, I. Abela, I. Curmi (64 G. Zammit), L. De Melo, J. Farrugia, A. Cilia Mumford, K. Pace, A. Galea, A. Oularbi (79 D. Serna), R. Farias, G. Sultana (85 R. Dalli).
Referee: Sandro Spiteri.
MARSAXLOKK p
ST GEORGE’S p
PIETA HOTSPURS 0
ŻEBBUĠ RANGERS 1
PIETA HOTSPURS: M. Chetcuti, S. Okoh, N. Pace Cocks, J. Ghio, D. Segura, D. Mesa, N. Pisani (90 L. Cassar Jackson), C. Ze Lucas (74 I. Jalo), Z. Leonardi (90 S. Mizzi), J. Scicluna, L. Galea.
ŻEBBUĠ RANGERS: M. Grech, S. Bugeja, J. Micallef, G. De Marino (67 K. Atkinson), J. Silveira,
C. Gauci, R. Vella, C. Vella (76
K. Bondin), S. Miloskovic (89
J. Carbone), G. Gesualdi, K. Tanti.
Referee: Aleksandar Jovanovic.
Scorer: Gesualdi 54 pen.
