Piciollo goal hands Sliema Wanderers a win over Mosta

SLIEMA WANDERERS          1

Piciollo 58

MOSTA                                     0

SLIEMA WANDERERS

R. Al Tumi-7; J. Morales-6 (86 D. Vukovic), R. Schiavi-6, M. Scerri-6, E. Agius-6, J. Engerer-6 (88 M. Davis), M. Piciollo-6.5 (90 G. Aquilina), O. Bethancourt-6, M. Beerman-6, J. Goncalves-5, V. Berisha-6.

MOSTA

I. Akpan-6; R. Briffa-6; W. Donkin-6 (63 D. Antwi), C. Ememe-6, G. Acheampong-6, C. Failla-6 (85 M. Mifsud), B. Diarra-6, T. Farrugia-6 (68 J. Bezzina), R. Morisco-6, S. Akinbule-6.5, R. Ekani-6.

Referee Glen Tonna.

Yellow cards Scerri, Acheampong, Bethancourt.

BOV Player of the Match Rashed Al Tumi (Sliema Wanderers).

Matteo Piciollo scored the all-important goal for Sliema Wanderers midway through the second-half to hand Noel Turner’s side their third win of the season.

The Wanderers’ hopes of staying up might have not increased but this win proved Sliema’s willingness to fight until the end to salvage their Premier League status.

Mosta, on their part, will rue their missed chances throughout the game as they failed to leapfrog Sirens into second place.

While Sliema remain bottom, they move on the 15-point mark while Mosta stay on 25 with four games left.

Sliema Wanderers midfielder Edmond Agius produced the first chance of the game with a long-range volley that went wide of Mosta’s goal.

The Wanderers squandered a great opportunity to forge ahead in the third minute when Jean Goncalves pounced on a Mosta mistake but fired wide from close-range.

Mosta forward Christ Ememe tried to surprise Sliema goalkeeper Rashed Al Tumi with a low drive but failed to hit the target.

Akinbule forced Al Tumi into action with a well-taken free-kick from the edge of the area before a Geoffrey Acheampong back heel was cleared off the line by the Sliema players.

Will Donkin tested Al Tumi again with a strike from outside the area but the Sliema goalkeeper was alert to avert the danger.

After the interval, Mosta almost surged ahead but Al Tumi managed to deny Acheampong with a spectacular save before Roderick Briffa tried his luck with a curling effort that sailed over the bar.

Nonetheless it was Sliema who forged ahed when Jake Engerer sent a low cross into the box on which Valmir Berishia connected before the rebound dropped onto the feet of Matteo Piciollo who fired into the net.

Despite falling behind, Mosta remained the better team with Acheampong trying to level matters with a fierce strike from outside the box but was deneied by Al Tumi.

In the closing stages, the Sliema goalkeeper – named man of the match – kept out an Ememe header following a corner-kick situation.

Mosta could not beat Al-Tumi even when Akinbule fired from close in as the Sliema goalkeeper was reactive enough to deny the Blues once again.