Six goals in enjoyable game

Swieqi 4 Rabat 2

This game not only produced six goals but all those present at Mosta Ground watched the Swieqi players playing methodical football throughout the game and fully deserved their victory as they enjoyed the lion’s share of exchanges during both periods. Swieqi are now in third position on 21 points from 12 games while Rabat are in fifth position on 12 points also from 12 games.

The game was only three minutes old when Swieqi opened the score as Timmy Naudi served Saha Peric with a through ball in the area and he scored with a hard rising shot past Rabat keeper Gilmore Muscat, and minutes later Daniele Ferlaino was fouled outside the area and from the free kick by Nicholas Borg the ball was blocked by the defensive barrier.

Rabat equalised in the 8th minute when from a flag kick by Matthew Nappa the ball was partly cleared outside the area and Larens Vella scored with a high drive from the rebound past a helpless Swieqi keeper Mike Micallef.

In another action by Swieqi Peric dribbled past an opponent outside the area and he missed the upright by inches from the distance, while at the other end Vella was fouled on the left flank and after the free kick by Luke Busuttil, Nappa missed the bar from inside the area. Muscat then was forced to fist the ball away from a free kick by David Cardona after a foul on Peric on the left flank.

In the 22nd minute Rabat scored a second goal as Nappa entered the area after dribbling past an opponent and square-passed the ball to Vella who netted with a low drive. Swieqi then restored parity in the 28th minute. Naudi released Borg in the area and as he was through was tripped from behind and as the referee pointed to the spot Cardona made no mistake with a low drive. In an action by Rabat Gilmour Bartolo dribbled past an opponent outside the area and his effort from the distance was saved in two attempts by Micallef.

In the 35th minute Swieqi scored to make it 3-2 when Borg served Naudi with a square pass in the area who scored with a hard low drive. Rabat were then awardewd a penalty as Nappa was pushed in the area after being put through by Matthew Borg but Kieran Agius drove well over the bar from the spot kick. In the second minute of added time Swieqi scored their fourth goal when Ferlaino dribbled past an opponent on the left flank and after entering the area scored with a hard rising shot.

The second period was a total dominance by Swieqi as Rabat mounted only one action.

Swieqi then commenced with their pressing. Ferlaino dribbled past two opponents on the edge of the area and after Muscat partly saved his hard drive the ball was cleared away.

Cardona released John R Calleja on the left flank and Muscat neutralised the ball from his high cross and later had to dive and save a hard drive from the distance by Ferlaino.

Ferlaino then released substitute Timothy Zammit near the edge of the area and after he was fouled the ball was blocked by the defensive barrier from the free kick by Borg.

After a Cardona flag kick Muscat saved a close-range header by Ferlaino and in the last action before the end Zammit was fouled outside the area and from the free kick by substitute Andrew Mallia, Muscat tipped the ball over the bar.

Swieqi: M.Micallef, A.Catania, D.Ferlaino, D.Cardona, I.Camilleri, I.Ruggier, J.R.Calleja, N.G.Borg, S.Peric, T.Naudi, T.Bonello Rabat: G.Muscat, L.Busuttil, G.Bartolo, L.Vella, M.Nappa, M.Camilleri, W.Ashiaku, K.Agius, M.Borg, S.Galea, S.Fabri Player of the match: David Cardona (Swieqi) Referee: Roderick Micallef