Mosta beat Gzira for first win of season

Mosta picked up their first points of the season beating newly promoted Gzira United by the odd goal in three.

The Maroons fell down to their first defeat having started the season with a win and two draws.Moreover, the defeat also signalled the end of their 29-game unbeaten run, 26 of them last season in the first division.

With Kurt Magro still ruled out injured, Mosta made three changes from the team which lost to Hibernians as Martin Vlcek, Emerson Vella death with a Kristensen header. But their coach Mark Miller cannot ignore the fact that his team is failing to impress.

Hibernians spent the hour in abject disarray.

The movement of Arab and Montebello left Hibernians vulnerable at the back at times, even if Pembroke lacked the bite to capitalise.

Pembroke dropped Asani Djeljij and Jhonatan Mariano from his starting line-up, following a heavy defeat against Valletta the previous week. Clifford Gauci was unfit to play while Luke Montebello and Siraj Arab returned from suspension. Andrea Scozzese was first and Dexter Xuereb replaced Jaroslav Repa, Edin Murga and Zachary Brincat. On the other hand, for Gzira, Jonathan Bondin and Ellinton Antonio Costa Morais replaced the injured Souleymane Diamoutene and Dyson Falzon.

Mosta deserved their win as they were the best team on the field of play, showing better mobility, teamwork and superior punch up front.

Their 4-3-1-2 formation with Doding Priso and Lucky Oseghale getting the support of the rapid insertion of Martin Vlcek. This player showed fine skills in midfield as he constantly distributed the ball to the front line as he darted sideways and forward in search for an opening for himself or his colleagues. No surprise he was voted player of the match.

Vlcek gave Mosta the start they wanted inside the first ten minutes as he took possession in the centre of the pitch, advanced and laid the ball to the steaming Priso, who grabbed the chance to plant the ball behind the diving Gzira goalkeeper.

On the other side, space was very restricted around the Mosta penalty box despite the promptings of newcomer Liliu, Gianmarco given a start in defence.

Pembroke started well, with good organisation and Siraj Arab prominent down the left flank. They had already spurned a gilt-edged chance in the first minute when Montebello ran clear but was thwarted by the onrushing keeper Hogg. Arab lobbed the loose ball into an open goal but Agius managed to clear off the line.

Siraj Arab atoned for that miss three minutes later when he set up Pembroke’s opening goal with his neat footwork from the byline on the right. His low cross was deflected by Hibernians’ defender Andrei Agius Conti’s non-stop running and the intelligent distribution of Rafael Ledesma.

Five minutes from half-time, the foreign trio were involved in the Maroon’s best opportunity as Liliu ran beautifully through to meet a pinpoint pass by Ledesma who in turn served Conti but the latter saw his effort saved by Mosta goalie Emanuel Bartolo.

Soon after the change of ends, Bartolo had to stretch himself to tip a sizzling shot by Conti over the bar. But in the 50th minute, Vlcek into his own goal.

Pembroke carved another chance on 19 minutes. Montebello failed to capitalise on Soares’ missed clearance and shot wide.

Hibernians were looking clumsy, one dimensional and over reliant on an ineffective barage of shot from a distance.

Their first goal attempt was delayed until almost the half hour when Mbong lobbed the ball towards Telles inside the Pembroke area but Scozzese headed into a corner to avert the danger.

Later Telles headed a Bezzina cross horribly over from a promising position. showed tremendous close control and trickery to beat the Gzira defence and then exchanged a neat one-two with Garbiel Bezak who drifted into the box before dragging his shot just wide off the far post.

Gzira kept the initiative as the action was now concentrated mainly in the Mosta’s half. Eventually, it was from Ledesma’s flag-kick that the Maroons got an equaliser after 67 minutes. It was Clifford Gatt Baldacchino who timed the flight to perfection to hit ball home.

That equaliser was however shortlived. In fact, Mosta were back up front within two minutes with a lightning move between Priso and Oseghale who hit a ferocious drive that beat Jurgen Borg all ends up.

Then, two bookable offences in quick succession by substitute Joceano saw Gzira finishing with a man less.

In a nervous finale, everyone was walking a tightrope and sure enough Robert de Pinho and Priso were given their marching orders for what it seemed an off-the-ball argument.

Silvio Vella Football can be brutal as Pembroke will know well. To have no points after playing so stoutly must feel irritating in the extreme. Pembroke were holding to a deserved point until normal time but deep into four minutes of added time, they...