Watch: Zammit hails ‘exceptional players’ as Sliema Wanders seal Premier League return

Sliema Wanderers are back in the Maltese Premier League when on Saturday they overcame the challenge of Naxxar Lions 3-1 at the Centenary Stadium on Saturday.

The Wanderers needed a win to ensure a return to the Maltese top-flight after just one season and Paul Zammit’s troops secured their objective with an impressive display over their nearest rivals Naxxar Lions.

Miguel D’Alessandro put the Wanderers ahead on 22 minutes but the Lions kept fighting and managed to pull level on 73 minutes through Erikys Ferreira.

However, Sliema were determined to seal their return to the top-flight on Saturday and ten minutes from time Lydon Micallef put them back in front before Mohamed Abdulahi Awad sealed the points with a third goal in stoppage time.

With this win, the Wanderers further pulled clear at the top of the standings on 59 points, 11 points clear of Naxxar Lions. But more importantly Sliema moved a staggering 22 points ahead of third-placed Żetun Corinthians that gives them mathematical certainty of a top-two placing at the en of the season.

Coach Paul Zammit was visibly delighted with his team’s promotion.

“It was a very difficult challenge,” the Sliema coach said.

“This was an objective reached with the assitance of the club’s administration that worked so hard, the technical staff and this group of players who were exceptional. We knew that we had a huge task on our hands to take Sliema Wanderers back in the Premier League.

“But the team has been doing well for a period of time not just today as the players were growing from one match to another and I’m delighted to have reached this goal.

“Still, there are still six matches to go and our objective now is that we fulfil our other objective of reaching the Premier League as champions so we still have work to do.”