Mosta bag second win in a row after five-goal thriller

MOSTA 3

Nnaji 8, Brincat 11, Tulimieri 60

MARSAXLOKK 2

Akinbule 20, 90

MOSTA

D. Udoh, N. Obidike, D. Evans, C. Nnaji, C. Failla, G. Sciberras, W. Britto, N. Agius (66 S. Cachia), J. Vassallo, Z. Brincat (66 E. Mensah), K. Tulimieri (66 A. Isah 85 T. Thomas Shedrack)

MARSAXLOKK

M. Drobnjak, Weder, Y. Gomes (61 A. Obonogwu), N. Muscat (51 R. Scicluna), J. Ghio (75 D. Bonnici), Y. Messias, G. Camilleri, L. Aguirre (76 S. Boakye), D. Pires Dall’Oca, S. Akinbule, J. Junior.

Referee Slobodan Petrovic.

Yellow cards: Pires Dall’Oca, Messias, Evans, Nnaji, Gomes, Ghio, Scicluna, Failla, Gomes, Drobnjak.

Red card: Evans (M) 83.

Mosta cruised to their second consecutive victory as Marsaxlokk seemed to have lost their magic touch with a second defeat in a row.

Christian Nnaji’s clever finish and Zachary Brincat’s drive put Mosta two up inside the first 11 minutes. Marsaxlokk pulled one back on 20 minutes.

But Kevin Tulimieri fired in Mosta’s third on the hour mark before they were reduced to 10 men when Damian Evans was sent off as Sunday Akinbule’s header put some pressure on Mosta in the final minutes.

It was another impressive performance from Mario Muscat’s rapidly-improving side.

And it was the Blues who flew out of the blocks and stunned Marsaxlokk with two early goals.

Mosta’s in-form striker Zacchary Brincat had put a rejigged Marsaxlokk defence, where Ramon Gomes replaced suspended Jacob Walker, under pressure in the opening stages.

Inside the first eight minutes, Brincat dinked a delightful ball for Nnaji to steal in at the far post and beat Marko Drobnjak with a diagonal shot.

Three minutes later, it was 2-0 as Brincat drifted to the left and hit a stinging drive behind the Serbian goalkeeper.

Far from sitting back and absorbing Mosta’s pressure, the Southseasiders created their own chances. Akinbule pulled one back on 20 minutes when the Nigerian striker stabbed a shot home.

Marsaxlokk were in desperate need of a reorganisation and Winston Muscat brought on Ryan Scicluna in place of Nikolai Muscat after 51 minutes.

But any hope they had of mounting a revival appeared to be snuffed out when Mosta added a third on the hour mark.

Mosta broke quickly with Clayton Failla sprinting on the left flank before serving Kevin Tulimieri who beat Drobnjak with a beautiful volley.

Seven minutes from time, Evans was shown the red card for a foul on Pires Dall’Oca.

In the dying minutes, Akinbule gave Marsaxlokk some hope when he headed home from point-blank range from substitute Samuel Boakye’s cross.

But Mosta held on to take full points.