Marsaxlokk hit four past Mosta to go three points clear at the top

MOSTA                      0

MARSAXLOKK         4         

Lopez 2

Dodo 24, 53

De Aguiar 86

MOSTA

A. Ngoubi Demba, M. Bolanos, P. Afriyie (27 S. Chiemezie) (66 J. Scerri), S. Cachia (72 B. Farrugia), E. Chukwuemeka (66 J. Arthur), S. Kone (72 K. Fenech), G, Goncalves, C. Failla, N. Agius, S. Okereke, J. Teixeira.

MARSAXLOKK

M. Calleja Cremona, K. Micallef, N. Muscat (89 J. Ghio), Y. Messias, J. Corbalan, Dodo (80 E. Pena), Y. Arias (68 D. Bonnici), L. Lopez (80 D. Torres), A. De Aguiar (89 S. Cassar), L. Aguirre, R. Scicluna.

Referee: Ezekiel Barbara.

Yellow cards: Corbalan, Dodo

Marsaxlokk opened their Top 6 commitments on a positive note as they defeated Mosta 4-0 in a clash between two of the four teams who were sharing the top spot in the 360Sports Malta Premier table.

It was a clear statement of intent by the Southseasiders, showing their ambitions to challenge for a top-two finish and hence remain in the hunt for honours and a spot in the European competitions in summer.

Marsaxlokk move three points clear of Mosta, Birkirkara and Floriana but the latter two have a game in hand.

Coach Enzo Potenza named an unchanged side for Marsaxlokk following their comfortable win over Melita.

The Blues, on the other hand, had two changes from the team which defeated Żabbar last week as goalkeeper Anse Demba was preferred to Udoh Akpan while Sunday Okereke replaced the suspended Emmanuel Prince.

Marsaxlokk took just two minutes to take the lead.

Leandro Aguirre delivered a corner from the right and Lucas Lopez’s header was blocked by Demba but the Argentine defender slammed the ball home.

Mosta replied with a Nathan Agius effort from the right which was deflected into a corner by Matthew Calleja Cremona on 16 minutes and from the resulting corner Joao Teixeira’s header was neutralised by the Marsaxlokk goalkeeper.

Seven minutes later, Agius had a goal-bound effort from inside the area blocked by a defender.

However, on 24 minutes, Marsaxlokk doubled the score. Yuri Messias sent Dodo through on the left and the latter slotted the ball past goalkeeper Demba.

Alex De Aguiar then headed the ball high off a Leandro Aguirre freekick on 36 minutes.

Eight minutes in the second half, Marsaxlokk increased the lead further. Messias released Dodo on the right and the latter slotted the ball past the Mosta goalkeeper.

Two minutes later, Yuri went close with a low shot which was blocked by a defender following a cross by De Aguiar from the right.

Mosta replied with a cross shot by Clayton Failla from the left which was parried by Calleja Cremona on 64 minutes.

Mosta pushed for a consolation goal and on 67 minutes, they were awarded an indirect freekick after Calleja Cremona handled the ball following a back pass.

Failla served Agius who tried his luck with a curling shot with Matthew Bolanos heading the ball home but the goal was disallowed for offside.

Eight minutes later, an Agius effort from outside the area was deflected into a corner.

However, four minutes in added time, Marsaxlokk made it 4-0 courtesy of De Aguiar whose diagonal shot from the right ended in the bottom left corner behind the Mosta goalkeeper.