Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/869387
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 3 SEPTEMBER 2017 47 Sport SPORTTODAY FOOTBALL Gacinovic shines as Serbia beat Moldova to stay top MIJAT Gacinovic scored his sec- ond international goal in two games to help Serbia edge closer to next year's World Cup in Russia with a 3-0 home win over Moldova in a Group D qualifier on Saturday. The result left the Serbians top of the standings with 15 points from seven games, two ahead of Ireland who lost ground after being held to a 1-1 draw in Georgia. Wales and Austria, who meet in Cardiff later on Saturday, have eight points each. Serbia will head confidently to Dublin for Tuesday's clash with the Irish after a fine display in which the 22-year-old Gacinovic stood out, having scored on his full debut as a substitute in a 3-1 win at Geor- gia in March. Coach Slavoljub Muslin's pre- ferred 3-4-3 formation pinned the Moldovans back from the start and Gacinovic drilled a 12th-min- ute shot into the top corner after a sharp low cross by Aleksandar Kolarov. The pair swapped roles on the half-hour as Gacinovic sent a fizz- ing low cross from the right and Kolarov, deployed as a left winger swept the ball home from seven metres. Striker Aleksandar Mitro- vic shaved the outside of the post with a close-range header as some Serbian fans ran up the terraces for cover from bursts of driving rain. Serbia continued to dominate in the second half and Mitrovic put the icing on the cake with a preda- tor's finish after captain Branislav Ivanovic and substitute Adem Ljajic had gone close. The Newcastle United striker slid in to bury a Filip Kostic cross in the 81st minute as Serbia stayed in the driving seat to reach their first major tournament since the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Serbia's Mijat Gacinovic celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/ Marko Djurica Effiong replaces Camilleri in Ghedin's squad ALFRED Effiong has been added to the Malta squad for the 2018 World Cup qualifier against Scotland to- morrow evening. The Nigerian-born striker, who missed the 4-0 home defeat to England on Friday through suspen- sion, has replaced defender Ryan Camilleri in the 20-strong selec- tion. Effiong's inclusion is the only change in the Malta squad from the England qualifier. Left-back Joseph Zerafa is ex- pected to recover from the knock that forced him to leave the field in the second half of Friday's qualifier. The Maltese contingent, led by MFA General Secretary Dr Angelo Chetcuti and Vice-President Dr Matthew Paris, landed in Glasgow early on Saturday afternoon and are due to hold their first training session here later this evening. Monday's game at Hampden Park promises to be another gruelling affair for Malta as Scotland, on a high after their 3-0 victory in Lith- uania, will be going all out to se- cure victory and keep their outside chances of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup alive. Scotland have now joined Slo- venia in third place on 11 points, six behind leaders England who take on second-placed Slovakia on Monday. MALTA SQUAD Goalkeepers: Henry Bonello (Val- letta FC); Andrew Hogg (Hiberni- ans FC). Defenders: Andrei Agius (Hiberni- ans FC); Steve Borg (Valletta FC); Clayton Failla (Hibernians FC); Michael Johnson (Balzan FC); Sam Magri (Ebbsfleet United); Zach Muscat (US Arezzo); Alex Mus- cat (Sliema Wanderers FC); Joseph Zerafa (Valletta FC). Midfielders: Clyde Borg (Flori- ana FC); Ryan Fenech (Balzan FC); Paul Fenech (Balzan FC); Bjorn Kristensen (Hibernians FC); Luke Gambin (Luton Town); Steve Pisani (Floriana FC). Forwards: Jean Paul Farrugia (FC Chiasso); Michael Mifsud (Val- letta FC); Andrè Schembri (Apollon Limassol); Alfred Effiong (Balzan FC). Pietro Ghedin