St George's beaten again as Rainbows move third

St George's 1
Lija Athletic 2

St George's suffered their second defeat in a row and now the promotion race is again wide open. Following their upset to Marsa, few would have imagined that the Saints were to falter again against a Lija side struggling to lift themselves from the drop zone.

But Jimmy Briffa's Lija fought for every ball with practically all the team playing their hearts out for a merited victory.

St George's sorely missed the experienced Jesmond Delia and Keith Darmanin, unavailable to nurse slight injuries.

Lija broke the deadlock just after the half hour when following some neat passes between a posse of players, Beppe Antignolo's perfect throughball found Michael Gatt unmarked who coolly stroke home past Andrea Gatt.

St George's levelled the scores deep into first-half added time. A well-taken free-kick by Trevor Thomas was headed against the bar by Miguel Mifsud but from the rebound Johann Spiteri who had been on the field for barely six minutes, rose high to head in.

After this goal, referee Chris Lautier brought an end to the first 45 minutes. On his way to the tunnel, he was confronted by Lija coach Jimmy Briffa, who, apparently, was not happy with the decision to add four minutes of added time.

The Saints looked more determined in the second half and Clive Brincat's first-timed effort, after 50 minutes, was partially saved by keeper Etienne Mercieca with the ball hitting the post before it was cleared away.

However, St George's were jolted from the seams when three minutes later they had Mifsud sent off for a second yellow card.

Marco Gerada's team still continued to press forward, despite the numerical handicap, with Edgar Degabriele trying his luck from an acute angle but Mercieca was well-positioned to save.

Lija's Giles Lanzon was also sent off for dissent in the 65 minute as the game became more tense.

In the 69th minute St George's won a penalty when Alan Ellul looked to have floored Trevor Thomas. The latter picked himself up to take the penalty but shot wide from the spot.

Seven minutes from time a Zjelko Anicic cross was mistimed by Saints defender Anthony Bonello with Alan Ellul on hand to shoot home Lija's second goal.

St George's hopes were dealt a fatal blow when Larry Lagana threw the ball away after a yellow card and referee Lautier did not hesitate to send him in for an early shower.

In the dying minutes St George's should have equalised when Trevor Thomas dribbled past Mercieca but with the face of the goal at his mercy he shot wide to the relief of Lija.

St George's: A. Gatt, A. Bonello, E. Degabriele, E. Sevasta, C. Brincat, A. Ewurum (M. Spiteri), S. Sciberras (J. Spiteri), P. Muscat, M. Mifsud, L. Lagana, T. Thomas.

Lija: E. Mercieca, E. Azzopardi, J.P. Scerri, A. Ellul, G. Lanzon, M. Gatt (G. Calabretta), J. Camilleri (D. Scerri), N. Gatt, P. Camilleri, Z. Anicic, B. Antignolo (J. Cauchi).

Referee: Chris Lautier.

Mqabba 0
Tarxien Rainbows 2

Tarxien are third in the standings after beating Mqabba yesterday in front of a sporadic crowd at the Centenary Stadium.

Perhaps a draw would have been a fairer result here as Mqabba, who started the day on equal points with Tarxien, had their chances to score, particularly in the second half following a drab first 45 minutes.

As expected, the game was balanced with both teams trying hard to break down solid defensive covers at both ends of the pitch. Play was mainly in the middle of the field with Tarxien's Josef Tonna and Michael Micallef, both ex-Rabat, leaving a very good impression.

Mqabba, on their part, had Albert Busuttil in fine form, spraying passes on the flanks mainly to Jean Paul Muscat who was closed down by the Tarxien rearguard.

The first real threat came Mqabba's way in the 32nd minute when Uchanna Anywanna just missed the target from close range. Tarxien responded three minutes later but Manwel Caruana's drive lacked precision.

On resumption, Anywanna broke free from Tonna but his shot from the edge of the area was kept out by Anthony Curmi in the Tarxien goal.

Tarxien started applying some pressure now with Andre Rocha Da Silva and Alan Tabone combining perfectly to open some spaces.

But in 66th minute Mqabba had a golden opportunity to go ahead when Anywanna found Marlon Briffa in a good position, the Mqabba midfielder chipped the ball over Curmi, but Micallef ran back to clear the ball off the line.

In the 68th minute Tabone, although tightly-marked, tried his luck from 25 metres out with the ball sailing just over the crossbar.

Tarxien broke the deadlock 11 minutes from time when Simon Shead rolled the ball into the path of Da Silva who had the easiest of tasks to put his team in front.

In the last seven minutes, Tarxien's coaching tandem, Twanny Dalli and Jesmond Zerafa, introduced George Cutajar for Shead to strengthen their rearguard, a tactic which definitely paid off.

Mqabba tried hard to save the match but it was Tarxien who sealed the issue when from a defensive clearance the ball came to substitute Carlos Camenzuli who chested the ball down before dribbling past goalkeeper Kris Calleja and hit home inside an empty net.

Mqabba: K. Calleja, J. Tellus, P. Grima, A. Busuttil, M. Gauci (K. Mallia), M.A. Psaila (E. Borg), M. Anastasi (M. Marlow), J.P. Muscat, M. Bonnici, U. Anywanna, R. Spiteri.

Tarxien: A. Curmi, F. Farrugia, M. Caruana, E. Saliba, J. Tonna, K. Zammit, M. Micallef, S. Shead (G. Cutajar), A. Tabone (A. Guazzo), K. Coleiro (C. Camenzuli), A. Rocha Da Silva.

Referee: Kevin Azzopardi.