Hard-earned win for leaders Mqabba
Mqabba 1San Gwann 0\nSan Gwann maintained their form and after beating Qormi they produced another creditable showing yesterday giving leaders Mqabba a good run for their money only to succumb to a late goal. Thanks to this win Mqabba are now five...
Mqabba 1
San Gwann 0
\nSan Gwann maintained their form and after beating Qormi they produced another creditable showing yesterday giving leaders Mqabba a good run for their money only to succumb to a late goal.
Thanks to this win Mqabba are now five points clear of Tarxien, who have a game in hand.
Joe Falzon's players were superior to their opponents and launched wave after wave of attacks but found the San Gwann rearguard as solid as a rock.
Clyde Camoin, deployed in a defensive role, again showed some clever touches but the man of the match was San Gwann keeper Justin Spiteri. Indeed, his saves denied Mqabba from more goals.
This game was the opening one of the second round with Mqabba looking a good bet for promotion as San Gwann continue to fight for survival. However, on this showing they look to have a good chance to retain their status come May.
Spiteri was called into action as early as the third minute to hold out a John Paul Muscat drive. An Ikechukwu Chibueze header was cleared off the line by Adrian Gatt but San Gwann soon came into the picture and on 17 minutes Stefan Cutajar shot just wide from the edge of the area.
Kris Calleja then parried a Miguel Francica header and from the rebound Malcolm Buttigieg's effort was again stopped by the Mqabba keeper.
Mqabba could have scored the opener from a swift counter-attack just before the break.
Marlon Briffa and Martin Anastasi exchanged passes before serving Muscat whose shot was saved in style by Spiteri.
Mqabba missed a sitter soon after the restart when substitute Nicolò Baldacchino shot over from three metres with the Saints' goalkeeper beaten.
Mqabba applied an extra gear to carve more openings. Chibueze's drive on the hour was saved by Spiteri and three minutes later the goalkeeper produced another fine save off Camoin's cross-shot after the ball had looked destined to hit the back of the net.
Mqabba's pressure was unrelenting at this stage. A 70th-minute Chibueze shot, following a melee inside the San Gwann box, was again stopped by Spiteri but 15 minutes from time Falzon's team broke the deadlock.
Chibueze found space on the left flank before delivering a perfect cross to Muscat who rose above the San Gwann defenders to score.
The Saints tried to react but were never close to scoring. On the contrary, Chibueze should have wrapped things up when he was clear through but Spiteri held his position to deny Mqabba yet again.
Mqabba: K. Calleja, M. Catania, M. Bonnici (E. Borg), A. Busuttil, M. Briffa (N. Baldacchino), L. Galea, M. Anastasi, J.P. Muscat, I. Chibueze, J. Abela (C. Calleja), C. Camoin.
San Gwann: J. Spiteri, M. Francica, D. Gatt, K. Micallef (A. Portelli), M. Buttigieg, C. Cuschieri, C. Gatt (M. Penza), S. Zammit Fava, K. Sciberras, S. Cutajar (M. Valenzia), L. Vella Critien.
Referee: Paul Caruana.
Man of the match: Justin Spiteri (San Gwann).