Early goals pave way for Msida

Msida SJ 4
Mqabba 2

Msida St Joseph took a significant step towards retaining their Premier League status after brushing aside the challenge of bottom side Mqabba at the Hibs Ground yesterday.

After their poor outing in the 3-0 defeat to Hibs, Msida were looking to get back on track at the expense of a rejuvenated Mqabba side who had shown signs of a revival in their last few matches but now seem destined to go down at the end of the season.

Three goals in the opening 25 minutes did the trick for the Saints who went on to score a comfortable 4-2 victory that left them six points clear of second-from-bottom Pietà Hotspurs. The Saints will now focus on their next match as a victory over the same Hotspurs will seal their place in the top flight.

For Mqabba, this setback was probably the last nail in their coffin. Trailing Msida by a staggering eight points, Bobby Giorev's team now need a miracle to escape the drop.

Matthew Camilleri made a return in the Msida goal as Manwel Bartolo was not included in the squad selected by coach Patrick Curmi. Tyrone Farrugia was also back and partnered Kenneth Spiteri in central defence.

Mqabba coach Bobby Giorev had one Brazilian in his starting formation - Marcelo Pereira - as Mark Anthony Psaila replaced Italo Nogueira who started on the bench alongside compatriot Fabio Silva. Matthew Cocks was ruled out with a one-match ban. He was replaced by the returning Claudio Calleja.

Msida broke the deadlock after only nine minutes.

Adrian Farrugia created space for himself on the right before sending a cross into the path of Tyrone Farrugia who volleyed home past the diving Kris Calleja.

Mqabba should have levelled the scores on 13 minutes. The Msida defence hesitated to clear Albert Busuttil's free-kick and in came Marlon Briffa who headed goalwards but his effort was stopped by the well-positioned Camilleri.

Mqabba paid dearly for that miss as two minutes later Msida doubled their lead. Pedro Dos Santos Calcado, aka Pedrinho, slipped the ball into the path of Priso Doding. The Cameroon forward outpaced Clifford Gatt Baldacchino before squaring a pass towards Tyrone Farrugia who hit home with ease.

On 22 minutes, Busuttil went close for Mqabba when he was first to a John Mintoff corner but headed just over.

Msida, however, kept hitting the target each time they were shooting at goal. On 25 minutes Pedrinho dribbled his way past two opponents before firing a rasping drive that gave Calleja no chance - 3-0.

Giorev was clearly unhappy with the performance of his team at that stage and decided to withdraw Roderick Briffa. He roped in Elliot Navarro instead.

Mqabba were handed a lifeline on 37 minutes when Marlon Briffa was pushed in the box by Roderick Baldacchino and a penalty was awarded. Pereira stepped up for the kick and beat Camilleri with a central shot.

Msida kept the upperhand early in the second half and on 49 minutes Calleja was forced to dive to his right to keep out Pedrinho's inswinger from a free-kick.

On the hour mark, Giorev sent Dylan Zarb in as he looked to add more firepower to his team's forward line. Curmi's response was to withdraw Baldacchino and bring in defender Andrew Spiteri.

Scoring chances were few and far in between for most of the second half with both teams trying to impose their supremacy in midfield as poor distribution of the ball was hampering any goalscoring opportunities at both ends.

However, 13 minutes from time Msida practically made sure of the points when they scored their fourth goal.

Tyrone Farrugia nodded the ball into the path of Doding whose header forced a point blank save from Calleja. Pedrinho, however, was first to the loose ball to beat the Mqabba keeper.

Msida had the ball in the Mqabba net again on 84 minutes when Doding fired home from close in after being set up by Adrian Farrugia. However, the goal was disallowed for offside.

Mqabba made the score look more respectable on 88 minutes when Briffa released Pereira who had little difficulty in beating Camilleri.

Msida: M. Camilleri-6, P. Sciriha-6, S. Grima-6, K. Spiteri-6.5, C. Brincat-6.5, D. Cachia-6 ('81 P. Borg), T. Farrugia-7.5, R. Baldacchino-6 ('64 A. Spiteri-5.5), A. Farrugia-6.5, P. Dos Santos-7.5, P. Doding-6.5 ('87 L. Mizzi).

Mqabba: K. Calleja-5, M. Bonnici-5, A. Busuttil-6.5, M.A. Psaila-5 ('60 D. Zarb-4.5), M. Briffa-6, M. Pereira-7, C. Calleja-6 ('72 F. Silva), J. Mintoff-6, C.G. Baldacchino-6, R. Briffa-4.5 ('29 E. Navarro-5.5), L. Galea-5.

Referee: Saviour Tanti.

Scorers: T. Farrugia 9, 15; Pedrinho 25, 77; Pereira 37 pen., 88.

Yellow Cards: Calleja, Mintoff, Pereira.

BoV Player of the Match: Tyrone Farrugia (Msida St Joseph).