Dingli, Mosta go top

Dingli Swallows joined Pieta Hotspurs at the top of the standings in Group One of the First Division KO qualifying phase and Mosta did the same in Group Two as they are now at a par with Senglea Athletics on the six-point mark.

Dingli had the better of Vittoriosa 1-0 and now have four points from two matches. Mosta made it two wins from two outings, also thanks to a minimal 1-0 victory.

Against Vittoriosa, Dingli started as the livelier side, attacking their opponents from the flanks, trying to find space for their centre forwards.

Jesmond Zammit's side, however, were very erratic up front and rarely tested Stars keeper Jurgen Micallef.

Jeremy Agius led the Dingli charge. After playing a good one-two with Uchanna Anywanna he turned past three defenders and released Kurt Formosa whose drive from just inside the area was stopped by Micallef.

Dingli continued to press forward and on 23 minutes Anywanna hit a scorcher from outside the box that missed the target by a whisker.

Kurt Formosa had a shot neutralised by Micallef but on 39 minutes Dingli surged ahead, albeit following a somewhat controversial goal.

Substitute Mark Galea, who had replaced Gordon Failla some 15 minutes earlier, looked to have retrieved the ball beyond the line before delivering a centre for Formosa to hit home from 12 metres out.

On 55 minutes Dingli should have doubled the score but Agius hit straight at Micallef from in front of goal.

At the other end, Roderick Spiteri almost committed an own goal when he headed backwards but Jeffrey Farrugia was on the right spot to avoid an embarrassing situation.

Then, Vittoriosa won a penalty when Anthony Eviparker was brought down by Formosa inside the Dingli box. Substitute Larry Lagana took the spot-kick but Farrugia dived to his right to preserve Dingli's lead.

To make it worse for Lagana, he was sent off with with 10 minutes to go for a second bookable offence.

In the second match of the afternoon at the Tedesco Stadium, St Patrick were unlucky to finish empty-handed against a Mosta side that was forced to defend for most of the match.

Matthew Fleri Soler was first to try his luck but his shot was well off the Mosta goal. On the half hour, Fleri Soler's shot hit a post following an Inguanez corner.

Mosta scored what proved to be the winning goal six minutes from the break when Ewurun put Calabretta through and the latter scored with a scorching grounder.

St Partrick dominated the second half but could not find a way through. A Thomas Caruana shot was stopped by the alert Carbonaro and an Inguanez dipper sailed just over the bar. Fleri Soler was a whisker away from an equaliser but his header flashed just wide.

Group One: Pieta, Dingli 4; Mqabba 3; Vittoriosa, Rabat 1.

Group Two: Senglea, Mosta 6; St Patrick 3; San Ġwann, St George's 0.