Vittoriosa and Dingli share the spoils

Vittoriosa Stars 1
Dingli Swallows 1

The first match of the 2008/09 Division One championship saw Vittoriosa and Dingli sharing the spoils in a lively encounter at the Tedesco Stadium. Dingli looked slightly better but Vittoriosa also had their chances to snatch the points, including a second-half missed penalty.

Dingli started the game in attack but the Stars held sway to weather the storm. In fact, the only clear-cut chance for Dingli came when Jeremy Agius fed Uchanna Anywanna in the box with the Nigerian's grounder being saved by Jurgen Micallef.

Dingli were stunned when in their first real threat Vittoriosa forged ahead.

It was in the ninth minute when Johann Spiteri rose high above the Dingli defence to head home a Pierre Aquilina free-kick.

Jesmond Zammit's Dingli staged an immediate reaction and drew level on 15 minutes when Anywanna hit home from close range following some good work by Clint Caruana and Jason Cachia.

Dingli held the initiative and Anywanna tried his luck from the edge of the box but his shot was saved by Micallef.

On resumption, Robert Adami, put through by Silvan Portelli, saw his shot finishing inches wide of the Dingli goal with keeper Jeffrey Farrugia beaten. On 51 minutes Vittoriosa no.1 Micallef had to be substituted after colliding with Anywanna in his bid to retrieve a ball in his own box.

A minute later Anthony Eviparker could have given Vittoriosa the lead but Farrugia rushed out of his goal to block the Nigerian's attempt.

On 59 minutes, Dingli's Ryan Mintoff was red-carded for elbowing an opponent. Mintoff is on loan from Hibernians after being out of the game for several weeks to nurse an injury.

Vittoriosa had a golden opportunity to go ahead on 63 minutes when they were awarded a penalty for a foul on Stephen Calleja by Cachia. However, from the spot-kick Eviparker saw his shot saved by Farrugia.

Cachia almost made up for giving away the penalty 18 minutes from time but he headed just over the bar following a Kurt Formosa centre.

Dingli continued to attack and were unlucky when Roderick Spiteri's drive hit the crossbar from 20 metres out.

In added time, Vittoriosa lost stand-in keeper Alex Camilleri after he was sent off for handling the ball outside his box. Outfield player Charles Cachia replaced Adami to guard goal in the dying minutes of the match.

Vittoriosa: J. Micallef (A. Camilleri), P. Aquilina, S. Privitelli (H. Hughes), J. Camilleri, D. Gauci, J. Spiteri, A. Eviparker, K. Zammit, R. Adami (C. Cachia), S. Calleja, K. Abela.

Dingli: J. Farrugia, R. Mintoff, C. Caruana (G. Failla), E. Casha, R. Spiteri, M. Galea (C. Muscat), K. Formosa, J. Agius, J. Cachia, E. Farrugia, U. Anywanna (C. Azzopardi).

Referee: Esther Azzopardi Farrugia.

Man of the match: Roderick Spiteri (Dingli).