Blacks in contention after dramatic win

Għajnsielem are joint leaders in the GFA Division One standings after completing an impressive comeback to beat erstwhile sole leaders Sannat Lions with a last-gasp goal.

The title issue could be decided in the very last day of the championship or through a decider if both Sannat and Għajnsielem win their final match.

This match pulled a sizeable crowd to the Gozo Stadium. A draw would have satisfied Sannat most but the Blacks kept insisting until the dying seconds when they got the winner.

The Lions had a better start and opened the score through a fine header by Sabri Rais on 13 minutes. Għajnsielem hit back strongly though and levelled matters on 36 minutes through a strike from outside the box by Frank Lee Galea.

The Blacks besieged their opponents' goal for most of the opening half but failed to capitalise on their superiority.

The Lions regained composure after the break and had a golden opportunity to take the lead on 53 minutes when the referee awarded them a penalty for a foul on John Camilleri.

However, Rais's shot from the spot was saved in style by keeper Joseph Grech.

Grech was excellent again when keeping out a Kevin Loughborough free-kick as the Lions looked comfortable while soaking up the pressure.

In the second minute of stoppage time, when Sannat looked likely to have secured a precious draw, Alex Viana saw his shot ricocheting off a defender with the loose ball ending up in the path of Joseph Buttigieg who fired home among the complete disbelief of the Lions' clan.

Meanwhile, in other matches last weekend, Nadur Youngsters beat Victoria Hotspurs 3-2 to preserve their status in the top flight but Kerċem Ajax, despite beating the already-doomed Qala 5-3, will have to figure in a relegation play-off against the Second Division runners-up at the end of the season.

Nadur saw more of the ball during the match but the Hotspurs were determined not to finish empty-handed.

In fact, they opened the score through Ryan Grech on 35 minutes only for Nadur to hit back with two goals either side of half-time, through Shaun Muscat and skipper Anthony Portelli.

Victoria's John Paul Grima levelled the score, nine minutes from time. A draw would not have been enough for Nadur and they ventured forward in the remaining minutes in search of a winner.

Victoria keeper Mark Grima produced a superb save to deny Alex Simoncic but could do nothing on 90 minutes when Saviour Attard headed in a crucial goal for Nadur.

The youngsters' victory took the interest away from the Kerċem-Qala match.

As a result, the two teams played an open match with goals coming at regular intervals.

Qala had Ricardo Saverino scoring a hat-trick but the luckless Saints failed to profit from an extra man on the field as Kerċem turned a 2-3 deficit into a 5-3 win with three goals scored in the last 20 minutes of the game.

Summaries

Sannat Lions 1
Rais 13
Għajnsielem 2
Galea 36, J. Buttigieg 90

Sannat Lions
P. Galea, A. Debono, J. Agius, M. Azzopardi, M. Muscat, B. Njoku, M. Formosa, S. Brazilino, J. Camilleri, S. Rais, K. Loughborough.

Għajnsielem
. Grech, D. Debattista, F. Buttigieg, C. Mercieca, J. Buttigieg, B. Meilaq, K. Mercieca (L. Buttigieg), J. Attard, S. Goncalves, A. Viana, F. Galea (M. Cremona).

Referee: Saviour Tanti.

Victoria Hotspurs 2
Grech 35, Grima 81
Nadur Youngsters 3
S. Muscat 37, A. Portelli 70, Attard 90

Victoria Hotspurs
M. Grima, J.P. Grima, J. Xerri, A. Zammit (J. Camilleri), M. Buttigieg, R. Grech (M. Cordina), A. Tramboo, J. Portelli, J. Azzopardi, C. Hili (P. Fenech), M. Hanus.

Nadur Youngsters
S. Sultana, M. Portelli, J. Meilaq, P.P. Buttigieg, B. Timotic, S. Attard, J. Muscat (R. Meilaq), A. Simoncic, A. Portelli, B. Brajovic, S. Muscat.

Referee: Mario Apap.

Kerċem Ajax 5
Mizzi 20; Stojanovic 37, 70; Vella 74; Debrincat 85
Qala St Joseph 3
Saverino 12, 36, 59

Kerċem Ajax
M. Mercieca (D. Borg), A. Buttigieg, A. Grech, F. Camilleri, M. Tabone, S. Grech, M. Vella, J.P. Mizzi, J. Debrincat, M. Stojanovic, M. Cvetic (L. Attard).

Qala St Joseph
V. Agius (F. Buttigieg), P. Camilleri, J. Bajada, D. Lautier, M. Secco, L. Buttigieg (M. Tabone), D. Abela, M. Mifsud, E. Nkwankwo, N. Portelli, R. Saverino.

Red card: Buttigieg (KA) 35.

Referee: George Portelli.