Melita cancel two-goal deficit

Melita 2
San Gwann 2

Newly-promoted Melita hit back from two goals down in this cup qualifier at the Hibs Ground to chalk up their first point in Group One. Although San Gwann threatened to overrun the Amateurs in the first half, a much improved second-half display saw Martin Gregory's lads battling back to avoid defeat.

In the second half, the Melita mentor made a tactical substitution that worked wonders for his side. Kane Micallef came in for Ives Bilocca with the former making the first goal and then scoring the equalizer himself.

The Saints, who drew their first match against St Patrick a week ago, could have scored more goals and made the game safe in the first 45 minutes.

Coach Joe Brincat pushed his men forward and made the superiority count when Alan Borg received a good ball from midfield before beating goalkeeper Matthew Sapiano to score the opener.

Melita could not find any rhythm and on the half-hour the Saints came close again when a Ryan Sell grounder, following an astute Clayton Giordemaina pass, was cleared in time by Jeremy Pace.

But, just before the break San Gwann made it 2-0. The ball came into the path of Steve Pisani who, despite being closely marked by a Melita defender, did well to find the net from an acute angle.

Melita were a different lot after the break but it was San Gwann who came close again on 53 minutes when Firaz Aboulezz saw his drive cleared for a corner.

Melita, however, managed to reduce the arrears on the hour mark when Matthew Borg blasted the ball home from close range following a Micallef centre.

Micallef himself should have equalised soon after but drove the ball wide from inside the box.

But with seven minutes to go, the active Micallef drew the teams level when he beat Jean-Matthias Vella from a perfect Borg cross.

Two minutes into stoppage time Melita finished the match with 10 men when Nigel Rizzo was shown a red card for a foul on Miguel Francica.

San Gwann: J.M. Vella, C. Giordemaina, M. Francica, N. Curmi, L. Cumbo (R. Sammut), A. Borg, M. Caruana (Q. Bregman), L. Bonett (V. Brincat), F. Aboulezz, R. Sell, S. Pisani.

Melita: M. Sapiano, J. Pace (L. Fenech), M. Attard, A. Caruana Scicluna, M. Martin, N. Rizzo, L. Sammut (K. Micallef), J. Mifsud, I. Bilocca (L. Micallef), N. Zammit, M. Borg I.

Referee: Anton Zammit.

Vittoriosa Stars 1
Pietà Hotspurs 3

Pietà Hotspurs had an auspicious start to the season when they beat Vittoriosa Stars in a pulsating encounter indicative that these two sides will be vying for promotion this season.

The initial stages saw Vittoriosa holding more possession but as time went by Pietà came more into the picture to dictate matters mostly in midfield.

Winston Muscat's Vittoriosa should have gone ahead early on but Justin Felice, with only the goalkeeper to beat, misplaced his shot.

On 27 minutes, Carl Sammut looked to have been tripped inside the Stars' box by Kurt Formosa but strangely the referee opted to award Pietà an indirect free-kick instead of a penalty.

On the half hour mark, Sammut, always dangerous each time he got hold of the ball, rounded keeper Alex Camilleri following a Quelin Refalo pass, to score Pietà's opening goal.

Camilleri kept his side in the match six minutes later when keeping out a rasping Refalo shot from inside the box as Pietà continued to show the better ideas until the half-time break.

Vittoriosa started the second half on the attack and on 48 minutes an Elton Vella drive finished just wide. Pietà responded with another Refalo shot that flashed wide.

The Stars, so much in the news for the wrong reasons lately, levelled matters on 55 minutes when Vella ran past a static Pietà rearguard before shooting past the onrushing Pietà keeper Miguel Montfort.

Vittoriosa continued to attack. Mauro Brincat sprinted down the Pietà half to meet a Gary Inguanez pass. However, he found Montfort on the right spot to stop his effort at goal.

Pietà forged ahead against the run of play 11 minutes from time.

Sammut beat two defenders, the ball rolled into the path of Refalo whose shot was bundled into the net by Formosa for an own goal.

Camilleri did well to keep out a Sammut header but five minutes from time the Hotspurs sealed the issue when from a Refalo corner, the grounded Matthew Agius released Jesmond Azzopardi who slotted home from close in.

Vittoriosa: A. Camilleri, J. Camilleri, P. Aquilina, K. Formosa, B. Bonnici, G. Inguanez (S. Piscopo), P. Camilleri, J. Spiteri (J. Scerri), M. Brincat, E. Vella, J. Felice.

Pietà: M. Montfort, C. Sammut (J. Delia), C. Spiteri, B. Sciberras, S. Zampa, Q. Refalo, S. Ciscaldi, M. Marmara (J. Azzopardi), S. Grech (M. Agius), K.M. Robinson, C. Cassar.

Referee: Paul Rapa.