St Patrick, Mosta kick off campaign with wins

Pietà Hotspurs 0
St Patrick 1

A first-half goal from man-of-thematch Daniel Milovanovic gave St Patrick a deserved victory as they were the team who created the better chances and could have put the result to bed had they not missed several good scoring opportunities.

Pietà came more into the game in the second half especially after the Saints withdrew Terrence Farrugia for defender Matthew Fleri Soler as the Żabbar side looked to preserve their one-goal advantage.

The Hotspurs forged ahead on 21 minutes when Milovanovic fired the ball home from the rebound after his first effort was partially blocked by Montfort.

Joseph Grech's side looked rattled and on 23 minutes Milovanovic could have made it 2-0 but his flick flew just wide.

Pietà could have drawn level on 26 minutes but Simon Zerafa drove the ball over from routine distance.

Three minutes from the interval Caruana's close-range effort was kept out by the alert Montfort.

On 48 minutes Pietà shouted for a penalty when Quelin Refalo lobbed the ball over the onrushing Sean Mintoff before colliding with the St Patrick goalkeeper but the referee waved play on and booked Refalo for persistent protests.

On 67 minutes, Bernard Sciberras met a Clive Spiteri free-kick but Mintoff did well to block the ball.

Five minutes later, Pietà went close again when Refalo profited from some hesitant defending from David Gauci and Fleri Soler but was denied by Mintoff. Ten minutes from time, Caruana almost added a second for the Saints but his lob was cleared off the line by defender Ismael Grech.

Pietà: M. Montfort, C. Sammut, C. Spiteri, B. Sciberras, Q. Refalo, S. Ciscaldi (G. Goodlip), S. Grech (M. Vella), K. M. Robinson, C. Cassar, D. Mifsud (C.McKay), I. Grech.

St Patrick: S. Mintoff, M. Pullicino, D. Gauci, S. Zerafa, D. Milovanovic, R. Mifsud, L. Sciberras, A. Ellul (B. Bugeja,Y. Tonna), J. Farrugia, T. Farrugia (M. Fleri Soler), T. Caruana.

Referee: Esther Azzopardi.

Man of the match: Daniel Milovanovic (St Patrick).

Mosta 2
San Ġwann 1

Mosta kicked off their league campaign with a well-earned victory over San Ġwann in a match they dominated for long stretches.

Mosta took the lead after only three minutes when Lyden Micallef shot home from close range after being set up by Terence Vella.

San Ġwann managed to restore equilibrium on 12 minutes when Leroy Bonett slammed the ball home after a fine choral move.

The match was evenly-balanced until Mosta regained the lead on 19 minutes.

Vella, was again the architect when he created havoc in the San Ġwann rearguard before passing to Pio Vassallo who easily slotted the ball home.

Mosta continued to show the better ideas, but San Ġwann never gave up.

On 26 minutes, Vella was unlucky when his free-kick slammed against the bar.

Mosta kept up the tempo on the restart and Micallef burst through, rounded goalkeeper Spiteri but fired wide.

On 76 minutes Miguel Francica kept San Ġwann in the match when he cleared off the line a Gilbert Martin volley.

Mosta were unlucky eight minutes from time when Micallef's header hit the bar.

On 87 minutes, the Saints had Neil Curmi red-carded for a second bookable offence.

The woodwork again denied Mosta a minute from time when Vella hit the foot of the post from routine distance.

Mosta: J. Debono; A. Borg, K. Farrugia, B. Agius, L. Stivala, M. Briggs, P. Vassallo (L. Grima), J. Vella (D. Cauchi), L. Micallef, T. Vella, C. Pace (G. Martin).

San Ġwann: J. Spiteri; C. Giordemaina, N. Curmi, M. Caruana, M. Francica, A. Borg, C. Cuschieri, F. Aboulez, C. Gatt (Q. Bregman), S. Pisani, L. Bonett.

Referee: Glenn Tonna.

Man of the match: Terrence Vella (Mosta).