Msida's fightback rewarded with first victory

Dingli Swallows 1
Okonkwo 8
Msida St Joseph 2
Spiteri 74; T. Farrugia 85

Pitched in a direct confrontation with fellow relegation candidates Dingli Swallows, Msida St Joseph looked to be on their way to yet another defeat after going behind after just eight minutes.

Their lacklustre performance in the opening half did little to lift the Msida fans' spirit about their team's chances of gaining an equaliser, never mind victory, but in football, fortunes can change quickly, especially if the scoring difference between the teams is not more than one goal.

A late surge by Msida proved enough to wrest the iniative and the three points from Dingli as the Saints struck two goals in 11 minutes to earn their first victory of the season and leave the Swallows to rue their failure to convert earlier chances that came their way.

Nigerian striker Joseph Okonkwo was back in the fray for Dingli after completing his recovery from injury. Andre Rocha da Silva was also passed fit to start after shaking off a hamstring problem.

Injury deprived Msida coach Mark Marlow of Zoran Levnaic, the team's midfield dynamo. Karl Ebejer was also missing for the Saints. After three minutes, Okonkwo put his pace and skill to good effect as he raced into the box from the right before delivering a dangerous cross-shot which Msida goalkeeper Manuel Bartolo saved in two attempts.

After eight minutes, Okonwko underlined his importance to Dingli's cause when putting his team ahead with a back-header from Da Silva's cross.

In next to no time, Dingli threatened to double their advantage. Having traded passes with Da Silva, Okonkwo dashed into the box to receive the return ball but his final shot rolled inches wide of the far post.

Msida offered little going forward as Dingli dominated the early exchanges.

Da Silva, who was jeered by the few Msida fans at the Hibs Ground, seemed intent on showing his former team what they were missing.

On one occasion, the Brazilian midfielder ran past a posse of Msida players before laying the ball to Okonkwo just outside the box. The Nigerian spurned the opportunity as his tame shot ended wide, much to the frustration of Haruna Doda who was unmarked on the right.

It was the Swallows who came close again when Kurt Formosa cut in from the left and served Roderick Spiteri who in turn flicked the ball to Okonkwo but the latter hit wide.

Msida's first dangerous foray into Dingli's half almost yielded an equaliser nine minutes before half-time. Micallef engineered the move with a powerful incursion down the right. The Msida midfielder duly picked out Emiliano Lattes who had sped into the box but the Argentine's effort was palmed away by Farrugia. Andrew Formosa, yesterday partnering Lattes in Msida's two-pronged attack, was first to the loose ball but Matthew Borg reacted quickly to block the Saints' striker's effort.

In the action leading to Msida's best chance of the game so far, Da Silva pulled his hamstring again and signalled to the bench that he was unable to continue. His place was taken by Clint Caruana.

On the stroke of half-time, Caruana caught the eye as his body feint took him past a defender before he set up Okonwko but the Nigerian's central effort was kept out by Bartolo.

Msida clearly needed to raise their game by several notches if they were to improve their chances of taking something from the match.

Nine minutes into the second half, Tyrone Farrugia sent a long ball towards Adam Spiteri who accelerated into the box but Kevin Borg and Matthew Borg blocked his run.

A neat interchange between Okonkwo and Dino Cachia put the latter clear but out came Bartolo to repel the former Msida captain's effort. Hopes of an entertaining second half failed to materialise as constructive football was conspicuous by its absence.

A shortage of creative players is one of Msida's main weaknesses this season but this didn't impede Marlow's men from upping their efforts in search of an equaliser.

Their persistence was rewarded when, 16 minutes from time, they levelled matters. Lattes made good progress on the right before whipping in an excellent cross that was met with an equally excellent volley from Spiteri, one of Msida's best players yesterday.

Marlow's decision to advance Tyrone Farrugia from defence to midfield increased Msida's attacking threat.

Five minutes from time, Tyrone Farrugia completed Msida's comeback when his strong half-volley from the distance whizzed past the dithering Dingli keeper and into the right-hand corner of the net.

Dingli Swallows
J. Farrugia-6, R. Conceicao-7, R. Spiteri-5.5, H. Doda-5, K. Formosa-6, C. Muscat-5, D. Cachia-6 ('89 E. Farrugia), K. Borg-5.5 ('87 C. Azzopardi), M. Borg-6.5, A. Rocha Da Silva-6.5 ('38 C. Caruana-5), J. Okonkwo-6.5.

Msida St Joseph
M. Bartolo-6, S. Grima-6, R. Baldacchino-6, C. Sciberras-6, T. Farrugia-6.5, A. Spiteri-7, A. Formosa-5.5 ('90 L. Saliba), K. Mifsud-5.5, A. Farrugia-5 ('72 J. D'Amato), E. Lattes-6, L. Micallef-6.5 ('60 I. Curmi-6).

Referee: Clayton Pisani.

Yellow cards: Mifsud; R. Spiteri; Sciberras; Borg.

BoV player of the match: Joseph Okonkwo (Dingli).