Plucky Melita foil Mqabba

Mqabba 4
Melita 4

Two goals in the last eight minutes gave Melita a deserved point against Mqabba in one of the most exciting games in the Division One League this season.

It was an open, well-fought match that delighted the sizeable crowd at the Tedesco Stadium with the Melita fans giving their young but plucky team a standing ovation as they headed to the dressing room after the final whistle.

Mqabba badly needed a win to improve their survival hopes but they found Melita a tough nut to crack despite the Amateurs missing two key players in George Gribbon and Julian Galea.

Melita had forged ahead after only two minutes following an excellent move. Luke Micallef, Kane Micallef and Matthew Borg exchanged passes as the latter sprinted towards goal before driving the ball past Kris Calleja.

Mqabba responded immediately and three minutes later they were level, Glenn Barry scoring with a close-range volley from Sean Magro's cross.

Buoyed by their equaliser, Mqabba kept up the pressure. They came close to a second goal in the 12th minute when Magro hit just wide following a good interchange between Barry and Vilson Caushi.

Melita remained dangerous on the counter. On 26 minutes, Nicolò Baldacchino's grounder was saved by Calleja and, a minute later, Kane Micallef's free-kick spread havoc in the Mqabba area but Calleja blocked the danger.

After Caushi drove wide from close range, Mqabba went 2-1 up 10 minutes from half-time. They were awarded a penalty after Daniel Gravino tripped Claudio Calleja in the box and the Mqabba striker converted from the spot.

On the stroke of half-time, Calleja's first time effort just missed the target.

Mqabba made it 3-1 three minutes into the second half with a magnificent goal. Magro left a defender in his wake close to the byline and passed to Caushi who fired into the net.

Three minutes past the hour mark, Melita's Baldacchino headed over from Kane Micallef's free-kick.

Kane Micallef gave Melita a lifeline 18 minutes from time when he hit the target with an excellent free-kick. But seven minutes later, Mqabba regained their two-goal lead thanks to Caushi who dribbled past Jonathan Mifsud and goalkeeper Karl Zahra before shooting home.

However, Melita refused to give up. With 10 minutes left, Kane Micallef drove home from the penalty spot after he had been fouled by Grima.

Four minutes from time, Melita grabbed a dramatic equaliser, Steve Bonnici rifling home after another teasing Kane Micallef free-kick had sparked a melee in the Mqabba box.

Mqabba: K. Calleja, P. Grima, P. Borg, S. Magro, M. Gauci (C. Farrugia), G. Barry, C. Calleja (J.P. Muscat), V. Caushi, E. Navarro, J. Debattista, M. Anastasi (O. Grech).

Melita: K. Zahra, S. Bonnici, D. Gravino, A. Caruana Scicluna, M. Martin, M. Borg, K. Micallef, N. Baldacchino, J. Mifsud, L. Fenech (S. Micallef), L. Micallef (L. Sammut).

Referee: Paul Caruana.

Man of the match: Kane Micallef (Melita).

Pietà down Saints

San Ġwann 0
Pietà Hotspurs 3

Pietà Hotspurs improved their chances of avoiding the drop after easing past fellow relegation strugglers San Ġwann who played for more than 40 minutes with 10 men.

Defeat for San Ġwann has seriously dented their hopes of staying up while Pietà look set for a tense relegation battle with Mqabba and St Patrick in the final weeks of the season.

Positive football was something of a scarcity in the opening half-hour of this fractious match.

It was San Ġwann who created the first opening on 30 minutes when Steve Pisani, put clear by Quincy Bregman, shot against the upright with only the goalkeeper to beat.

A minute later, the Hotspurs took the lead thanks to Jesmond Azzopardi's 30-metre dipper that soared above goalkeeper Justin Spiteri and finished in the net.

The Saints made a reaction and on 34 minutes, Clint Gatt tried his luck from just inside the box but his effort sailed over the crossbar.

Four minutes into the second half, San Ġwann suffered a serious setback when Firas Aboulezz was shown a straight red card for a rash tackle on Pietà's Mohammed Alabi.

On 52 minutes, San Ġwann defender Mario Caruana came to his side's rescue when clearing off the line Alabi's goalbound effort.

A minute later, Azzopardi missed a sitter when he picked up a loose ball but shot weakly at the San Ġwann custodian. Despite their numerical handicap, San Ġwann never stopped running and constantly tried to penetrate their opponents' defensive lines with incursions down the right flank.

San Ġwann's fate was sealed when Azzopardi scored his second 15 minutes from time, poking the ball home after receiving from Clive Spiteri.

Five minutes from the end, Alabi secured Pietà's victory. Running on to Malcolm Marmara's pass, Alabi sped past the Saints' rearguard and scored from close range.

San Ġwann: J. Spiteri, Q. Bregman, M. Caruana, M. Francica, N. Curmi, A. Borg, F. Aboulezz, C. Cuschieri, C. Gatt (L. Bonnett), S. Pisani, R. Sell.

Pietà: M. Montfort, C. Spiteri (M. Agius), J. Delia (G. Goodlip), B. Sciberras, B. Perry Acton, M. Alabi, Z. Muscat, C. Cassar, I. Grech, J. Azzopardi (M. Marmara), S. Pace.

Referee: Kevin Azzopardi.

Man of the match: Jesmond Azzopardi (Pietà).