Dingli edge Pietà to reach semis

Dingli Swallows 1
Pietá Hotspurs 0

What a difference a week makes in football.

Last week, Pietà Hotspurs crushed Dingli Swallows to the tune of six goals to one.

However, yesterday it was a different story as the Swallows put up a gallant display to edge the Hotspurs and book their place in the semi-finals of the Maltco KO competition where they will face Lija Athletic.

This was also a good debut for new coach Borislav Giorev who is now managing the side after the sacking of Robert Magro. Both teams made changes in their goalkeeper were the young Kersten Vella played instead of Miguel Montfort while for Dingli, Mark Abela, who had a fine match, replaced Jeffrey Farrugia.

Pietà created the better chances early on when Stefan Lijeksic headed over from a Sheldon Grech corner and then the Serbian midfielder fired just wide after some good work from Robson Luiz Bandeira.

It was Dingli who struck though on 12 minutes when Joreilly Chirino tapped the ball home from close range after a Kurt Pace cross.

Pietà soon responded and a Dominic Mifsud drive just missed the target.

On 31 minutes, Dingli went close to adding a second when Chris Ciappara saw his shot well blocked by goalkeeper Vella following some good work by Kurt Pace.

Two minutes later, Bandeira was unlucky when his shot hit the post after a solo move.

Early in the second half, Dingli Swallows should have made it 2-0 when Chirino ran the Pietà defence ragged but with only the goalkeeper to beat blasted the ball over the bar.

A minute later a Bandeira header was cleared off the line by Shawn Tellus.

On 64 minutes Dingli made a quick counter attack with Chirino hitting the side-netting following a neat one-two with Ciappara.

On 67 minutes substitute Christian Grech shot weakly into the hands of the Dingli custodian following a good pass by Bandeira.

Nine minutes from time, Dingli should have sealed their win when Vella failed to control Chirino’s cross with the ball falling to Ciappara who saw his shot blocked by the Pietà defence.

On 86 minutes, Ciappara was too fast for the Pietà rearguard and as he entered the area, the Pietà custodian charged out to block, with the ball finally being cleared by Ryan Mifsud.

Dingli: M. Abela; K. Pace, R. Sammut, S. Tellus, K. Borg, C. Ciappara, K. Formosa, C. Caruana, K. Bonavia, C. Azzopardi (J. Azzo- pardi), J. Chirino.

Pietá: K. Vella, R. Mifsud, B. Sciberras, G. Busuttil (C. Grech), R. L. Bandeira, S. Grech, S. Lijeskic, J. Pisani, D. Mifsud, I. Grech (D. Caruana), J. Azzopardi (C. Cassar)

Referee: Duncan Sultana.

Man of the match: Robson Luiz Bandeira (Pietà Hotspurs).

Group 2 final standings: Mqabba 12 points; Dingli Swallows 7; Pietà Hotspurs 4; St George’s 3; St Andrew’s 2.