No respite for St George’s but Lija win

St George’s 0
Birżebbuġa 2

Birżebbuġa moved into safer waters after chalking up their fifth win of the season at the expense of St George’s, still deeply embroiled in relegation trouble.

The seasiders started the match in attacking mode and after a few minutes, it had to be goalkeeper Ryan Marmara who came out fast to thwart Ronnie Celeste.

St George’s had a Waillys de Azevedo effort saved by Ivan Casha but on 23 minutes Joe Gerada’s side forged ahead thanks to a Mead Mifsud goal.

St George’s tried to hit back but their only shots on goal came from Dylan Zarb and Heathcliff Schembri but the well-positioned Casha saved on both occasions.

Soon after the restart, the unmarked Celeste wasted a good opportunity for Birżebbuġa and Marmara did well to intercept an insidious Boycho Marev delivery as Frantisek Schneider nearly deceived the Saints keeper from a free-kick 11 minutes from time.

Birżebbuġa sealed the issue at the death through Schneider whose free-kick curled past Marmara.

The Czech midfielder marred his day when he was sent off for a second booking.

St George’s: R. Marmara, A. Abela, D. Zahra, L. Rocha dos Santos, N. Curmi, E. Amaira (E. Sevasta), H. Schembri, D. Zarb, G. Inguanez, K. Grech (A. Mercieca), De Azevedo (J. Ruiz).

Birżebbuġa: I. Casha, K. Spiteri (M. Pullicino), K. Borg, F. Schneider, D. Baldacchino, L. Grima, G. Tanti (P. Camilleri), M. Gabriel, M. Mifsud, M. Sciortino (B. Marev), R. Celeste.

Referee: Malcolm Spiteri.

Man of the match: Mead Mifsud (Birżebbuġa).

Lija Athletic 3
St Andrew’s 1

This was an entertaining match that saw Lija do the double over St Andrew’s to ease their relegation worries.

Lija had Erjon Beu and Antoine Sacco in superb form. They started piling the pressure early in the game, forging ahead when Jonat-han Bugeja was caught in two minds and Sacco profited to fire home from inside the box.

St Andrew’s hit back and were unlucky not to equalise when Brian Said’s effort came off the crossbar.

Brian Spiteri’s Lija continued to do all the running though and on 22 minutes it was Ige who drove the ball inches over the bar after good work by Sacco.

Lija did not have to wait long to make it 2-0 though as on the half hour, Beu fired home after a perfect return pass from Sacco.

But St Andrew’s reduced the arrears soon after when a Nicky Vella Petroni effort was palmed away byAktpan, the ball flew to Gustavo Riberio who headed in.

Sacco just missed with a header soon after the restart and the Saints had a Valdo Alhino Goncalves free-kick that was saved by Aktpan.

St Andrew’s almost made it 2-2 when Riberio came face to face with Aktpan but the keeper had the better of the duel. Andre Scicluna’s effort was cleared off the goal-line and Beu shot slightly off range.

On 72 minutes Aktpan made a fine save to stop a Riberio header from a free-kick but in stoppage time Lija made sure of the points when substitute Gilbert Camilleri headed home to make it 3-1.

Lija: E. Aktpan Ini, C. Giordimaina, R. Conceicao, D. Scerri, E. Beu, E. Briffa, K. Darmanin, J.P. Scerri (J. Caruana), A. Scicluna, A. Ige, A. Sacco (G. Camilleri).

St Andrew’s: D. Balzan, N. Chetcuti, B. Said, J. Bugeja, B. Diacono (M. Calleja), N. Vella Petroni, A. Nakua, M. Ellul, M. Grima, V. Alhinho Goncalves (F. Alkanua), G. Ribeiro.

Referee: Marco Borg.

Man of the match: Erjon Beu (Lija).