Pietà Hotspurs 0
Vittoriosa Stars 2

A Marcelo Pereira brace helped Vittoriosa Stars overcome Pietà Hotspurs to register their fifth win of the season and practically put their minds at rest of extending their stay in Division One for another season.

For the Hotspurs, so dominant at the start of the season, this was their fifth defeat during the second round and their chances of pushing for promotion now look remote.

Pietà held the initiative early on and after three minutes Clive Spiteri’s cross-shot finished just wide.

However, it was Vittoriosa who struck on nine minutes when Pereira controlled the ball just outside the area and let fly a powerful volley that soared past Pietà goalkeeper Miguel Montfort.

Pietà went close on 18 minutes when Cleavon Cassar met Jonathan Zarate’s free-kick but his effort was pushed away by goalkeeper Jean-Mathias Vella.

Three minutes later Montfort was on the alert to keep out Gary Muir’s shot from just inside the area.

After the interval, Vittoriosa kept the initiative and doubled their lead on 59 minutes when Pereira turned past his marker to blast home.

Pietà responded on 69 minutes when Jurgen Vella’s curling free-kick was turned to a corner by Vella.

Twenty minutes from time, the Stars were reduced to ten men when Michael Robinson was dismissed for a second bookable offence.

Pereira then came close to complete his hat-trick when he moved past Ishmael Grech but was denied by Montfort.

Seven minutes from time substitute Johann Spiteri hit a screamer from 30 metres with the ball finishing inches wide.

Pietà: M. Montfort; C. Spiteri, E. Giaccaglia (K. Cutajar), T. Agius (A. Farrugia), Z. Muscat, V. Dos Santos, C. Cassar, L. Mallia (C. Grech), J. Zarate, J. Pisani, I. Grech.

Vittoriosa: J.M. Vella, L. Vella Critien, J. Camilleri, L. Ramon Dos Santos, G. Muir, M. Pereira, K. M. Robinson, A. Spiteri (J. Spiteri), M. Buttigieg, R. Brincat, L. Grech (M. Barbara).

Referee: Philip Farrugia.

Best player: Marcelo Pereira (Vittoriosa Stars).

St Patrick 1
Birżebbuġa 3

Birżebbuġa St Peter’s registered an important victory that left them practically safe while St Patrick’s task of evading relegation has now become very difficult.

The match turned out to be a drab affair with both sides looking happy to take a point. But when Birżebbuġa forged ahead St Patrick tried to fight back but could not avoid defeat.

Birebbuġa had most of the possession in the first 45 minutes and after six minutes Frantisek Schneider’s free-kick looked to have deceived goalkeeper Jonathan Grech but somehow the St Patrick custodian recovered.

St Patrick responded with a Spas Spasov free-kick which was saved by Ivan Casha.

Five minutes from half-time Grech made a magnificent save off a Keith Muscat header from a Mark Pullicino cross.

Birżebbuġa took the lead on 58 minutes when Boycho Todorov Marev coolly slotted the ball home from a Ronnie Celste cross.

More woes followed for St Patrick as on 66 minutes Marev was brought down in the area by Andreas Galea who was subsequently dismissed. From the resultant penalty Paul Camilleri made it 2-0.

Despite the numerical inferiority, St Patrick pulled a goal back on 77 minutes when Dione Fava’s header hit the bar and from the rebound Matthew Xerri slotted home.

St Patrick pushed more men forward now but they were hit on the break five minutes from time when Keith Muscat headed home from a Marev cross.

St Patrick: J. Grech, B. Gockaj (D. Micallef), M. Onoruh, S. Spasov, S. Zerafa (D. Fava), M. Xerri, J. Farrugia (A. Ellul), E. Grech, R. Ceka, C. Camilleri, A. Galea.

Birżebbuġa SP: I. Casha; K. Spiteri (D. Baldacchino), M. Pullicino, F. Schneider, M. Gabriel, P. Camilleri, K. Muscat (A. Dalli), G. Tanti, M. Sciortino, B. Marev, R. Celeste.

Referee: Karl Frendo Cumbo.

Best player: Boycho Todorov Marev (Birżebbuġa).

Standings