QORMI-2, MELITA-3

Melita moved off the bottom of the table after recording their first win of the season, beating Qormi 3-2 in today's first game at the National Stadium.

All eyes were on Jesmond Zerafa before kick-off as this was the first game of his second spell as Qormi coach after he replaced Stephen Azzopardi but the former City mentor didn't enjoy a happy debut.

Qormi looked to be on course to victory when they overturned Melita's early opener with two quick goals but the Amateurs, sporting a new sponsor, quickfocus.com, on their shirts, kept their composure to level matters before hitting the winner at the start of the second half.

Qormi saw more of the ball in the initial stages but it was Melita who took the lead after 14 minutes. Luis Jose Armaro Negrin escaped the attentions of the Qormi defenders as he ran onto a long pass before lifting the ball over Matthew Farrugia.Qormi equalised on 21 minutes.

Kris Thackray scored a wonderful goal as his swerving free-kick from long range gave Melita goalkeeper Matthew Sapiano no chance.Less than three minutes later, Qormi nosed ahead. Melita defender George Gribbon felled the advancing Vincenzo Pisani just outside the box and Abubakar Bello-Osagie curled his free-kick past the Melita wall and into the net.

Melita looked shellshocked but they regrouped to snatch an immediate equaliser.The game was 27 minutes old when Matthew Borg's long throw-in was headed backward by Ivan Tufegdzic and, amid the ensuing scramble, Negrin buried the ball home from close range.

The game remained an entertaining affair. Qormi almost went 3-2 up when Pisani blocked a pass in the inside-right channel and sent in a perfect cross to Gaetan Spiteri but the latter's header flew straight at Gribbon.Melita went close eight minutes from half-time.

Manuel Ramon Sierra Camacho squared to Negrin who turned past his marker but his final effort from a great position was off target.

Camacho then hit a post with curling free-kick from a wide position on the right.

An entertaining first half ended two-all but, two minutes after the restart, Melita went ahead. Negrin made headway in the box before passing to Julian Galea whose cross-cum-shot rolled towards the far post where Luke Sammut poked the ball home.

Thackray's diagonal run took him into the box but his effort was repelled by the Melita defenders. On another occasion, Grech's menacing cross-shot from the right was deflected over the bar by Tufegdzic.Bello-Osagie was wide with another free-kick as Qormi's pressure went increasing.

For all their possession, Qormi found it hard to break down Melita's defence.

With 11 minutes left, Jovan Vukanic's free-kick was stopped by Farrugia. The Qormi goalkeeper kept his team alive when pushing away Nigel Rizzo's long-range drive.

It was Melita who ended the game on the attack as Qormi faded in the closing stages.

Negrin was voted BOV player of the match.

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