Vittoriosa Stars 3
Pietà Hotspurs 1
This was a merited win for Vittoriosa over fellow promotion hopefuls Pietà and now the Cottonera team are back in the race for a place in the Premier League.
A superb first-half display and solid defending after the break gave Oliver Spiteri’s side three priceless points to leapfrog Pietà at the top echelons of the standings.
It was Pietà who came close early on when Larsson Mallia’s shot was deflected by a defender following an inviting ball from Terrence Agius.
But Vittoriosa soon started to dictate matters and Lydon Micallef darted through but his effort from just inside the box finished just over the bar.
On 21 minutes, the Stars were awarded a penalty when Marcelo Perreira beat Miguel Montfort in the box but the Pietà keeper grounded the Vittoriosa player. Perreira picked himself up to score from the penalty mark.
Three minutes later and it was 2-0. Perreira played a good one-two with Siraj Arab before the Brazilian beat Montfort for the second time.
Pietà tried to hit back and on 33 minutes they halved the deficit when Luke Vella Critien tripped Raphael Kooh Sohna in the Vittoriosa box and another penalty was given. Quilin Refalo made no mistake from the spot.
Kooh Sohna almost had the better of Sean Cini in the Stars’ goal but just before half-time Vittoriosa regained their two-goal lead when Malcolm Buttigieg’s piledriver had the better of Montfort.
The second half was all Pietà in terms of possession. They were rarely dangerous though despite winning several corners and with Cini showing signs of anxiety at times. On one occasion Kooh Sohna headed just wide.
The Stars held tight at the back and any hopes Pietà might have had of a late rally were quashed when Cleaven Frendo was shown a straight red for dissent with a handful of minutes still left to play.
Vittoriosa: S. Cini, Samir Arab, M. Buttigieg, L. Vella Critien, S. Grech (M. Barbara), M. Tabone, M. Perreira (R. Brincat), L. Micallef, R. Dos Santos, Siraj Arab (L. Lagana), J. Camilleri.
Pietà: M. Montfort, C. Grech, R. Kooh Sohna, T. Agius (S. Micallef), C. Cassar, J. Zarate, L. Mallia, I. Grech (K. Cesare), A. Spiteri, Q. Refalo, K. Cutajar (C. Frendo).
Referee: Sandro Spiteri.
Man of the match: Malcolm Buttigieg (Vittoriosa Stars).
Mangion leads Marsaxlokk to victory
Dingli Swallows 1
Marsaxlokk 3
Marsaxlokk went top of the standings yesterday, at least for 24 hours, after beating Dingli Swallows in a low-key encounter that saw the Southseasiders prevailing without really setting any houses on fire.
Again Marsaxlokk were led by midfield maestro Rupert Mangion, while Dingli, still in dire relegation trouble, sorely missed the influential Leontiev Konda who failed to make a showing amid rumours that he could be on his way to another team in this month’s transfer window.
Marsaxlokk dictated matters right from the start and after only three minutes Gary Caruana had a grounder saved by goalkeeper Jeffrey Farrugia.
Despite their dominance, Louis Cutajar’s side were finding it difficult to find a way through but on 22 minutes they opened the score when Dylan Micallef reached a measured Mangion pass before hitting low past Farrugia.
Dingli had a Roderick Briffa header just missing the target as Marsaxlokk went close to doubling their lead when a Mark Brincat cross-shot hit the Dingli goal-frame.
Andre Grabowski should have made it 2-0 eight minutes from the break when put through by Mangion. However, with only the keeper to beat, he drove the ball over.
Dingli could have drawn level soon after the break following a melee inside the Marsaxlokk penalty area but with the goalkeeper out of position Lyden Micallef failed to tap the ball in.
The Swallows persisted in attack and a Kurt Formosa cross-shot hit the crossbar with the ball finally being cleared by the Marsaxlokk rearguard.
However, Dingli’s hopes were jolted on 54 minutes when Marsaxlokk made it 2-0 thanks to Dylan Micallef who played a good one-two with Grabowski before slotting the ball home.
Marsaxlokk could have wrapped up the points on 69 minutes when they were awarded a penalty for a foul inside the box on Grabowski by Etienne Farrugia.
Douglas da Silva Silveira took the spot-kick but goalkeeper Farrugia saved.
The Southerners were made to pay for that lapse as seven minutes from time Dingli pulled one back following a Micallef goal from a free-kick.
However, a minute later Marsaxlokk put the game to bed when Grabowski scored with an acrobatic kick.
The goal came after veteran Mangion had beaten a defender before releasing the Swede who grabbed his team’s spectacular third goal.
Dingli: J. Farrugia, R. Briffa, R. Micallef, F. Cauchi (K. Pace), K. Formosa, J. Pace, J. Anyanwa (D. Cilia), E. Farrugia, E. Muscat (J. Sapiano), E. Grech, L. Micallef.
Marsaxlokk: O. Borg, R. Mifsud, M. Brincat, K. Scicluna, M.P. Clarke, D. Micallef, R. Mangion, G. Caruana (M. Caruana), D. Grech, A. Grabowski, D. Da Silva Silveira (P. Paris).
Referee: Gordon Barbara.
Man of the match: Rupert Mangion (Marsaxlokk).
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Marsaxlokk | 11 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 23 | 14 | 21 |
| Lija Athletic | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 18 | 11 | 20 |
| Naxxar Lions | 10 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 17 | 10 | 19 |
| Gudja United | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 21 | 13 | 18 |
| Vittoriosa Stars | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 16 | 14 | 18 |
| Pietà Hotspurs | 11 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 22 | 13 | 17 |
| Żejtun Cor. | 11 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 7 | 16 |
| St Andrew’s | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
| Gżira United | 11 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 14 | 15 | 12 |
| Dingli | 11 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 10 | 24 | 8 |
| Birżebbuġa | 11 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 15 | 27 | 7 |
| Mqabba | 11 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 27 | 3 |