Vittoriosa Stars 2
Naxxar Lions 1
Naxxar Lions failed to go top of the standings after suffering yet another defeat to Vittoriosa Stars.
Infact, this was the second upset for Winston Muscat’s side this season, and both came against his former club Vittoriosa.
The Lions have now remained second, on 22 points, one behind Lija Athletic while Vittoriosa joined Marsaxlokk in third spot, a point further behind.
Naxxar started to dictate matters early and went ahead after only five minutes.
Debutant Marlon Briffa was brought down in the box by Matthew Tabone, and from the resultant penalty, Andre Rocha Da Silva sent Jean Matthias Vella the wrong way.
The Lions continued to play the better football and on 20 minutes a Darren Falzon free-kick finished just wide while Jurgen Debono’s shot was parried away by Vella. From the resulting corner, taken by Debono, Falzon headed on to the bar.
Vittoriosa responded on 23 minutes when Gary Muir drove the ball just wide.
On 31 minutes Marcelo Perreira should have done better when his free header was easily saved by Julian Azzopardi.
Vittoriosa drew level on 39 minutes when Perreira turned well inside the box and his shot was pushed away by Azzopardi but from the rebound Lydon Micallef tapped the ball home.
On 55 minutes, Vittoriosa were awarded a penalty when Rocha Da Silva blocked Perreira’s shot with his arm. The Brazilian midfielder was lucky to receive only a yellow card but from the spot Perreira beat Azzopardi.
On 68 minutes the Lions were unlucky when an Ewurun cross-shot was tipped on to the crossbar by Vella.
It was Naxxar again who went close six minutes later when Falzon’s free-kick missed the target.
Both sides continued to play fast and attacking football and on 80 minutes an Anderson Ribeiro drive from the edge of the area was saved by Vella.
Vella was the protagonist again in time added on when he pulled off a fine save to keep out Ribeiro’s shot from close in.
Vittoriosa: J.M. Vella, R. Dos Santos, Samir Arab (A. Spiteri), M. Buttigieg, L. Vella Critien, L. Micallef, Siraj Arab, J. Camilleri, G. Muir, M. Perreira, M. Tabone.
Naxxar: J. Azzopardi, L. Micallef, J. Vella, P. Doffo, S. Eboh, V. Bellia (G. Bellia), A. Rocha da Silva (A. Ribeiro), Jur. Debono (John Debono), D. Falzon, M. Briffa, A. Ewurun.
Referee: Philip Farugia.
Man of the match: Marcelo Perreira (Vittoriosa Stars).
Dingli Swallows 0
Pietà Hotspurs 2
Pietà maintained their promotion hopes when they did a double over relegation-haunted Dingli who lost playmaker Leontiev Konda and goalkeeper Jeffrey Farrugia in this transfer window.
Pietà did most of the running but struggled to break the Dingli resistance whose only intention was to put as many men as possible behind the ball to avoid a repeat of the first-round 6-1 drubbing to the same Hotspurs.
The first shot on goal came on the half-hour mark when a Quilin Refalo free-kick was easily dealt with by Dingli keeper Dunstan Zarb. Two minutes later Lydon Micallef, the most advanced Dingli player yesterday, won possession following a long clearance but his lob flew over.
Edmond Lufi’s Pietà ventured forward again on 38 minutes with Raphael Kooh Sohna shooting from the edge of the area after exchanging passes with Larson Mallia. Zarb, however, was on the right spot to save.
The closest Pietà went to opening the score before half-time was from a Refalo effort that lacked precision and was out of range. The pattern did not change much after the break with Pietà still holding an edge.
A Refalo header hit the post but on 55 minutes the Dingli fort crumbled when defender Christian Grech beat Zarb from a Terence Agius corner.
Refalo should have made it 2-0 but was outsmarted by Zarb who got a hand to the Pietà player’s shot.
The Hotspurs doubled their lead midway through the half, Kooh Sohna hitting home after an inviting Senior David throughball.
Pietà could have scored a third but Mallia headed against the post and from the rebound Kooh Sohna saw his shot saved by the keeper.
Dingli: D. Zarb, A. Portelli (E. Muscat), K. Pace, F. Cauchi, R. Vella (L. Borg), E. Grech, K. Formosa (J. Sapiano), J. Pace, E. Farrugia, M. Borg, L. Micallef.
Pietà: M. Montfort, C. Cassar, M. Borg, C. Grech, C. Spiteri, J. Zarate, Q. Refalo, T. Agius, L. Mallia (C. Briffa), S. David (K. Cutajar), R. Kooh Sohna.
Referee: Stefan Pace.
Man of the match: Senior David (Pietà Hotspurs).