Mqabba 1
Lija Athletic 2

Two controversial penalty decisions in the last 15 minutes gave ten-man Lija a hard-earned victory over bottom-placed Mqabba at the Tedesco Stadium yesterday.

The first penalty was given for a debatable push by Clayton Micallef and the second spot-kick decision came in stoppage-time when a Benoir Fenech first-time effort hit the unlucky Micallef on the chest inside the box but the referee deemed it was a handball.

Police had to intervene to calm the situation as Mqabba protested heavily against the decision but to no avail as Erjon Beu kept his cool to place the ball beyond the keeper’s reach on both occasions.

Mqabba attacked first when a David Azzopardi free-kick was saved by goalkeeper Luke Bonnici.

Lija responded five minutes later when Beu dribbled past two defenders but his shot was stopped by Kris Calleja.

Mqabba looked desperate for the points and deservedly took the lead midway through the half. And what a goal it was.

Joseph Okonkwo beat Fenech and Matthew Fleri Soler before rifling his shot into the roof of the net from just inside the Lija box.

Lija went all out in search of an equaliser as the second half got underway.

Leontiev Konda’s cross deceived Calleja and Daniel Scerri lobbed the ball over the keeper but his effort was blocked on the goal-line. Evano Briffa blasted over from close in.

Scerri rattled the Mqabba post following a melee inside the Mqabba area and on 54 minutes, the Mqabba keeper made a point-blank save off Adeshina Ige.

Then, Brian Spiteri’s Lija suffered a setback when Briffa was shown a straight red for dissent.

But Lija still ventured forward and on 75 minutes they were handed a lifeline when the referee pointed to the spot for a non-existent Micallef foul in the Mqabba box.

Beu kept hold of his nerves to even the scores from the spot.

Both sides seemed happy to settle for a draw but then came the other penalty incident that brought about harsh protests from Mqabba. When order was restored Beu beat Calleja to give Lija victory and the top placing in the standings.

Mqabba: K. Calleja, A. Scicluna, D. Bonnici, M. Perez (O. Kayode), D. Azzopardi, C. Calleja (A. Caligari), M. Bonnici, J. Okonkwo, J. Achokwu, C. Micallef, R. Williams Akande.

Lija: L. Bonnici, C. Giordimaina, M. Fleri Soler, D. Scerri, E. Beu, D. Vukovic, E. Briffa, B. Fenech, A. Scicluna (A. Sacco), A. Ige, R. De Almeida (L. Konda).

Referee: Sandro Spiteri.

Man of the match: Daniel Scerri (Lija Athletic).

Pietà Hotspurs 2
Gżira United 0

Pietà Hotspurs moved into third place after a deserved win over Gżira United in a game they practically dominated from start to finish.

For Pietà, it was that man from Cameroon, Raphael Kooh Sohna, who played a big part in their victory as he tormented the Maroons every time he got hold of the ball.

Pietà immediately forged ahead when Kooh Sohna was freed by Quilin Refalo’s through-pass, and the striker slotted the ball past Simon Agius from close range.

Edmond Lufi’s side almost doubled their lead on 15 minutes but Christian Grech’s shot hit the post following a Cleaven Cassar free-kick.

Three minutes later a Refalo effort from 25 metres out was superbly kept out by Agius in the Gżira goal.

The Maroons were a subdued lot for most of the first half but veteran Jeffrey Chetcuti almost scored an equaliser only for his header to go just wide from a Steve Meilak free-kick.

On resumption Pietà continued to dominate proceedings. Kooh Sohna hit badly from a good position and a minute later Agius came to Gżira’s rescue when he saved Senior David’s point-blank effort.

It was no surprise that Pietà scored a second on 55 minutes when Larsson Mallia tapped the ball home from close range after a mazy Kooh Sohna run from the left flank.

The Cameroonian striker was irresistible and on 58 minutes he left the Gżira defenders in his wake again but was thwarted by the well-positioned goalkeeper.

Gżira could have got back into the game 20 minutes from time when they were awarded a penalty after Clive Spiteri brought down Yanis Tonna in the box. However, Sunny Ogbeduda’s spot-kick was saved by Miguel Montfort.

Montfort was again up to it to keep out a Simon Shead effort and Gżira were unlucky when Meilak’s shot hit the post following a melee inside the area.

This was surely not Gżira’s day and 12 minutes from time goalkeeper Agius limped off injured. He was substituted by Kyle Gerada.

Pietà: M. Montfort, C. Cassar, M. Borg, C. Grech, C. Spiteri (I. Grech), J. Zarate, T. Agius, Q. Refalo (K. Cutajar), L. Mallia (C. Frendo), A. Kooh Sohna, D. Senior.

Gżira: S. Agius (K. Gerada), R. Deguara, P. Grima, A. Xuereb, H. Gatt Bonello (V. Brincat), Y. Tonna, S. Meilak, J. Chetcuti, J. Hussey (J.B. Gatt), S. Ogbemuda, S. Shead.

Referee: Alan Mario Sant.

Man of the match: Raphael Kooh Sohna (Pietà Hotspurs).

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Lija Athletic	13	8	2	3	21	13	26
Marsaxlokk	13	7	3	3	25	18	24
Pietà Hotspurs	13	7	2	4	26	13	23
Naxxar Lions	12	6	4	2	19	12	22
Vittoriosa Stars	12	6	3	3	18	15	21
St Andrew’s	13	6	3	4	19	19	21
Gudja United	12	5	4	3	23	16	19
Żejtun Cor.	13	4	5	4	11	11	17
Gżira United	13	3	6	4	18	17	15
Birżebbuġa	13	2	2	9	18	31	8
Dingli	12	2	2	8	10	26	8
Mqabba	13	0	4	9	13	30	4