Naxxar Lions 0
Pietà Hotspurs 2

Pietà Hotspurs continued to enhance their credentials as promotion chasers after beating high-flyers Naxxar Lions at the Cen-tenary Stadium yesterday.

Naxxar suffered a severe setback when they had Angus Buhagiar sent off midway through the second half and Pietà capitalised to chalk up a useful win.

The Hotspurs were the better side in the first 45 minutes but they were rather careless upfront even though Naxxar goalkeeper Julian Azzopardi did well on a couple of occasions to keep his net intact.

Naxxar defended all the way and only operated in counter-attacks but were never effective or dangerous.

The Lions looked better in the second half and on 54 minutes were unlucky when Buhagiar’s shot crashed against the crossbar.

However, on 67 minutes Buhagiar committed a second bookable offence after a foul on Raphael Kooh Sohna and he had to leave the pitch.

Although playing with ten men, the Lions went close to opening the score when an Anderson Mendes Ribeiro grounder was saved by Miguel Montfort.

But the numerical handicap soon started to make the difference and 14 minutes from time the Hotspurs forged ahead through Senior David who beat Azzopardi from close in.

Naxxar hit back admirably and a Ribeiro header just missed the target.

However, two minutes from time Pietà sealed their victory when Quilin Refalo hit home from just inside the area to quell the Lions’ threat.

Naxxar: J. Azzopardi, J. Vella, L. Micallef, S. Eboh, A. Buhagiar, V. Bellia, P. Doffo, M. Briffa, G. Camilleri (D. Falzon), A. Ewurum (A. Mendes Ribeiro), A. Rocha da Silva.

Pietà: M. Montfort, C. Cassar, M. Borg (I. Grech), J. Zarate (K. Cutajar), R. Kooh Sohna, Q. Refalo, S. David, T. Agius, J. Pisani, C. Grech, C. Frendo (L. Mallia).

Referee: Fyodor Zammit.

Man of the match: Senior David (Pietà Hotspurs).

Birzebbuġa 1
Vittoriosa Stars 1

Vittoriosa Stars lost two precious points as they were held by lowly Birżebbuġa St Peter’s but they still succeeded in joining Naxxar Lions at the top of the standings.

Patrick Curmi’s Birżebbuġa played one of their best matches and took the lead after only three minutes when Martin Deanov hit home following a Vinicius Pereira Dos Santos pass.

The southseasiders continued to control matters and to make it worse for the Stars they lost Matthew Tabone injured.

Vittoriosa looked nervous and Gary Muir tried his luck from well outside the area but missed the target.

Peplow also hit badly for the Stars while Marcelo Pereira missed the target from just inside the Birżebbuġa area.

However, in first-half stoppage-time Vittoriosa equalised when a ball that looked lost was won by Lyden Micallef. He released Marcelo Pereira who did not miss from just inside the area.

On 52 minutes, a Pereira free-kick was saved by Ivan Casha while at the other end Kevin Borg missed a golden chance when his free header finished just over the bar.

Stars goalkeeper Vella stopped a menacing Peplow shot and two minutes later Casha saved with his foot a Pereira drive.

Vittoriosa pressed relentlessly in the dying minutes and had a Micallef effort just missing the target.

However, Birżebbuġa held tight to keep alive their salvation hopes.

Birżebbuġa: I. Casha, R. Micallef, M. Pullicino, M. Hrubsa, R. Duca, F. Peplow, J. Sammut, J. Farrugia (M. Camilleri), K. Borg, M. Deanov (M. Mifsud), V. Pereira Dos Santos.

Vittoriosa: J.M. Vella, M. Barbara, G. Muir, L. Micallef, Siraj Arab (A. Spiteri), L. Vella Critien, R. Dos Santos, M. Pereira, M. Tabone (Samir Arab), J. Camilleri, M. Buttigieg.

Referee: Adrian Azzopardi.

Man of the match: Ivan Casha (Birżebbuġa).

Lija Athletic 2
Dingli Swallows 0

Lija stayed in contention for promotion after beating Dingli 2-0, yesterday.

Lija are now fourth in the standings, just two points behind joint-leaders Naxxar and Vittoriosa and one adrift of Pietà.

From the outset both sides were too much concentrated in the middle of the park with Dingli having the first go at the Lija defence when a Reuben Vella shot was saved by Luke Bonnici.

Six minutes later Lija hit back with a Leontiev Konda volley from the edge of the area that finished just wide.

The game fell into a lull until two minutes from the break when an Abdullahi Ige effort was saved by Dunstan Zarb.

Lija were more aggressive in the second half and went close twice in quick succession, first from a Clayton Giordemaina free-kick, which finished just over the bar, and then from a Konda shot that also failed to reach the desired target.

Lija finally opened the score on 68 minutes when Ige pounced on a defensive error and released Beppe Antignolo who beat Zarb with a well-placed grounder.

Dingli failed to react and Lija put the game to bed 15 minutes from time when Etienne Farrugia handled in the box and Konda beat the keeper from the ensuing penalty.

Lija: L. Bonnici, C. Giordemaina, T. Fleri Soler (D. Vukovic), M. Fleri Soler, D. Scerri, L. Konda, A. Scicluna, A. Mercieca (D. Mintoff), B. Antignolo, A. Ige, A. Sacco (R. Severino Goncalves).

Dingli: D. Zarb, C. Muscat (J. Anywanwu), F. Cauchi (L. Borg), R. Vella, K. Roomes, K. Formosa, J. Pace, I. Bawuah, E. Farrugia, M. Borg (J. Sapiano), L. Micallef.

Referee: Philip Farrugia.

Man of the match: Beppe Antignolo (Lija Athletic).

St Andrew’s 3
Gżira United 1

St Andrews registered a relatively easy win over Gzira to consolidate their mid-table position.

The game was a joy to watch with the Saints always the better side in a fast a furious encounter.

The game was balanced in the first half with both teams playing open and attractive football.

Trayo Grozev had the best chance of the opening period but hit wide with only the keeper to beat. However, Grozev opened the score on 50 minutes with a rasping grounder.

The Saints continued to push forward as Gzira looked nervous and on 70 minutes they made it 2-0 when Nicky Vella Petroni left Simon Agius helpless with an unstoppable shot.

The Maroons went close with a Simon Shead effort but the ball was cleared off the line by a defender.

Three minutes from time Michael Grima made it 3-0 from a corner and in stoppage time Ogbemuda scored a consolation goal for the Maroons.

St Andrew’s: M. Towns, N. Chetcuti, B. Diacono, D. Gera, W. Camilleri, B. Said, J. Farrugia, N. Vella Petroni (Z. Gatt), M. Grima, R. Kerekov (M. Desira Buttigieg), T. Grozev.

Gżira: S. Agius, A. White, P. Grima, A. Xuereb, J. Chetcuti, S. Meilaq (D. Sciberras), J.B. Gatt (L. Camilleri), J. Hussey, S. Shead, S. Ogbemuda, A. Shenowo (J.P. Vella).

Referee: Alan Mario Sant.

Man of the match: Trayo Grozev (St Andrew’s).

Standings

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Naxxar Lions	17	10	4	3	35	16	34
Vittoriosa	17	10	4	3	28	21	34
Pietà Hotspurs	17	10	3	4	36	16	33
Lija Athletic	17	10	2	5	31	25	32
St Andrew’s	17	8	3	6	32	27	27
Gudja United	16	7	5	4	28	20	26
Marsaxlokk	16	7	5	4	28	23	26
Żejtun Cor.	16	4	6	6	15	20	18
Gżira United	17	4	6	7	20	23	18
Dingli	17	3	3	11	13	37	12
Birżebbuġa	17	2	4	11	20	39	10
Mqabba	16	0	5	11	15	34	5