Mosta 3
Bueno 9; Milovanovic 21; Matteus 41;
Pietà Hotspurs 1
Frances 34;

Bojan Kaljevic is famed for his scoring instincts.

The Montenegro striker thrives on goals and Mosta’s fortunes in the last 18 months have been largely defined by Kaljevic’s efficiency in front of goal.

Needing a win to atone for their 5-0 mauling to Valletta, Mosta hit three goals yesterday to see off Pietà. Kaljevic was not among the scorers but showed that there is more to his game than hitting the back of the net after having a hand in all three goals.

Mosta prevailed mainly thanks to the guile of Kaljevic and Daniel Mariano Bueno and the constant grafting of their three midfielders, Ryan Grech, Kurt Magro and Nemanja Milovanovic.

More was expected of Pietà after their 4-3 win over Birkirkara but the Hotspurs flattered to deceive, leaving themselves with a mountain to climb after conceding two early goals while Nikola Tasic’s red card after 27 minutes only complicated their cause.

Mosta lined up in a 4-3-3 formation with Kaljevic, Bueno and Matteus forming a three-pronged attack.

Wing-back Rodriguez Ekani was back for the Blues along with Grech who deputised for injured captain Mano Micallef after completing a three-match ban.

The former Tarxien midfielder had an early chance to mark his return with a goal. Ekani laid the groundwork with a surging run on the right and his low cross dropped invitingly to Grech who miscued his first-time effort.

It was not long before Mosta seized the lead. A misplaced throw-in was quickly picked up by Kaljevic who released Bueno inside the box. The Brazilian speared his shot past David Cassar and into the bottom corner.

Stung into action by Mosta’s opener, the Hotspurs upped their pressure. They should have equalised when Jurgen Pisani, cutting into the box from the left, crossed for Rafael Xavier Zacharias who headed the ball across the face of goal.

From the corner, Claudio Frances’s inswinger flew past a sea of players.

Noel Coleiro, the Pietà coach, handed roaming duties to Frances, who replaced the suspended Cain Attard, with Xavier Zacharias and Luke Micallef up front.

On 18 minutes, Frances’s free-kick was headed on by Tasic with Omar Borg getting a hand to the ball which grazed the top of the crossbar.

A delightful interchange between Kaljevic and Dyson Falzon enabled Mosta to double their lead on 21 minutes.

Falzon glided into the box before sending a cross towards the centre where Milovanovic showed great poise as he struck a first-time volley that gave Cassar no chance.

A series of pesky challenges sent tempers soaring. Referee Clayton Pisani had to deal with the first contentious episode when Tasic pushed his head into Falzon’s face after the latter had confronted the Serbian who had tripped him near the touchline.

As Falzon went to the ground, Pisani reached for the red card to dismiss Tasic before booking the Mosta left-back.

Two minutes past the half-hour, the Hotspurs had a glorious chance to revive their hopes as Kyle Cesare wriggled his way into the box but his close-range effort was kept out by Borg.

However, the Mosta goalkeeper was beaten two minutes later as Frances’s thunderbolt, from a free-kick, soared into the net.

Xavier was proving more effective in a withdrawn midfield role after the Brazilian dropped back to fill the void left by Tasic.

Mosta stuttered as Pietà pushed forward but remained dangerous on the break.

This was palpable four minutes from half-time when Kaljevic freed Grech whose initial flick was cleared but the loose ball rolled to the midfielder whose cross was headed in by Matteus.

The second half was only six minutes old when Kaljevic dispossessed the dithering Leonardo Fortunato and gunned for goal only to drive wide with only Cassar to beat.

Pietà received a boost on the hour when Falzon, who was having a good game, was expelled after receiving a second booking for bringing down the advancing Xavier.

Substitute Dylon Agius was marginally wide with an angled drive as Pietà rallied.

With 20 minutes remaining, Xavier dashed past Ekani before putting in a dangerous cross as Frances ghosted through to chest the ball but his final effort, from a tight angle, was high and wide.

As the game entered the last 10 minutes, Micallef headed wide from Rodrigues’s cross and Kaljevic was wide from the distance.

Malcolm Licari, a second-half sub, did well to flit into a dangerous position as Rodrigues’s cross landed in the six-yard box but the veteran striker was denied by Borg.

Mosta
O. Borg-6, K. Magro-7, T. Farrugia-6.5, A. Borg-6, D. Falzon, N. Milovanovic-6.5, R. Grech-7, R. Ekani-6.5, Matteus-6 (65 K. Pulo-6.5), D. Bueno-6.5 (78 Pedrinho), B. Kaljevic-7.5 (88 I. Grech).

Pietà Hotspurs
D. Cassar-4, R. Rodrigues-6, C. Grech-6, L. Fortunato-5, J. Pisani-5, N. Tasic, T. Agius-6.5 (72 M. Licari-6), K. Cesare-6.5 (51 D. Agius, 79 O. Anonam), L. Micallef-4, R. Xavier-6.5, C. Fances-6.

Referee: Clayton Pisani.

Yellow cards: Falzon; Magro; Cesare.

Red cards: Tasic (PH) 27; Falzon (M) 60.

BOV player of the match: Bojan Kaljevic (Mosta).