Lija Athletic 1
Melita 1

Lija Athletic rescued a point with a last-gasp equaliser in their match against promotion seekers Melita.

After taking the lead very late in the match, Melita probably tought that the points were in the bag only to be denied at the death.

Seven minutes of added time were signalled by the match officials following a lengthy stop for young Lija goalkeeper Joswel Caruana to receive treatment after colliding with his team-mate Benoir Fenech.

The first 45 minutes were dull with both sides looking more concerned with not conceding a goal rather than venture forward to score one themselves.

Lija saw more of the ball but despite their territorial supremacy they rarely troubled Matthew Sapiano in the Melita goal.

Melita improved in the late stages of the half and the towering Ramon Sierra Camacho left his role in defence to head just over a Michael Valenzia free-kick.

Five minutes before the break, Simon Galea tried to surprise Caruana from the distance but with little luck as Melita finished the opening half as the better side.

They came out fighting like lions after the break. Matthew Borg’s run in the area, following a Luke Micallef pass, was blocked by Caruana. From the corner, Michael Martin’s header finished just wide.

The relegation-haunted Lija had efforts from Abdullahi Adeshina Ige stopped by Sapiano as Caruana was unlucky to suffer an injury on 62 minutes in his bid to keep his net intact following a menacing Tobias Terpougoff cross inside his box.

The luckless Caruana, who was making his debut, was taken to hospital in an ambulance.

Melita missed a sitter seven minutes from time when the unmarked Borg hit weakly at Aktpan Ini from a Terpougoff cross.

The promotion favourites then scored what they thought was the goal that had won them the match two minutes from time as Luke Micallef’s volley beat Ini.

Micallef could have scored a second soon after but his header lacked precision in a frantic finale that saw Melita squander another good chance to make it 2-0 when Martin lost his balance with only the keeper to beat.

With added time practically over, Lija won a free-kick just a few metres outside the penalty box and Gilbert Camilleri’s shot took a deflection off the wall and flew into the net for a dramatic equaliser.

Lija: J. Caruana (E.A. Ini), C. Giordimaina, T. Fleri Soler, D. Scerri, E. Briffa (B. Camilleri), A. Sacco (D. Mintoff), B. Fenech, A. Scicluna, G. Camilleri, M. Fleri Soler, A.A. Ige.

Melita: M. Sapiano, M.R. Sierra Camacho, G. Gribbon, M. Martin, M. Borg, N. Baldacchino (T. Terpougoff), M. Valenzia (K. Micallef), L. Micallef, K. Vella Petroni, S. Galea (A. Galea Scicluna), J. Vukanic.

Referee: Esther Azzopardi.

Best player: Manwel Ramon Sierra Camacho (Melita).

Standings