Mqabba 3
Lija Athletic 1

Mqabba avenged their first-round upset to Lija Athletic to boost their hopes of avoiding the drop.

The second-half dismissal of Lija defender Predrag Babic surely aided Mqabba’s cause yesterday as the Reds have now moved nine points clear of the relegation zone.

Mqabba threatened after only three minutes but Arilson Mello da Silva’s angled drive finished wide.

Lija responded on 21 minutes when Antoine Borg’s flick was somehow kept out by Debono. Ige was first to the rebound but was again denied by the Mqabba no. 1.

Mqabba took the lead on the stroke of half-time when Paul Chimezie headed the ball home.

Lija suffered a blow two minutes into the second half when Babic was engaged in a scuffle with Mello Da Silva and was dismissed.

Adamovic came to Mqabba’s rescue on 65 minutes when he cleared off the line Borg’s volley.

Mqabba doubled their lead a minute later when Claudio Calleja was fouled inside the area by Michael Borg and from the resultant penalty the Mqabba midfielder drilled the ball home.

The Reds sealed their win on 77 minutes when Chimezie headed the ball past Luke Bonnici.

Lija pulled a goal back on 84 minutes, when from an indirect free-kick, Michael Borg rammed the ball into the top corner.

Mqabba also ended with ten men when Isaac Galea was dismissed for dissent.

Mqabba: J. Debono, D. Aquilina, A. Abela, J. Borg, A. Mello Da Silva (A. Demir), C. Calleja (R. Caruana), K. Cutajar, K. Farrugia, P. Chimezie, G. Adamovic, M. Bonnici (I. Galea).

Lija: L. Bonnici; C. Giordimaina, P. Babic, P. Borg, A. Borg, M. Borg (B. Antignolo), M. Clinch (I. Mc Carthy), A. Caruana, M. Grima (R. Taliana), J. Garcia Vidal, A. Ige.

Referee: Matthew Degabriele.

Man of the match: Arilson Mello da Silva (Mqabba).