Birzebbugia SP 2
Naxxar Lions 3

Naxxar Lions edged Birżebbuġa St Peter’s in a five-goal thriller to go second in the Division One standings yesterday.

Birżebbuġa will feel hard-done by the final outcome as Patrick Curmi’s men gave as much as they got despite playing the 18 minutes with a player less.

The Saints were unlucky not to take the lead after three minutes when Vinicius Pereira Dos Santos’s grounder came off the post.

Birżebbuġa’s early pressure was rewarded on 24 minutes when goalkeeper Julian Azzopardi failed to hold onto Zoran Vuckovic’s shot and in came Michael Camilleri to poke home the rebound.

But Naxxar drew level a minute later when in a defensive melee, Anthony Ewurun drove the ball home after a Lydon Micallef cross.

The Lions were on top now and Ivan Casha did well to keep out Ewurun’s header.

At the other end Azzopardi charged out of his goal to deny Camilleri.

The match remained evenly balanced after the break and on 63 minutes Andre Rocha Da Silva was put through by Gilbert Camilleri but was denied by Casha.

However, the Brazilian made amends on 69 minutes when he headed home a Mattia Del Negro cross.

On 72 minutes , Birżebbuġa were reduced to ten men when Glenn Tanti was dismissed after picking up his second yellow card.

The Lions almost struck a third goal on 77 minutes but Micallef’s piledriver hit the crossbar and three minutes later Ewurun was also denied by the woodwork following a Gilbert Camilleri cross.

Birżebbuġa managed to draw level on 84 minutes when Vuckovic hit home from a Kevin Borg cross.

But it was the Lions who had the last laugh as a minute from time Ivanilson Serino found Gilbert Aquilina who cooly flicked the ball into the net.

Pereira Dos Santos almost saved a point for Birżebbuġa in stoppage time but saw his header cleared off the line by a defender.

Birzebbugia : I. Casha; R. Duca, P. Camilleri, R. Mintoff, M. Pullicino (K. Borg), Z. Vukovic, F. Peplow, G. Tanti, T. Dos Santos Mazzitelli (J. Farrugia), V. Pereira Dos Santos, M. Camilleri (M. Mifsud).

Naxxar Lions: J. Azzopardi; L. Micallef, J. Vella, P. Doffo, S. Eboh, V. Bellia, A. Rocha Da Silva (I. Serino Junior), M. Del Negro, G. Camilleri, A. Buhagiar (K. Drago), A. Ewurun.

Referee: Alan Mario Sant.

Man of the Match: Andre Rocha Da Silva (Naxxar Lions).