Vittoriosa Stars 1
Senglea Athletics 0
Vittoriosa Stars won the Cottonera derby yesterday after beating rivals and fellow promotion hopefuls Senglea Athletics 1-0 thanks to an early goal from Arber Dhrami.
This was Senglea’s first defeat of the season while Vittoriosa bounced back from their dramatic defeat against Sirens last week.
The derby clash was an exciting affair with both sides having their moments but Senglea gave up hope after they had substitute Cesco Guzman sent off for two bookings with 16 minutes remaining.
Vittoriosa began the game on the attack, forging ahead in the 14th minute.
Dhrami’s menacing free-kick from the left deceived Senglea goalkeeper Jeffrey Farrugia who was perhaps wrong-footed by Petar Mrvic as the latter tried to get a touch to the ball.
To make matters worse for Pablo Doffo’s team, defender Keith Tanti limped off through injury. Nevertheless, the Yellow-Reds still managed to produce a reaction.
On 21 minutes, Guzman, who had come on for Tanti, narrowly missed the target with a header.
Two minutes later, Ryan Gauci’s half-volley for Vittoriosa was cleared off the line by Guzman with Farrugia well beaten. Close to the half-hour mark, Senglea’s Rene Tanti tried his luck from the edge of the area but his effort finished over.
Senglea should have drawn level on 36 minutes.
A superb one-two between De Sousa Dias and Ryan Dalli finished with the latter shooting straight at goalkeeper Karl Magri.
A minute later, Dalli mishit his close-range effort from Juninho Cabral’s cross.
Four minutes before the break, Guzman headed on to the crossbar from a Vella cross.
Vittoriosa came close to increasing their lead when Obinna Obiefule, freed by Gauci, was foiled by Farrugia who saved the Nigerian’s point-blank attempt.
Also in the second half, the Senglea custodian made a fine save to stop another close-range effort from Obiefule.
Senglea’s fightback hopes vanished when, on 74 minutes, Guzman was sent off after earning a second yellow card for a foul on Liam Gauci.
Vittoriiosa: K. Magri, D. Pisani, R. Previ, D. Fava (A. Farrugia), C. Spiteri, A. Galea, O. Obiefule (F. Dhrami), A. Dhrami, P. Mrvic, L. Gauci, L. Grech (S. Eboh).
Senglea: Jeffrey Farrugia, R. Vella, Jurgen Farrugia, R. Tanti (D. Xuereb), K. Tanti (C. Guzman), P. Doffo, M. Del Negro, H. Vella, R. Dalli, J. Cabral, M. De Sousa Dias (A. Obaje Smith).
Referee: Eman Grech.
Man of the match: Petar Mrvic (Vittoriosa Stars).
Summaries
Naxxar Lions 0
Mqabba 1
Naxxar: O. Borg, A. Buhagiar, N. Spiteri, A. Darbo (S.G. Munoz), R. Cassar, M. Fenech (J. Debono), R. Grech (R. Mercieca), J. Ellul, J. Debono, A. Lubos, Y. Messias.
Mqabba: J. Debono, G. Gesualdi, A. Mello da Silva, C. Calleja, K. Cutajar, L. Vella Critien, M. Borg, P. Chimezie (L. Konda), Q. Bregman, G. Adamovic, L. Micallef.
Referee: Darko Stankovic.
Scorer: Chimezie 30.
Man of the match: Arilson Mello da Silva (Mqabba).
Marsa 2
Qormi 3
Marsa: R. Caruana, L. Scorfna,R. Mifsud, Y. Camilleri, A. Sicali (L. Micallef), C. Cutajar (S. Meilak),J. Farrugia, B. Essiel, L. Omeruo, L.A. De Melo, G. Martin (S. Micallef).
Qormi: D. Balzan, C. Farrugia, Y. Yankam (B. Grech) , O. Sidibe, D. Vukovic, M. Camilleri (S. Zammit), A. Abela, L. Chiedozie (N. Ojuola), T. Guzman, D. Medil, A. Cassar.
Referee: Trustin Farrugia Cann.
Scorers: Andre De Melo (M) 27; Cutajar (M) 31; Ojuola (Q) 60; Guzman (Q) 90+; Farrugia (Q) 90+.
Man of the match: Noah Ojuola (Qormi).
Żebbuġ Rangers 2
Melita 2
Żebbuġ : J. Azzopardi, C. Ikenna Kean, T. Trebovac, R. Bajada, D. Tabone, S. Borg, C. Pace (M. Galea), I. Meli, J.C. Camilleri (A. Micallef), K. Zammit (O. Rababah), R. Mandic.
Melita : K. Rizzo, J. Abela, A. Mizzi, I. Tufegdzic, K. Pace, J.P. Attard, E. Cornago, I. Curmi (M. Rosso), M. Groves (T. Singleton), A. Borg Olivier, L. Micallef (L. Mifsud).
Referee: Ismael Barbara.
Scorers: Kean (ŻR) 1, 41; Tufegdzic (M) 60 pen.; Borg Olivier (M) 78.
Man of the match: Charles Ikenna Kean (Żebbuġ Rangers).