Dingli Swallows 4
Pietà Hotspurs 1
Dingli Swallows avenged a humiliating 6-1 defeat to Pietà Hotspurs in the corresponding first-round fixture to bag three valuable points that lifted them over St Andrew’s and to third from bottom on 15 points along with the same Hotspurs.
Nigerian striker Princewill Okachi is settling nicely at Dingli after a spell in Denmark with Vejle BK. He looked to have formed a good understanding with Leontiv Konda as the Swallows produced some excellent football that left the Hotspurs on the backfoot for long stretches.
It was Pietà who created the first chance after only two minutes when Robson Luiz Bandeira headed just wide from a good position. Dingli’s response produced a Reuben Vella shot from just inside the area that flew just wide.
Dingli took a deserved lead on 14 minutes when Ryan Sammut headed the ball home from a Konda corner.
Okachi almost doubled the Swallows lead on 24 minutes but his firm drive just missed the upright.
Dingli made it 2-0 on 34 minutes. Konda found Okachi on the run and the Nigerian striker did not miss when coming face to face with the goalkeeper.
Five minutes before the break, Jonathan Sapiano surged through but his shot rolled just wide from a close angle.
On the resumption, Bandeira, Pietà’s best player yesterday, sprinted into the Dingli area, but his final shot was deflected by a defender with the ball going for a corner.
But on 51 minutes Dingli put the game to bed when Konda rose well to head home a Kevin Borg free-kick with the Pietà rearguard guilty of some terrible marking.
Twelve minutes later, the Hotspurs threatened with a Sheldon Grech firm drive that was parried away brilliantly by Dingli goalkeeper Jeffrey Farrugia.
Dingli added a fourth goal on 65 minutes when Borg hit home from close range after being set up by man-of-the-match Konda.
Dingli substitute Chris Ciappara almost made it 5-0 on 77 minutes but drove wide in front of goal and then was unlucky to see his shot come off the post.
Pietà did manage to pull a goall back five minutes from time through Larson Mallia.
Dingli: J. Farrugia (M. Abela), K. Pace, R. Sammut, S. Tellus, K. Borg, R. Vella (C. Ciappara), K. Formosa, J. Sapiano, L. Konda, P. Okachi, E. Farrugia (K. Bonavia).
Pietà: K. Vella, D. Owuo, B. Sciberras, C. Grech, Q. Refalo (L. Mallia), L. Bandeira, S. Grech (T. Agius), D. Campos, Z. Muscat, I. Grech, K. Fedele (D. Camilleri).
Referee: Glenn Tonna.
Man of the match: Leontiv Konda (Dingli Swallows).