Marsaxlokk 2
Msida St Joseph 1
Marsaxlokk put a glossy seal on an amazing comeback yesterday after swatting aside Msida St Joseph's challenge to capture the sixth and final spot in the Championship Pool.
Julio Alcorse was Marsaxlokk's hero, the Argentine scoring a brace that knocked the stuffing out of a cagey Msida team who paid the price for an appalling decline that saw them gain zero points from their last four matches.
Msida needed only to avoid defeat to allay their relegation fears but they failed to rise to the challenge as Marsaxlokk stamped their superior technical qualities on the game to achieve a well-earned win.
Victory was particularly sweet for coach Patrick Curmi who dragged Marsaxlokk from the brink of the Relegation Pool to a place in the top six after quitting Msida earlier this season.
Msida had received a timely boost just an hour before kick-off when Pedrinho, their leading scorer with 11 goals this season, walked into the dressing room.
The Brazilian striker had missed the last three matches after being given permission by the club to pursue a move to a foreign team but he heeded the Saints' call to make himself available for this decider.
Marsaxlokk enjoyed the lion's share of possession in the initial exchanges as Msida opted for a prudent approach with Pedrinho deployed as a lone striker. Msida almost drew first blood in their significant foray in Marsaxlokk's half.
Pedrinho's square pass invited Andre Rocha Da Silva to attempt a shot from outside the penalty area. His grounder was well-struck but much to Marsaxlokk's relief, the ball flashed against the base of the post.
At the other end, Alcorse fluffed a gilt-edged chance to put Marsaxlokk ahead. Pereira's pass from the left reached the unmarked Alcorse but the Argentine, probably thinking he was offside, dithered on the ball and his miscued attempt was cleared by the Msida defence.
Marsaxlokk's efforts bore fruit when, with 11 minutes left for the end of the first half, they were awarded a penalty after Da Silva was judged to have tripped Christian Caruana. From the spot, Alcorse drilled a low shot into the bottom-left corner as Matthew Camilleri dived the other way.
Galvanised by their opener, Marsaxlokk maintained an iron grip on the proceedings as Msida struggled to get out of their own half. The half-time whistle will have been greeted with relief by the Saints who had been distinctly second best to their opponents for much of the first 45 minutes.
An immediate improvement was a must for Msida if they wanted to break Marsaxlokk's supremacy. Five minutes into the second half, they came close to levelling matters when Adrian Farrugia, having dispossessed Renato Conceicao close to the byline, tried to curl the ball past Debono and into the far corner. Farrugia's effort sailed wide after seemingly taking a deflection off Debono but Msida's calls for a corner fell on deaf ears.
Msida's sprightly start to the second half lifted the flagging spirits of their fans but Marsaxlokk quickly regained their first-half superiority.
Camilleri pushed away Malcolm Licari's diagonal effort from the right and Cassar's free-kick but his resistance was broken on the hour.
A flowing move between Sammut and Pereira saw the latter lofting an excellent pass towards the centre of the box where the advancing Alcorse volleyed past Camilleri.
Marsaxlokk were in seventh heaven but their joy was short-lived as, barely a minute later, Msida reduced the deficit.
Da Silva evaded the attentions of the Marsaxlokk defenders and hammered a low shot past the diving Debono. Game on.
Msida were now expected to raise their game but instead it was Marsaxlokk who forced the pace.
The Blues had the ball in the net 18 minutes from time when Alcorse headed Mamo's cross into the net but the 'goal' was chalked off for offside.
Dylan Kokavessis, who had just come on for Pereira, surged into the Msida box before attempting a pass towards Alcorse that was intercepted by Stefano Grima.
Msida played their last card when throwing on Marco Aurellio, who has yet to fully recover from a cartilage operation, for Kevin Mifsud.
Msida threw caution to the wind as the game entered its final stages. Tyrone Farrugia abandoned his defensive position to boost his team's attacking charge but Said and co. refused to buckle.
Marsaxlokk
R. Debono-6, M. Licari-6, C. Mamo-6, G. Sciberras-6, R. Conceicao-5 ('64 W. Camenzuli-6), B. Said-6.5, K. Sammut-5.5 ('76 C. Camilleri), P. Pullicino-6.5, J. Alcorse-7, M. Pereira-6.5 ('81 D. Kokavessis), C. Cassar-7.
Msida St Joseph
M. Camilleri-6.5, S. Grima-5, A. Spiteri-5.5, S. Vella-6, T. Farrugia-6, K. Mifsud-6 ('86 M. Aurellio), A.R. Da Silva-6.5, D. Cachia-5 ('74 M. Camilleri), A. Farrugia-5, K. Magro-5, P. Calcado-5.5.
Scorers: Alcorse 35 pen., 60 (M'Xlokk), Da Silva 61 (Msida)
Referee: Clayton Pisani.
Yellow cards: Magro; Alcorse; Sammut; Debono; Sciberras; Calcado; Camilleri; Kokavessis.
BoV player of the match: Christian Cassar (Marsaxlokk).