MOSTA-3, PIETÀ HOTSPURS-1
Mosta bounced back from their 5-0 rout to Valletta after beating Pietà Hospurs 3-1.
Two goals inside the opening 21 minutes paved the way for Mosta's win as Pietà were further undermined by the dismissal of Nikola Tasic for headbutting Dyson Falzon who was himself sent off in the second half for two yellow cards.
Ryan Grech had an early chance to put Mosta ahead but hit wide from an inviting position after receiving from Rodriguez Ekani.
Mosta opened the scoring on nine minutes. Bojan Kaljevic passed to Daniel Mariano Bueno who flicked the ball past David Cassar from close in.
Pietà regrouped. They should have levelled when Jurgen Pisani, running into the box from the left, crossed for Xavier Zacharias who nodded the ball across the face of goal from close in.
On 18 minutes, Claudio Frances's swerving cross from a free-kick was headed on by Tasic with Mosta goalkeeper Omar Borg touching the ball onto the crossbar.
Mosta doubled their lead on 21 minutes. Falzon played a one-two with Kaljevic before delivering a cross towards Nemanja Milovanovic who hit a first-time volley that gave Cassar no chance.
The game grew tense due to a series of aggressive tackles from both teams.
The Hotspurs had Tasic sent off for headbutting Falzon who was booked for confronting the Serbian midfielder. Falzon had been incensed after being fouled by Tasic.
Two minutes past the half-hour, the Hotspurs had a great chance to pull one back as Kyle Cesare jinked his way into the box from the right but his close-range effort was kept out by Borg.
The Mosta goalkeeper was beaten two minutes later as Frances's rising shot, from a free-kick, sailed into the net.
Mosta looked uneasy as Pietà pushed forward but they remained dangerous on the break.
They restored their two-goal lead four minutes from the break when Grech crossed for Matteus who headed home from point blank.
Only six minutes from the start of the second half had passed when Kaljevic dispossessed the hesitant Leonardo Fortunato and closed in for goal only to fire wide with only Cassar to beat.
On the hour, Mosta also finished with 10 men after Falzon was shown a second yellow card for tripping the advancing Xavier Zacharias.
Minutes later, substitute Dylon Agius was just wide with a long-range half-volley.
As the game entered the last 10 minutes, Luke Micallef nodded wide from Rodrigues's cross and Kaljevic hit wide from the distance.
Malcolm Licari, a second-half sub, did well to run into a dangerous position as Rodrigues's cross dropped into the six-yard box but the veteran striker was denied by Borg.
Mosta forward Kaljevic was named BOV player of the match.