Qormi 4 Vittoriosa 1
Qormi have made a bold step towards Premier League survival following a life-saving victory over Vittoriosa.
If Stephen Azzopardi’s side has rubber-stamped their permanency in the top flight football, even the most optimistic Vittoriosa fan would find it hard to forecast a Houdini act for Winston Azzopardi’s team, now destined to a quick return to first division football.
Qormi could not have hoped for a better-lift-off, taking the lead after just seven minutes. From a Joseph Farrugia’s corner, Michael Mifsud outjumped Agius and in no time the ball was in the net.
The game was only 32 minutes old when Qormi surged 2-0 ahead. The elusive Kang Ho Jung drew two Vittoriosa defenders to him before passing the ball to Abubaker Bello-Osagie who unleashed a curling low shot into the net.
It was much the same pattern after the break and Mifsud again went on the warpath to nearly put Stephen Azzopardi’s mind at rest in the 46th minute. It was a freak goal in the sense that the nippy striker slipped as he planted his standing foot but the result was the same reassuring for the Yellow-and-Blacks supporters.
In the 54th minute, from a corner taken by Tabone, the Stars pulled a goal back courtesy of Compagnoli who beat Farrugia with a header.
Few moments later, Luis Edison rattled the bar with a rising shot as the game opened up with Vittoriosa committing more men forward.
The Stars’ offensive approach left them vulnerable to Qormi’s counter attacks and from a typical breakaway, Mifsud outpaced his marker Jeffrey Chetcuti but the striker lost his balance in the area after a challenge by Agius but referee Marco Borg waved play on.
But Qormi put the issue beyond doubt three minutes from time, when Vittoriosa lost all sense of discipline when Ryan Grech gave away a foul in the box when he hauled to the ground Farrugia as he tried to bundle in the rebound after Giglio hit the bar. Souza Santos showed no nerves as he converted the penalty albeit Agius guessed right to tip the ball into the net.