Dingli Swallows 1
St George’s 1
Dingli and St George’s shared the spoils in a lively encounter, the outcome of which left the Saints disillusioned as they dropped two points in the race for promotion.
Dingli improved considerably lately with Charlon Sammut confirming his status as one of the most promising strikers in the championship.
In fact, it was Sammut who gave Dingli the lead on 13 minutes when he buried the ball home after some neat passing which involved four of his team-mates.
Sammut had the ball in the Saints’ net a second time 10 minutes later but he was ruled offside and got booked for continuing with the action.
Second-placed St George’s were looking to keep the pace with Balzan. They had beaten Dingli 3-0 in the first round but this time they found the going harder than expected. Luke Agius hit a screamer only for Dingli keeper Jeffrey Farrugia to ably palm the ball away for a corner.
The Saints’ pressure became unrelenting though and it paid off on 33 minutes. Reuben Vella floored Mark Barbara in the box and the referee immediately pointed to the spot. Gary Inguanez beat Farrugia from the penalty to make it 1-1.
The Saints looked highly-motivated after the break. Jonathan Luiz Ruiz upped his game significantly and was a constant threat to Dingli as coach Joey Falzon switched tactics, ordering the Brazilian and Dylan Zarb to attack from the flanks.
But, Dingli should have regained the lead on the hour when Sammut, set free by Leontiev Konda, shot straight at keeper Thomas Galea. A minute later, Galea was sharp again when saving a Jonathan Sapiano drive from the right.
Ruiz’s shot from just inside the Dingli box, following a measured Glenn Bonello pass, failed to beat Farrugia by a whisker.
St George’s almost snatched a late winner but a Ruiz effort from the distance hit a defender with the ball rolling the wrong side of the upright.
Dingli: J. Farrugia, S. Tellus, E. Farrugia, K. Bonavia, R. Briffa, K. Formosa, K. Borg (J. Sapiano), C. Caruana (C. Ciappara), C. Sammut (R. Sammut), L. Konda, R. Vella.
St George’s: T. Galea, M. Milutinovic, E. Sevasta, L. Agius, G. Inguanez (R. Sell), E. Amaira (A. Bonello), B. Fenech, M. Barbara (G. Bonello), D. Zarb, T. Farrugia, J. Ruiz.
Referee: Malcolm Spiteri.
Man of the match: Charlon Sammut (Dingli Swallows).