Mosta 0
Vittoriosa Stars 2
Vittoriosa Stars have secured promotion to the Premier League after seeing off Mosta 2-0 in their final Division One match.
Anthony Eviparker was the darling of the numerous Vittoriosa fans who turned up at the Tedesco Stadium yesterday.
The Nigerian set his team on the path to victory with a well-taken goal in the first half as Vittoriosa ended their commitments on 34 points, three ahead of Dingli Swallows who have a game in hand. A championship decider will be needed if Dingli beat neighbouring rivals Rabat in their last match.
Although Vittoriosa have ensured a top-two finish, doubts persist about their return to the top flight after a lapse of several years, due to the on-going MFA inquiry into the bribery case in connection with the Stars' first round match against St George's.
Play was concentrated in the middle of the field in the early stages. The first noteworthy action occurred midway into the first half when Eviparker was floored in the box by Mosta defender Steve Borg and a penalty was awarded to Vittoriosa.
Having parried away Eviparker's shot from the 11-metre mark, Mosta goalkeeper Claude Carbonaro frustrated Vittoriosa by saving Eviparker's second attempt from the rebound and another by Darren Grech.
Vittoriosa continued to press forward and on 35 minutes, Eviparker made up for his penalty miss when his low drive deceived Carbonaro.
Mosta tried to get back into the game. Six minutes from the end of the first half, a Lyden Micallef shot just missed the target.
After the interval, Vittoriosa looked willing to sit back and defend their slim lead. Mosta forced a string of corners midway through the second half.
On the hour mark, Eviparker's shot from outside the area was blocked by the Mosta goalkeeper. Carbonaro again denied Vittoriosa's Nigerian striker when stopping his close-range header.
Mosta also had their chances, Micallef and Jonathan Bajada missing the target with long-range efforts.
Vittoriosa should have put their minds at rest 15 minutes from time but Eviparker's header was cleared off the line by Adrian Borg. A minute later, another header by the Nigerian, from a Grech cross, was inches wide.
Four minutes from the end, Vittoriosa had the points in the bag, Stephen Calleja heading the ball home after rising to meet a Grech free-kick.
Mosta: C. Carbonaro, B. Agius (G. Camilleri), J. Bajada, A. Borg, J. Borg, S. Borg, R. Deguara, L. Micallef (G. Calabretta), P. Vassallo, E. Vella (M. Brincat), C. Sant.
Vittoriosa Stars: A. Camilleri, D. Grech, C. Cachia, A. Eviparker, P. Aquilina, S. Calleja (D. Gauci,), K. Abela, N. Chukunyere, J. Camilleri, K. Darmanin (H. Hughes), L. Lagana (S. Privitelli).
Referee: Paul Apap.
Player of the match: Anthony Eviparker (Vittoriosa Stars).