Hibernians extended their lead on top of the table to seven points when they defeated Birkirkara 1-0. Hibernians scored the winning goal after just 10 minutes and controlled the game till the end. Although Birkirkara were better than their opponents especially in the second half never threatened goalkeeper Henry Bonello except few shots. 

Referee Andre Arciola had a tough task to control the game and at times he looked set to lose the match as he had numerous occasions to show the yellow card but decided to kept it in his pocket.

Branko Nisevic made two changes from last week's game namely Timmy Tabone Desira and Jackson Lima who replaced the injured Johann Bezzina and the suspended Marcelo Dias. On the other hand Birkirkara coach Paul Zammit gave faith to the same players that defeated Valletta a week ago.

Hibernians almost took the lead after six minutes when a cross-shot by Failla was denied by the crossbar. Two minutes later it was Birkirkara's turn to show their intentions with a free-kick by Matheus Bissi that finished centimetres away from the post. 

Hibernians took the lead on the 10th minute when Jorge Pereira da Silva passed to Edison Luis dos Santos who came face to face with Haber and made no mistake. Birkirkara's reaction came on the 17th minute when Zach Muscat crossed a low ball, the Hibernians defence cleared partially but Ryan Scicluna fired over the bar from a central position.

Birkirkara started the second half better and were definitely superior than their opponents. On the 54th minute a shot from Shola Shodiya  from 20 metres was saved well by Bonello. Five minutes later, Hibernians replied with an overhead kick by Tarabai after a corner by Failla that finished over the bar.

Paul Zammit tried to shake things up by including Edmond Agius in midfield and Leighton Grech in attack but their efforts weren't enough.

The best shot of the second half came five minutes from time when Jorge Pereira da Silva forced Haber to tip into a corner. In the stoppage time Shola Shodiya tried with a shot from distance but it finished wide.

The last shot came on the 93rd minute when substitute Jurgen Degabriele advanced from the midfield area but his final shot was saved by Haber.

Report by Stewart Said

 

Ten-man Tarxien pay penalty

 

QORMI -                           1

TARXIEN RAINBOWS-     0

 

SILVIO VELLA

A lacklustre win, thanks to an Alfred Effiong penalty, against ten-man Tarxien

Rainbows, lifts Qormi to fifth place in the BoV Premier League standings and

consolidates the team's present positive form.

Qormi, buoyed by two consecutive wins against Mosta and Floriana, in which they scored eight goals, bolstered their attack further by the return from suspension of Frank Temile, to partner Alfred Effiong, with Ryan Micallef making way yesterday. Two other changes in Qormi's starting line-up were the inclusion of Bjorn Bondin and Steve Agius instead of Albert Bruce and Emerson Vella.

Qormi capitalised on Tarxien's negative tactics and lack of inventive to take full points in a poor match.

Tarxien were depleted by suspensions to their two most creative players, Wesley Lima and Carlos Helvia Menendez as well as defenders Owen Bugeja and Matthew Tabone. Coach Clive Mizzi gave starts to Manuel Caruana, Kane Farugia and Manuel Xerri.

The Rainbows opted for a too-defensive set-up and with Alvaro Rodrigues largely anonymous, their attacking edge was severely blunted.The penalty conceded at the start of the second half and the sending off of their goalkeeper Sean Cini complicated matters further for them and Qormi could defend their slender lead, although unable to exploit numerical superiority, till the end.

The Rainbows stayed composed with five players at the back, closing all avenues for Qormi's front runners. It was left to Chetcuti and Quatrochi to penetrate from behind.

But the rhythm of the game remained pedestrian for most of a bleak first half with neither team really posing any threat. Effiong headed Temile's corner wide and Quatrochi tested the Traxien keeper Sean Cini for the only time with a point blank shot on the half hour.

Tarxien were made to pay for their laid-back approach when conceding a penalty soon after the restart. Keeper Cini  was sent off for a plunging block on Temile inside the area and Alfred Effiong stepped up to beat reserve keeper Antonio Chetcuti from the spot.

A man and a goal down, Tarxien found it extremely laborious to pull themselves into the game, also because Qormi could find more space in which to manouvre.

The young keeper Chetcuti was kept busy to keep out Qormi's attacks, mostly instigated by Temile on the flank. He denied Bjorn Bondin when put through by Temile inside the area and in the dying minutes the keeper also rushed off his line to block on Quatrochi inside the area and save Tarxien from further derision.

 

Plut the hero in Floriana's stunning comeback

 

FLORIANA -   3

MOSTA -        2

 

SILVIO VELLA

In an eventful second half, Floriana turned the tables on their opponents to recover from a two-goal deficit and beat Mosta 3-2.

Their hero was Vito Plut who scored a hat-trick and hand his side victory in a stunning comeback after an inocuous first 45 minutes.

Mosta fizzled out completely in the second half and played the last 20 minutes with ten men after Ryan Grech's dismissal with the score at 2-2.

This was Mosta's fourth defeat on a row.

Four changes in the Floriana line-up demonstrated coach Giovanni Tedesco's concerns about his unsettled side, lingering at the bottom half of the table, without a win in the previous four league matches.

Matteo Picciollo, Giovanni Galea and Steve Bonnici were all relegated to the bench and Gary Muir did not even feature in the squad. Emanuel Briffa, included on the team sheet, must have suffered an injury while warming up and was replaced by Neil Spiteri prior to kick-off. Floriana though welcomed the return from suspension of forward Amadou Samb.

Mosta went down for this match at the back of three consecutive defeats after a remarkable start to the season. Coach Enrico Piccioni also deemed it fit to make  four changes, dropping Mark Brincat, Ishmael Grech and Daniel Bueno. Omar Borg returned in goal after recovering from injury.

A revamped Mosta showed better ideas and more determination in the first half, littered with several niggling fouls and cautions, and fully deserved their double lead at halftime as they looked comfortably in control.

They made the breakthrough after 20 minutes. On Calcado's sailing free kick Sasa Jovanovic rose high to anticipate keeper Senatore in the air and head Mosta in front.

With Floriana on the back foot, Mosta struck for the second time past the half hour. Manolito Micallef darted inside the Floriana area on an Ekani inspired low pass to hit the ball past keeper Senatore.

Floriana put in Piciollo for Aguiar soon after but the course of the game was not immediately altered and before the break  keeper Senatore was forced to hold out a Tyrone Farrugia glancing header to keep the Greens in contention.

Floriana were a completelyh transformed side after the interval though. And before the hour they had restored equilibrium. The Mosta defence was breached twice within five minutes as Vito Plut ripped it apart with sheer quality.

On 47 minutes, Plut headed in Piciollo's cross to reduce the deficit and five minutes later he took the ball in his stride from the left, on another Piciollo assist, went past defender Adrian Borg, evaded keeper Omar Borg and steered the ball low over the goal line.

With Floriana infused with fresh vibrancy, the visbly shaken Mosta tried to regroup. Kaljevic's cross shot from the left was saved by the Floriana keeper in two attempts before Mosta put in Daniel Bueno for Jovanovic.

Bueno went close on 68 minutes, heading Micallef's cross from the left against the post.

But the match took a further twist in Floriana's favour on 70 minutes. Mosta's substitute Ryan Grech was sent off for a late tackle on Conor Borg and Floriana capitalised in no time.Three minutes later, Mosta keeper Omar Borg fumbled a Pisani free kick, the ball fell invitingly at the feet of Vito Plut who obliged blasting it from close range.

Floriana had to demonstarte all their defensive qualities in the final ten minutes as Mosta laid siege in search of an equaliser.

Calcado's shot was repelled by keeper Senatore and substitute Kurt Zammit's shot from the loose ball was deflected into a corner. Keeper Senatore turned Calcado's meaty free kick around for another corner in the late frantic minutes but Floriana did not buckle to clinch a dramatic rare win.

Pieta continue their positive momentum

Stewart Said

PIETA H.................1

ZEBBUG R..............0

 

Pieta Hotspurs continued with their positive momentum when they defeated Zebbug Rangers 1-0. It was the third consecutive game without defeat for the newly promoted side while the other promoted team Zebbug are still searching for their first win.    

Pieta coach Noel Coleiro made two exceptions from their last game when Orosco Anonam replaced Leonardo Fortunato dos Santos while Cleaven Cassar started instead of Terence Agius.

Coach Jesmond Zammit made no less than six changes in his starting line-up with Fabricio Raphan who started in goal instead of Jeffrey Farrugia. Ratko Mandic and Lee Galea replaced Javi Diaz and Jacob Borg in defence while Thomas Paris, John Nwoba and Matthew Bartolo replaced Clifford Gauci, Lee James Agius and Carlo Polli.     

Zebbug almost took the lead after just three minutes when from a corner by Monti, Yessous Camilleri's header was denied by the crossbar. The first part of the game was more of a study for both teams with most of the play stalled at the midfield area.    

Zebbug were again dangerous on the 24th minute when Anonam hesistated to clear in the penalty area and goalkeeper David Cassar cleared into a corner before Matthew Bartolo arrived. The first real opportunity for Pieta came on the 27th minute when Jurgen Pisani crossed to Rafael Xavier but the Brasilian's header finished over the bar. Two minutes later a free-kick by Monti was saved well by David Cassar.       

Pieta had a goal disallowed two minutes before the end of the first half when Jurgen Pisani crossed to Xavier who tapped-in past Rapchan but the assistant referee judged Pisani's cross beyond the line.   

The second half continued on the same rhythm with both teams rarely attempting goal. In fact we had to wait till the hour mark to assist another action towards goal when a shot from Britto was saved in an excellent mode by Cassar.

The Pieta custodian denied again Britto with a powerful shot that Cassar tipped into a corner. But from the same corner, Pieta Hotspurs scored the winning goal from a counter attack when from the midfield area, Jurgen Pisani passed to Rafael Xavier who advanced and crossed near the post where Jurgen Pisani was ready to slot in from centimetres away. Zebbug made no reaction and susbstitute Luke Micallef almost sealed the deal on the 77th minute but Rapchan saved into a corner.   

Zebbug last efforts were without success and Pieta controlled their opponents will the final whistle.