PEMBROKE ATHLETA-    0                

VALLETTA -                        3

Pembroke: M. Calleja Cremona, S. Eboh, A. Scozzese, A. Djeljilj, P. Barbetti, Z. Levnaic, M. Attard (B. Mariano), U. Akuto, S. Arab, S. Shodija, O. Bugeja (A. Borg)

Valletta: D. Barktus, J. Caruana, L. Aguirre, Jhonnattann (R. Fenech), J. Borg (L. Cremona), F. Falcone, L. Pani, R. Camilleri, R. Romao, M. Mifsud (S. Dim3ch), S. Malano

Referee: C.Pisani

Asst.refs: A. Camilleri, M. Borg

Additional asst.refs: F. Zammit, T. Farrugia Cann

4th official: W. Debattista

Scorers: M. Mifsud 15, S. Malano 76, L. Aguirre 82

Yellow cards: U. Akuto, B. Mariano, A. Scozzese, A. Djeljilj

Player of the match: M. Mifsud (Valletta)

TMI top 3: 1. L. Aguirre  2. M. Mifsud  3. A. Djeljilj

Attendance: 540

 

Valletta were back in the groove after their disappointing draw against Mosta the previous week. Michael Mifsud’s finishing in the first half put Valletta on track for  victory against bottom side Pembroke, who intially seemed there for the taking. But when slopinness crept in, Valletta struggled in the second half and it was thanks to two late free kicks that they made their win look more emphatic.

But Valletta did not actually have to play particularly well to prise poor Pembroke apart.

As an attcking unit, Pembroke were powder puff, with Akuto, too isolated, doing all the running without being hardly productive and neither Shola Shodiya nor Siraj Arab offering any bite or drive.

Pembroke were a changed side from the one that lost against Balzan the previous week. Manolito Micallef, Oleksander Maksimov and Brandon Muscat were not included in the squad as Adrian Borg was relegated to the bench. Paltemio Barbetti and Zoran Levnaic were back from suspension though.

Valletta were bolstered by the return of Claudio Pani and Federico Falcone from suspension. In the absence of Steve Borg, coach Paul Zammit reshuffled the defence with Caruana and Camilleri as centre backs and Romao and Aguirre the two wide backs. Llywelyn Cremona also made way for Jean Borg.

Valletta were holding to possession and that caused Pembroke some prolonged problems. After seven minutes Mifsud found the ball at his feet on the edge of the six-yard box but keeper Calleja Cremona blocked into a corner with his legs.

Four minutes later Jean Borg’s low diagonal drive , on a Pani pass, hit the foot of the Pembroke post and Bugeja cleared before Falcone could knock the ball over the line.

Valletta’s opener finally arrived on the quarter hour. Falcone’s first shot was repelled by keeper Calleja Cremona and Michael Mifsud picked the rebound and slotted the ball in.

Pembroke only looked dangerous midway through the half with a Djeljilj direct free kick from the right before Jhonnattann’s lob from inside the area hit the bar.

Valletta seemed content to sit on their lead when it might have worked in their favour to pose more prblems for the Pembroke defence and goalkeeper Calleja Cremona.

They were still only one up at halftime.

Valletta hogged the ball in the second half but did not have the ingenuity to do much with it and were at times expensively sluggish. That made Pembroke defend with more confidence. Djeljilj and Eboh were tirelessly vigilant at the back.

Valletta’s two goals, that put their minds at rest in the final quarter hour,  came from set pieces. On 76 minutes Santiago Malano’s free kick from ouside the area from the left hit the innerside of both uprights before the ball finished behind keeper Calleja Cremona.

Liekwise, six minutes later, Valletta won a free kick from outside Pembroke area on teh right and Leandro Aguirre scored with a low shot that left Pembroke totally deflated.

TARXIEN RAINBOWS-      1       

ST ANDREWS-                    1

Tarxein R: A. Cassar, J. Galea (M. Brincat), D. Ponce (D. Micallef), A. Nilsson, E. Marcelina, S. Prendes, E. Baker, A. Alves, M. Tabone, K. Zammit, S. Borg (A. Agius)

St Andrews: J. Galea, E. Beltre, A. Bakmaz, D. Camilleri, B. Che, J. Farrugia, G. McKay(J. Walker), F. Udoh (N.Belacevic), Z. Kastrevec (R. Darmanin), I. Paz, K. Nwoko

Referee: M. Spiteri

Asst.refs: E. Spiteri, S. Attard

4th official: S. Spiteri

Scorers: J. Galea 19, E. Beltre’ 90+

Yellow cards: A. Agius

Player of the match: E. Marcelina (Tarxien R)

TMI top 3: 1. E. Marcelina  2. B. Che  3. A. Alves

St Andrews wasted a late penalty but still managed to draw against Tarxien Rainbows in a frantic final few moments that belied the mundanity of the rest of the match.

A late leveller in the match’s added time from defender Enmy Beltre’ proved decisive as the Saints cancelled Julian Galea’s early lead for Tarxien, on an afternoon coach Jesmond Zerafa was making his debut on the Rainbows’ bench, to earn a precious point. Minutes earlier Joseph Farrugia had missed a penalty.

Under the guidance of new coach Zerafa, Tarxien needed to improve on their abysmal sequence of three defeats in their previous five matches and ninth place in the standings. They had midfielder Daniel Zerafa suspended and Triston Caruana missing yesterday. But Emerson Marcelina and Ebiabowen Baker were back after a long suspension.

St Andrews were also bereft of two important players – Michael Johnson and Karlo Kesinovic – both suspended. Without coach Danilo Doncic on the bench, the Saints have been passing through a bright patch of form, with only one defeat in five matches, including their surprise FA Trophy win against Birkirkara in midweek.

St Andrews had looked dangerous in the opening minutes with a Farrugia free kick that a Tarxien defender headed into a corner, almost beating his own goalkeeper.

The opening goal came on the other end though after 19 minutes. Tarxien broke away with Alves passing the ball to Marcelina who headed in the path of Julian Galea to beat keeper Jake Galea with a low drive.

The Saints took some time to hit back and it was only towards the end of the half that they looked menacing when Kastrevec headed an Udoh cross just over the bar.

The teams kicked the ball with little purpose in the second half and they both were found wanting in the final third.

With Julian Galea still finding his gears and Nilsson well subdued in attack, the Rainbows  looked alarmingly dependent on Marcelina for creativity.

St Andrews effected a double substitution past the hour, as they introduced Ryan Darmanin and Nenad Belacevic but things hardly improved.

The teams left the best for last though. With ten minutes remaining, Tarxien could have scored the reassuring goal when Marcelina played a through ball to Galea who teed up Alves but keeper Galea parried his effort and Nilsson headed the loose ball wide from a promising position.

Tarxien nearly paid for their wastefulness. Hardly one minute later, Tabone felled Paz inside the Tarxien area to concede a penalty. Captain Joseph Farrugia stepped up to take it but thumped the ball against the bar and the chance for an equaliser went to waste.

The Saints still looked in contention however and there was still time for them to level matters. Deep into four minutes of added time, Enmy Beltre’ created space after avoiding two opponents and placed the ball beyond the outstrteched keeper Cassar with an exquisite curling shot.