Pieta H. 0
Qormi 2
Pieta H.: N. Vella, C. Degabriele (N. Pisani 81), N. Pace Cocks (G. Kekua 57), D. Agius, P. Chimezie (J. Scicluna 75), G. Mensah, C. Grech, S. Radovanovic, U. Calistus, I. Jalo, A. Macedo
Qormi: D. Cassar, R. Romeu, D. Mansi, Y. Yankam, A. Rozzi (A. Cassar 90), M. Micallef, F. Gnindokponou (I. Zammit 77), A. Abela, J. Lokando, M. Bangoura, K. Soares (T. Gusman 59)
Referee: G. Tonna
Asst refs: W. Debattista, D. Stankovic
4th official: P. Farrugia
Scorers: M. Bangoura 62, I.Zammit 89
Yellow cards: N. Pace Cocks 20, D. Mansi 25, F. Gnindokponou 51, D. Agius 53, M. Bangoura 55, T. Gusman 78
BoV Player of the Match: Y. Yankam
TMI Top 3: 1. Y. Yankam, 2. U. Calistus, 3. M. Micallef
Qormi beat Pieta 2-0 yesterday to revive their hopes of avoiding relegation.
Mohamed Bangoura, 62nd, and Iven Zammit 89th, were on target as the Yellow Blacks moved onto the seven point mark after this win - their second this season.
Following this defeat, Pieta remain in 13th place on 10 points.
Play was more or less balanced in the first half but football on display was mediocre and certainly not pleasing to the eye.
There was a fiery start with both teams missing a good chance in the opening three minutes, but that promise was not kept and both defences were well in command against the respective front lines.
The match only came to life near the end of the half as Qormi caught the Pieta defence on the wrong foot (a three on one situation), but the Yellow Blacks missed the golden opportunity through Bangoura who should have done much better.
In the second half, Qormi were much more determined than their opponents as they moved forward more frequently in search of the goals they needed to register an important win.
Pieta never really rallied after suffering the first goal and it was no surprise that they also suffered a second goal before the end.
In the opening minute, Pieta lost a good chance to open the score. From a Calistus cross Radovanovic hit the ball wildly but well over the bar.
Soon after, at the other end, from a Micallef freekick, Yankam missed the ball from an ideal position.
On the 34th minute, Qormi also missed a good chance when off a Romeu cross, newcomer Mohamed Bangoura had a free header, but his effort went well wide.
In the 43rd minute, from a Calistus cross, goalie David Cassar was forced to turn to corner. From the same cornerkick, Qormi cleared the ball upfield and Mano Micallef advanced to pass to Gnindokponou who in turn set Bangoura all alone in front of Vella, but the Qormi striker's shot went just over the bar to the despair of his colleagues and their few but noisy supporters on the terraces.
In the 49th minute, Mansah went through into the Qormi area, but a timely intervention by Alan Abela avoided an awkward situation for the Yellow Blacks.
Pieta copied Qormi on 54 minutes when Mensah set Calistus who could advance unhindered towards goal, but he only lifted the ball high over the crossbar.
Two minutes later, Qormi's Lokando hit well wide of the target from the edge of the area.
Qormi forged ahead on 62 minutes when off a good Gnindokponou cross, it was Mohamed Bangoura who hit home past a helpless Vella.
Qormi remained the better team and they missed two other good chances later on first through Romau and then through Gusman - both hit their shots over the crossbar.
Qormi made sure of the three points - and their second victory in this campaign - on 89 minutes when it was substitute Iven Zammit who beat Vella to the delight of the Qormi fans.
Just before the end, Pieta goalie Nicholas Vella denied Zammit a second goal, saving his close range effort.
Pieta had a final chance to reduce the gap in added time, but Gegi Kekua saw his freekick going well over the bar.