Lija Ath. 1

St Patrick 0

Lija A: S. Agius, D. Okeke, G. Lanzon, K. Zammit (J. P. Scerri), D. Scerri, M. Gatt (A. Ellul), G. Barry, N. Gatt (E. Azzopardi), P. Camilleri, J. Vella, Z. Anicic

St Patrick: F. Azzopardi, R. Cassar, D. Gauci (S. Costa Brazilino), M. Fleri Soler, M. Tanti, C. Micallef (S. Abdilla), G. Failla, T. Caruana, B. Fenech. P. Anizoba Chizoba, S. Zerafa (S. Dimech).

Referee: C. Lautier Asst. Refs: I. Spiteri, N. Debattista 4th official: A.M. Sant

Scorer: E. Azzopardi

Yellow cards: G. Lanzon, Z. Anicic, S. Zerafa

Player of the match: Kurt Zammit (Lija A)

TMI top three: 1.K. Zammit 2. S. Costa Brazilino 3. G. Lanzon

An enterprising and more organised Lija side managed only their third league win of the season but undoubtedly important enough to oust direct relegation candidates St Patrick and move off bottom place of the table.

Courtesy of this win, Lija are now only one point behind Msida who, however, have their match against Pieta in hand, complicating further the outcome of the Relegation Pool.

St Patrick were disappointing, lacking imagination of genuine quality and only a shadow of the side which earned a spirited three-all draw against Birkirkara the previous week.

Buoyed by the success against Birkirkara and strengthened by the return of both Fleri Soler and Caruana to the side, much more was expected of the Saints.

It was a victory for perseverance in a game of patchy quality, as Lija, bottom of the table before kick-off showed the better ideas and eventually prevailed with a solitary goal scored at the start of the second half.

The Athletic, bereft of the suspended Camenzuli but welcoming the return of Okeke and Michael Gatt, made the better start as the Saints, cautious and composed at the back, handed them the early initiative.

On eight minutes a Zammit cross, following a corner kick, fell to the unmarked Lanzon who lofted the ball in front of goal.

Midway through the half, Lija were forced to substitute the injured Nicholas Gatt with Azzopardi .

The more menacing Athletic earned a number of corners, one of which on 27 minutes, kicked by Camilleri from the right, was headed firmly by Michael Gatt, forcing keeper Azzopardi to turn into another corner.

St Patrick put their first mark on the match on the half hour when a Tanti effort forced the Lija keeper Agius to stretch himself and save into a corner.

And on 34 minutes the Saints made a tactical change, putting in Costa Brazilino in midfield, substituting Gauci, and dropping Zerafa as right full back. It heralded a bright patch for St Patrick. Anizoba’s testing cross from the right caused panic but was cleared by Okeke before Caruana could connect.

In five minutes of added time before the break, both sides had a good chance to break the deadlock. From yet another Lija corner kick by Vella, Camilleri’s goal-bound header was headed out by Micallef on the line.

At the other end, Costa Brazilino played a through ball to Anizoba who clipped his shot against the outside of the upright.

St Patrick substituted Zerafa with Dimech at the start of the second half as the frequency of scoring chances increased after the interval.

Within two minutes Lija broke the deadlock after a couple of insidious corners. On the second, kicked by Vella from the right, St Patrick’s short clearance allowed Elton Azzopardi to pick his spot from outside the area to beat keeper Azzopardi with a curling low shot. The deficit sparked an immediate response from St Patrick, who could not afford to lose, although Lija threatened further with a Zammit powerful shot which Azzopardi turned into a corner.

Past the hour a Failla free-kick was deflected off the wall, the ball fell to Caruana whose shot on the turn was superbly saved by keeper Agius.

With Lija retreating further into their own half, St Patrick’s efforts to equalise became more laborious as Anizoba was subdued by Okeke to good effect.

Only in the late stages did St Patrick threaten again. Caruana’s cross was headed by Dimech but Agius saved into a corner. On the other end, Barry advanced in open space on Zammit’s through ball but was thwarted by the Saints’ keeper to save his side from further derision.