Msida SJ-Pieta H 3-1

Msida SJ: O. Borg, P. Sciriha (S. Vella), R. Baldacchino, T. Farrugia, J. Mifsud, P. Fenech, O. Zongo, P. Pullicino, D. Nwoke, I. Babatunde, D. Cachia

Pieta H: A. Hogg, D. Okonkwo, M. Deanov, Q. Refalo, C. Pulo, C. Sammut, D. Camenzuli, D. Mifsud, E. Herrera, R. Camilleri, D. Kokavessis (G. Goodlip), (S.Grech).

Referee: P. Caruana, Ass. Referees: K. Borg, J. Rapa, 4th official: K. Azzopardi.

Scorers: D. Kokavessis, D. Nwoke, P. Pullicino, D. Cachia

Yellow cards: P. Fenech, D. Cachia

Red card: R. Camilleri

Player of the match: Peter Pullicino (Msida SJ)

TMI best three: 1. D. cachia, 2. D. Nwoke, 3. A. Hogg

With Marsaxlokk winning on Friday, Msida needed to bag full points to keep up the pressure on the leaders.

The Saints shrugged off an early deficit to turn the tide and lead 2-1 by halftime. Their constant pressure in the second half yielded no further goals until Pieta were reduced to ten men 20 minutes from time, and Msida scored their third on the stroke of full time.

Msida had defender Stefano Grima missing through suspension, but his substitute Dino Cachia played a good match and was even one of the scorers.

The young Pieta side are still looking for their first league win but yesterday, as against Marsaxlokk, they produced a spirited performance with lack of experience letting them down.

The Hotspurs,making only one forced change from the side which lost narrowly to Marsaxlokk in the previous match with the return of Okonkwo for the suspended midfield mentor Kondev, surprisingly took the lead after five minutes with their first genuine attack.

Dylan Kokavessis beat Msida’s square defence on Deanov’s cross from the left, to shoot low past keeper Borg.

The goal sparked an intense response from Msida and a Cachia inswinging corner kick was saved with difficulty by keeper Hogg, helped by the bar.

Despite retreating in their own half, Kokavessis still created space of his own on Deanov’s pass, but shot over the bar.

Msida’s constant pressure forced Hogg to produce two top rate saves in succession towards the half hour as he parried Cachia’s long range drive and then blocked Nwoke’s close effort on the loose ball.

But there was no denying them on 35 minutes as Hogg missed the ball’s flight on Cachia’s corner from the left and Daniel Nwoke headed in at the far end to draw level.

The Saints also managed to take the lead, three minutes from half time. Peter Pullicino, noticing the goalkeeper off his line, beat him with an exquisite lob from the edge of the area.

Kokavessis was substituted by Goodlip for the second half, as Msida kept up the pressure.

On 55 minutes Nwoke turned off his marker, laid the ball to Babatunde who was blocked by Hogg into a corner. On the hour Fenech’s shot was deflected into Nwoke’s path and his diagonal low drive skimmed the foot of the post.

Suddenly Pieta jerked into shape as they threatened with a Refalo cross from the left. Camenzuli’s goal bound header was held out by a superb reflex save from the outstretched Borg, who until then had been mostly inoperative.

On the other end, Zongo advanced well on Babatunde’s chip, his low drive was partially parried by Hogg until Camilleri cleared the ball into a corner.

The same Pieta defender was dismissed on 71 minutes for abusive language, leaving his side with an uphill task..

Msida continued to dominate but failed to exploit their numerical superiority until late in the game.

When Zongo put Nwoke through, he dribbled past the Pieta defenders but incredibly lofted the ball in front of a gaping goal.

On the stroke of time, Babatunde’s splitting pass put Dino Cachia clear to steer the ball past the helpless Hogg and crown a good personal performance for the Saints.