The citizens suffered their tenth defeat from 20 games while Rabat registered their 12th win from 21 games. Valletta had more of the exchanges in the first period while the second period was a balanced affair. The woodwork denied Rabat on two occasions.
The first action came from Rabat. Keith Gauci served Francesco Azzopardi in the area and City keeper Yenz Cini, son of the famous Reggie, partially saved his shot and the ball was cleared.
Valletta then created three actions in succession. Laydon Spiteri served George Attard with a through ball on he right flank and the ball was cleared by a defender after the latter’s cross.
Colin Gauci served Spiteri with a through ball. The latter served Vella in the area with a highball and Rabat keeper Rudy Cuschieri had to come out of his charge to fist the ball away and after a George Attard flagkick Grixti headed slightly over the bar.
The reaction by Rabat was a through ball in the area as Keith Gauci served Azzopardi with Cini partially saving his shot and a defender cleared the ball to safety and Shaun Gauci served Ryan Micallef with a through ball but Dylan Zammit foiled him from advancing further with a timely clearance. The last action before the break came from Valletta when after a corner kick by Attard. Leone Camilleri missed the upright with his shot.
Valletta created the first two actions after restart. Spiteri served Vella in the area and he missed the upright with his over-head kick and Attard served in the area and harassed by the Rabat keeper. He missed the upright with his shot.
In the 35th minute, the woodwork denied Rabat. Keith Gauci served Azzopardi with a cross from the right flank and the ball from his shot hit the base of the upright and finished in Cini’s hands after he had dived to save the shot. After his lucky escape Valletta created a further two actions. George Attard served Vella in the area. Cuschieri partially saved his shot and the ball was cleared with difficulty. George Attard served Vella with a through ball. The latter served substitute Waqil Rizzisalla in the area and a defender cleared his shot to a corner.
Rabat opened the score in the 53rd minute. Leigh Pisani served Ryan Micallef on the left flank close to the area. He entered the area after dribbling past an opponent and was tripped by Fabio Zampa. Irish referee Wayne Shane who was very close to action pointed to the dreaded spot and Ryan Micallef made no mistake with a rising shot. In the first minute of added time, Rabat were once again denied by the woodwork.
Shaun Gauci served Keith Gauci with a through ball in the area and the ball hit the under-part of the bar with Cini beaten and Francesco Azzopardi skied the rebound with an open goal at his mercy.
Referee – Wayne Shane
Player of the match - Keith Gauci (Rabat D)
Pieta H 2
Paola Hibs 0
The Pieta’ boys managed to maintain their 100 per cent record by beating third-placed Paola Hibs in a game which was well attended and ably controlled by referee Raymond Tabone who was always up with play and on many occasions cleverly applied the advantage clause.
Hibs were the first to threaten. Dylan Sammut floated a perfect ball from a freekick in Pieta’s area and James Coates drove slightly over the bar. Pieta’s immediate reaction was the creation of three actions in succession. After a run down the right flank by David Caruana the ball was headed away by a defender after his dangerous cross. Dylan D’Agostino served Caruana with a through ball on the right flank and the ball was again headed away from his cross and D’Agostino served Benjamin Zammit with a through ball in the area and Hibs keeper Christian Cassar had to come out of his charge to kick the ball upfield. At the other end, Jean Luca Caruana was fouled on the right flank and from the freekick shot by Jean Paul Farrugia the ball was headed away and Caruana then served Bjorn Kristensen with a square pass and the ball, from his shot from the edge of the area missed the bar by inches. The last action before the break came from Pieta’ when Benjamin Zammit pounced on a faulty clearance and after entering the area Cassar saved his shot in two attempts.
Three minutes after restart, Nicholas Bezzina was fouled on the left edge of the area and the freekick shot by Dylan Sammut was saved by Pieta’ keeper Samuel Bartolo and after Kristensen served Caruana on the right flank with a through ball. The ball was cleared to a corner from his cross. Substitute Aryton Azzopardi served Clifford Gauci with a cross-pass from the left. Cassar saved his shot from outside the area. At the other end, James Coates served substitute Joseph Massa with a through ball in the area but Pieta’ keeper Samuel Bartolo foiled him from concluding with a perfect and timely sortie.
On 46 minutes, Pieta’ opened the score. Zack Muscat served Clifford Gauci with a through ball in the area who after beating a defender he shot past Cassar with a hard grounder. The Paolites soon reacted and won a corner kick on the right flank which was taken by Caotes but from his well-taken kick Jean Paul Farrugia headed well off target. Christian Grech then served David Caruana from a freekick and his shot from inside the area missed Paola’s upright by inches. In the second minute of added time Pieta’ doubled the score. Ansil Briffa served Benjamin Zammit with a through ball in the area and as Hibs keeper Cassar came out of his charge to foil him from concluding he floored him and the referee pointed to the dreaded spot and Clifford Gauci made no mistake with a hard drive.
Referee - Raymond Tabone
Player of the match - Dylan D’Agostino (Pieta H)