PIETA HOTSPURS 1

MQABBA 0

Pieta H: M. Montfort, C. Cassar (C. Pulo), S. Grech, M. Deanov, R. Grippa (F. Sulas), C. Sammut, S. Kondev, G. Goodlip (D. Gera), D. Mifsud, E. Herrera, R. Galabov

Mqabba: K. Calleja, M. Bonnici, A. Busuttil (J. Mintoff), I. Nogueira, M.A. Psaila, M. Briffa, F. Silva, M. Pereira, C. Gatt Baldacchino, R. Briffa (D. Zarb), M. Cocks (J. Fenech)

Referee: A.M. Sant Asst.refs: M. Debono, E. Spiteri 4th official: Ms E. Azzopardi

Scorers: M. Deanov

Yellow cards: D. Mifsud, M.A. Psaila, C. Sammut, S. Kondev, S. Grech

Red card: C. Pulo

Player of the match: Martin Deanov (Pieta H)

TMI top three: 1. M. Deanov 2. E. Herrera 3. M.A. Psaila

Pieta Hotspurs won this direct encounter between the two already relegated sides, beating Mqabba by a Deanov direct free kick in the opening half hour. Mqabba thus remain anchored to the bottom of the standings, but that by now serves little purpose.

With nothing tangible to play for, the lack of effort from both teams was quite understandable yesterday.

Although showing little urgency, Pieta always looked the better team in a dire first half and could have obtained more than a one-goal cushion by halftime.

Their goal was scored towards the half hour when Psaila’s foul on Kondev outside the area, earned the Hotspurs a free kick, which was well executed by Martin Deanov, beating keeper Calleja at the top corner.

Kondev could have given Pieta the lead some minutes earlier, when Grech presented him with a perfect through pass inside the Mqabba area but the Bulgarian contrived to miss, hoisting the ball in front of goal.

Just before the break, a good Pieta move between Herrera and Deanov again presented Kondev with an opening inside the area but he shot hurriedly over a defender and the chance went to waste.

Mqabba, who rarely ventured inside Pieta’s half during the first 45 minutes, created their best chance shortly after conceding the goal. Pereira played the ball square to the unmarked Briffa, who shot wide.

The pattern of the game did not change much in the second half as the pace remained ludicrous but Pieta slightly the better. They continued to spurn chances against a flimsy Mqabba defence. Kondev set Deanov going down the right flank to send a teasing cross which substitute Sulas shot over.

Deanov, the best player on the field, twice went close. On a Sammut cross he was thwarted by the onrushing keeper and then he hit the side netting with his shot on the turn from quite a distance.

Mqabba twice went close to drawing level midway through the second half. Pereira played the ball forward to Silva, who advanced inside area, beating the Pieta offside trap, only to be blocked by keeper Montfort, rushing off his line. And with a gaping goal in front of him, Pereira failed to put the loose ball on target. On 75 minutes, Pereira was unlucky when he connected well on Briffa’s cross from the right but thumped his acrobatic volley against the foot of the post.

In between, Pieta had Carl Pulo sent off for showing dissent towards his opponent.

But toothless Mqabba failed to exploit their numerical superiority despite Zarb’s inclusion, and Pieta looked more likely to score in the dying minutes when Kondev’s goalbound effort on Deanov’s cross was superbly held out by plucky keeper Calleja.