Three goals in the space of four minutes duly changed the course of the game following 80 minutes of “friendly football” between both sides with nothing to play for.
St.George’s were close to making a double against Dingli in a match which only served for the two sides to include some new faces. With 10 minutes to goSt.George’s made it 2-0 and they looked home and dry, but Dingli had other ideas to win a point.
Both sides played with their reserve goalkeepers, Reuben Grech for Dingli and James Merceica for St.George’s. Veteran striker Mark Galea also started the match for Dingli while Luka Desira Buttigieg played instead of Glenn Barry.
St.George’s also left out from the squad Clayton Caruana, the winger on loan from Valletta. It is understood that the player did not train during the week and is not interested to stay with the Cottonera side if Valletta decide to loan him again.
This was a different kind of match compared with the first round encounter when Michael Woods side won 4-2. This game only lightened up in the last 10 minutes.
After eight minutes Luka Desira Buttigieg was put through by Luke Agius following a good pass but the St.George’s striker was too slow to conclude with goalkeeper Reuben Grech intercepting.
In the 15th minute Luka Desira Buttigieg tried his luck from just inside the area with the ball finishing just wide and two minutes later Peter Anizoba should have given St.George’s the lead when he controlled well a long ball, entered the area, but took a while to shoot home, with the Dingli defence crowding him and clear the ball away.
St.George’s took the lead in the 24th minute when Kurt Formosa easily slotted the ball home when he too a rebound off goalkeeper Reuben Grech, who had just partially saved a Peter Anizoba close-range effort.
In the 50th minute Luka Desira Buttigieg missed sitter following some good work by Anizoba. The St.George’s striker tried in vain to beat Reuben Grech when he twice shot at him when coming face to face.
On 63 minutes Darren Ciappara missed a glorious chance for Dingli when he drove the ball high from a good position following some good work by Uchanna Anywanna. With 15 minutes left Anywanna for Dingli had his drive from just inside the area being well saved for a corner by James Mercieca. St.George’s made it 2-0 in the 80th minute when Glenn Barry headed home from close range, a dubious goal.
Four minutes later Jonathan Sapiano crossed from the right to the unmarked Uchanna Anywanna who slotted the ball home. On 90th minutes Sapiano’s first-time effort was deflected into the net by Keith Xuereb, surely an own goal as the ball took another direction.