Mqabba outclassed Vittoriosa yesterday to return to winning ways and move to safer waters in the table.
Mqabba were the best team against a Vittoriosa side which was the pale shadow of the team that did so well in the re-played Cottonera derby in mid-week.
John Paul Muscat, Shaun Magro and Paul Chimezie played a blinder for Mqabba. Chimezie apart from scoring two goals played one of his best matches with Mqabba.
Mqabba did the early running as they searched for an early goal. On 13 minutes Mqabba forged ahead. John Paul Muscat beat a couple of defenders before passing to Mead Mifsud whose cross shot deceived Camilleri and Mauro Bonnici taped the bal home.
Vittoriosa had an immediate reaction with Chukunyere pasing towards Eviparker who from the heart of the penalty area unleashed a scorcher that was brilliantly saved by Calleja.
Vittoriosa had the edge in the second part of the first half with Chukunyere and Eviparker pushing their men forward, but the Mqabba defence was never really under threat. On the contrary John Paul Muscat and Shaun Magro were menacing in their counter breaks.
On 33 minutes John Paul Muscat had a good run but his shot missed the crossbar.
The second half started with a Keith Darmanin freekick well saved by Calleja, and on 53 minutes Mqabba replied with a Paul Chimezie grounder slightly missing the target.
On the hour Mqabba doubled the score when John Paul Muscat played the ball towards Chimezie who was tripped inside the area by David Gauci. From the resultant penalty the same Chimezie made no mistake with a rising shot.
Midway through a Chukunyere freekick was met by Darmanin whose header went inches wide. On 69 minutes Shaun Magro’s grounder slightly missed the base of the upright. Two minutes later Mqabba scored their third goal, the best of the lot. David Azzopardi crossed from the left and Paul Chimezie’s header beat Camilleri. Five minutes later a similar action, this time on the right with Muscat’s cross again met by Chimezie whose header was brilliantly saved.
In stoppage time Vittoriosa managed to pull one back when Darmanin passed to the unmarked Eviparker who beat Calleja from close range.