St. George’s 2
Pieta H 1
League leaders Pieta Hotspurs suffered an unexpected setback yesterday against St George’s losing by the odd goal in three. For the Saints it was a return to victory after a series of six matches without a victory.
The match was very interesting with Pieta dominating the first half and taking a deserved lead, but Sharlon Pace’s dismissal on the hour turned the tide in favour of St George’s. The Pioneers scored two quick goals in succession and Pieta never came back in the match.
Pieta stormed forward from the very first minute as they pushed their opponents in their own penalty area. On 33 minutes Pieta were unlucky not to score when a Silvan Ciscaldi shot beat Thomas Galea but the ball hit the upright. On the other end Pieta almost committed an own goal through Sharlon Pace who almost beat his own goalkeeper in an attempt to clear.
On 42 minutes Pieta took a adesreved lead when Dominic Mifsud scored a beauty from the edge of the area.
At the start of the second half, Pieta could have added a second one when a Deanov shot beat Galea, but Lee Grima cleared off the line. Two minutes later a Bernard Sciberas header was well saved by Galea.
On 52 minutes St. George’s missed a sitter when Benoir Fenech failed to score with only the goalkeeper to beat. Five minutes later Dominic Mifsud made his way inside the area from the right but his cross-shot was not met by Deanov.
On the hour Pieta were reduced to ten men when defender Sharlon Pace was sent off for dissent following a Carl Sammut foul on Nwoba. The Saints tried to make use of their numerical superiority and a Benoir Fenech lob went slightly wide.
St George’s were back on level terms on 70 minutes when Mark Gauci beat Cassar with a grounder from the edge of the area. Three minutes later substitute Silvio Sciberras was floored by substitute Gary Busuttil and from the resultant penalty Glenn Bonello made no mistake.
In the dying minutes St George’s could have put the issue beyond doubt when Josef Dalli lobbed wide with only Cassar to beat.