Mqabba scored their first goals and obtained their first league win of the season, beating a jittery Marsaxlokk side 2-0 despite playing with ten men for the entire second half. Mazitelli, scorer of their opener, was dismissed three minutes from halftime. With a man down, Mqabba still scored their second before the break and then defended their lead in a resilient and disciplined way when Marsaxlokk tried to restore some pride. It was more than Mqabba deserved at the end.

Claudio Calleja was Mqabba’s creative force in midfield. He produced the evening’s most pleasant passes, besides being almost always involved in his side’s set pieces. His early free kick narrowly missed the target as Mqabba made the more assertive start.

On 26 minutes, Calleja played an intelligent pass to Mazitelli who hesitated too long inside the Marsaxlokk area and was finally robbed of the ball.

Just short of the half hour, Mqabba made the breakthrough courtesy of the Marsaxlokk’ s keeper blunder. Gauci allowed the ball to slip between his legs on Thiago Mazitelli’s tame low shot from outside the area. It was Mqabba’s first Premier League goal this season.

Marsaxlokk looked at pains in the absence of their suspended central defender Clive Brincat and influential midfielder Trevor Templeman. Jonathan Xerri was back in defence and Malcolm Licari started in attack.

The southseasiders took long to settle into the match and despite the running of Deanov and Obiefule, they hardly ever severely tested Kris Calleja in the Mqabba goal in the first 45 minutes. Just as they were trying to get to grips with their livelier opponents, they suffered Mazitelli’s soft goal.

Mazitelli himself was sent off on 42 minutes with a straight red card for an off the ball incident with Marsaxlokk’s Patrick Borg.

But Marsaxlokk still failed to exploit their numerical superiority and conceded Mqabba’s second goal in the half’s added time.

Mamic played the ball in the path of David Azzopardi who beat keeper Gauci with a low diagonal shot from a tight angle.

Marsaxlokk put in John Paul Farrugia for Xerri after the restart and dropped Licari at the back, but Mqabba remained composed and resolute at the back and allowed their opponents no comfort on the ball in midfield.

After Bonnici showed up for Mqabba with a routine shot that Gauci saved, Farrugia’s cross shot was intercepted by keeper Kris Calleja before Obiefule could connect. The latter had his headed effort held out by the stretched Mqabba keeper past the hour.

Then Farrugia failed to connect on Obiefule’s low cross and the chance went to waste.

Potezika denied Licari with a timely tackle into a corner on 72 minutes as Marsaxlokk started belatedly to mount some sustained pressure.

Marsaxlokk were denied at least a consolation goal ten minutes from the end when Mqabba defender Grima cleared off the line Farrugia’s goalbound effort on Obiefule’s testing cross. The Marsaxlokk forward was injured when colliding with the post and had to be substituted.

Marsaxlokk’s misery on the night was complete.

Marsaxlokk: R. Gauci, M. Licari, J. Xerri (J. P. Farrugia) (S. Borg), P. Borg, C. Mamo, S. Eboh, F. Reimy, C. Campagnoli, M. Deanov, E. Lattes (D. Kokavessis), O. Obiefule

Coach: W. Muscat

Mqabba: K. Calleja, C. Micallef, M. Bonnici, C. Calleja (R. Duca), B. Timotic, M. Potezika, D. Azzopardi (J. Paris), A. Scicluna, B. Mamic (J.P. Muscat), P. Grima, T. Mazitelli

Coach: C. Mizzi

Referee: A.M. Sant

Asst.refs: K. Borg, C. Francalanza

4th official: G. Tonna

Scorers: T. Mazitelli 29, D. Azzopardi 45

Yellow cards: C. Mamo, C. Micallef, M. Potezika, C. Campagnoli, J. Paris

Red card: T. Mazitelli

Player of the match: B. Mamic (Mqabba)

TMI top 3: 1. C. Calleja 2. M. Potezika 3. B. Mamic

Attendance: 487