Pieta H 1
Dingli S 0
League leaders Pieta defeated bottom of the table Dingli Swallows to extend their lead at the top of the First Division.
It was a hard earned victory, as Dingli gave their opponents a very good run for their money.
Now Pieta have a four-point lead over Rabat Ajax who were beaten by Zejtun on Saturday. The defeat leaves Dingli at the bottom of the table together with St. Patrick, and next Friday’s match between Dingli and the side from Zabbar grows in importance.
Dingli sorely missed the services of Liebtiev Konda who was serving a one-match suspension.
Pieta were already in front after three minutes when Ezquile Giaccaglia headed home a Zach Muscat freekick. The same Giaccaglia went close again with a similar action minutes later, but this time his header went off target.
After this positive start from the league leaders, play was more balanced, but with few scoring chances.
Pieta still had the edge over their opponents, but their attempts came from a distance, mainly through Mallia and Pereira Dos Santos.
The game came to life in the dying minutes of the first half with Pieta going close with a well taken freekick by Pereira Dos Santos, but on the other end Miguel Montfort saved his side when he brilliantly turned into a corner a Steve Meilak scorcher.
From the resultant corner, defender Francis Owusu rose above friend and foe but his header just missed the crossbar.
On the resumption Pieta went close again with a Pereira Dos Santos low shot from a freekick missing the target. On the hour Mallia crossed towards Pereira Dos Santos whose header was easy prey for Abela.
On 67 minutes Giaccaglia made a remarkable recovery when he blocked Chris Azzopardi’s shot with a timely intervention. Two minutes later Pieta missed a glorious chance when Pereira Dos Santos headed over the bar from two metres. The same player came close again on 78 minutes with his effort from an acute angle missing the target by a whisker.
Pieta H: M. Montfort, C. Spiteri, E. Giaccaglia, Q. Refalo (A. Farrugia), T. Agius, Z. Muscat, V. Pereira Dos Santos, L. Mallia, C. Cassar, J. Zarate, J. Pisani.
Dingli S: M. Abela, F. Owusu, K. Pace, A. Portelli, R. Ceka, M. Brincat (J. Sapiano), K. Formosa (C. Azzopardi), S. Meilak, E. Farrugia, R. Vella, R. Briffa.
Referee: Esther Azzopardi