Dingli Swallows continued on their positive trend beating Birzebbuga with the odd goal in three yesterday. This victory lifts Dingli above the same Birzebbuga and in a healthier position in the middle of the table at the end of the first round commitments.

Dingli were a superior outfit yesterday with Carlos Porcari proving to be an asset for the side as he scored both goals. But Leontiev Konda and Kurt Formosa played another great match for the RedBlues, whilst defender Francis Owusu is proving to be a pillar and one of the best defenders in this category.

For Birzebbuga it was a rather pale performance and after a very briht start to the season they are finding the going hard, and might even be involved in relegation trouble in the near future.

Birzebbuga lost Dragan Milovic after a couple of minutes and Dingli had their first attempt on ten minutes when Kurt Pace hit the side netting. Dingli continued to show the better ideas and Kurt Formosa had an attempt from the edge of the area well saved by Ivan Casha.

On 28 minutes Mauro Brincat elegantly penetrated the penalty area but his shot missed the crossbar by inches. Minutes later Birzebbuga were menacing when Onuta passed towards Sciortino whose shot was blocked by defender Francis Owusu.

In the final minutes Dingli were a constant threat to the Birzebbuga defence with Konda missing a good chance after a Kurt Formosa freekick. On 44 minutes Porcari was unlucky when his freekick smashed against the upright, but the same player was rewarded a minute later when he finished off a Kurt Formosa move on the left flank.

On the resumption Birzebbuga ventured forward in search of the equalizer but the Dingli defence withstood the pressure, and they were menacing in their counter breaks.

But on 66 minutes Birzebbuga obtained the equalizer when Mead Mifsud fired a missile from a distance, the Dingli goalkeeper flicked the ball against the crossbar with the ball bouncing off behind the goal line, with asistent referee Andrew J. Sammut signaling that the ball had crossed the goal line.

But Birzebbuga’s joy was short lived as Dingli were back in front two minutes later. Kurt Formosa passed towards Carlos Porcari who made his way inside the area to beat Ivan Casha for the second time.

Birzebbuga appeared to have no energy left to counter back for this as Dingli held on to their slender lead till the final whistle. Fourteen minutes from time both teams were reduced to tem men when Dingli’s Rodrisk Briffa and Birzebbuga captain Ronnie Celeste had anything but a friendly discussion, and referee Marco gave them both the marching orders.

Birzebbuga I. Casha, K. Borg, M. Pullicino, F. Schneider, D. Baldacchino, G. Tanti, M. Mifsud, D. Milovic (L. Grima), B. Onuta (P. Camilleri), R. Celeste, M. Sciortino (B. Marev).

Dingli S J. Farrugia, F. Owusu, K. Pace, A. Portelli, L. Konda, M. Brincat (C. Azzopardi), K. Formosa, E. Farrugia (P. Ciantar), C. Porcari, R. Vella (J. Sapiano), R. Briffa

Referee Marco Borg