Pieta H 5

Pembroke Ath 0

The final result is a clear indication that Pieta had a very easy encounter against Pembroke as they managed to score five goals without any reply. Following this game Pieta are in seventh position on 25 points from 16 games while Pembroke are in penultimate place with only six points, also from 16 games.

Pieta were first in action when Nicholas Pulis pounced on a loose ball outside the area and Pembroke keeper Andrea Camilleri saved his long-range effort. From the same action, Camiileri served Nikolai Agius with a long drop kick in the area but he drove out from a very ideal position.

In a reaction by Pieta had Pulis releasing Gary Sultana on the right flank and Camilleri had to dive and save the ball from his cross-shot.

Sultana then dribbled past three defenders on the right flank, served Jake Scerri in the area but he miscued his shot when well placed.

Then, Yannick Yankam served Scerri with a through ball on the left flank who crossed to Gian Franco Micallef in the area and Camilleri foiled him with a timely sortie.

In another action by Pembroke, Courage Dmoruazoe, saw his cross-shot being cleared away with difficulty.

In the 21st minute Pieta opened the score. Sultana served Micallef with a through ball in the area and after the ball was partly cleared, the same player scored from the rebound with a hard grounder.

The score became 2-0 four minutes later when a well-taken flag kick by Micallef created havoc in Pembroke’s area and in the melee that ensued Joshua Tonna scored with a hard drive from inside the area.

Pembroke created the last action before the break when Agius was fouled outside the area and Roderick Caruana drove slightly over the bar from the free kick.

Six minutes after the restart Pieta scored a third goal as Pulis served Sultana in the area, who was in a clear off side position, but it went unnoticed by referee’s assistant Andre’ Psaila, and as the Pembroke defenders did the standstill act and protested for offside, he scored with ease.

Pieta resumed with their pressing and dominated the proceedings as Pembroke only created one action. Pulis dribbled past an opponent and after entering the area, Camilleri saved his shot by tipping the ball over the bar.

Cleaven Zammit then released Matthew Goodlip on the right flank and the ball finished out from his cross-shot.

Micallef was then fouled outside the area and Camilleri saved the free kick by the same player.

Zammit released substitute Jamie Delia on the right flank and Camilleri neutralised the ball from his cross-shot.

In Pembroke’s only action in the 58th minute Agius was fouled on the right flank and the ball was cleared to a corner from the free kick by Zack Zammit.

Pieta scored No 4 in the 63rd minute when substitute James Scicluna served Christian De Gabriele with a cross in the area from the left flank and he scored with a hard low shot.

Hardly a minute later they scored their fifth goal as Micallef dribbled past a defender and, after entering the area, scored with a low hard drive.

In the last action before the end, Micallef was fouled outside the area and Camilleri saved De Gabriele’s freekick in two attempts.

Referee: Jonathan Bonello

Player of the match: Gian Franco Micallef (Pieta H)