Rabat-Vittoriosa 0-1
Rabat A: P. Velimirovic, S. Gauci, D. Azzopardi, I. Carapic, D. Falzon (W. Borg), J. Caruana, J. Bajada, S.Oproiescu, M. Licari (A. Smeir), R. Micallef, D. Pendas
Vittoriosa S: M. Muscat, O. Sidibe, Samir Arab, O. Guerrero (F. Santaguida), Siraj Arab (K. Sammut), C. Brincat, G. Martin (R. Mifsud), M. Pereira, J. Aguiar, F. Arriagada, L. Vella Critien
Referee: M. Apap
Asst.refs: A. Camilleri, D. Sultana
4th official: P. Farrugia
Scorers: M. Pereira 43
Yellow cards: I. Carapic, J. Bajada, G. Martin, F. Santaguida
Player of the match: G. Martin (Vittoriosa S)
TMI top 3: 1. F. Arriagad 2. J. Aguiar 3. P. Velimirovic
This battle of the basement went Vittoriosa’s way as the Stars pile up more points in their bid to fight off relegation and Rabat Ajax remain deeply embroiled in their desperate struggle for survival as the first phase draws to a near.
The decisive goal, in a match played under pouring rain, was scored by Marcelo Pereira towards the end of the first half, during which the Stars looked superior.
For all their bold efforts in the second half, Rabat could not find a way to breach the opposition’s defence and were again left empty handed.
Vittoriosa made five changes from the team that narrowly lost to Sliema Wanderes the week before. Mario Muscat was making his debut in goal, following his loan move from Hibernians. Clive Brincat, Siraj Arab, and Luke Vella Critien were given starts ahead of Clive Spiteri, Michael Camilleri and Malcolm Buttigieg while Jose Aguiar was returning after suspension, with Garcia making way.
Rabat, beaten heavily by Valletta in their previous outing, were again without the still injured Daniel Pelaez but Adam Smeir made his return as a substitute for the last quarter hour.
The Rabat rearguard often looked at pains when Vittoriosa delivered the crosses from the flanks, mostly from Oscar Guerrero down the right. Rabat tried to play long balls behind the high Vittoriosa defensive backline for Ryan Micallef or Malcolm Licari to beat the offside trap.
The first quarter hour was barren and after that, the Rabat keeper Velimirovic rushed out of his area to clear a loose ball and was nearly caught out by Arriagada’s effort from the centre circle but the ball narrowly missed the target.
On the other end, Pendas also had a curling long range effort from the left going narrowly wide. Keeper Velimirovic denied Guerrero, who had gone inside the Rabat area, saving in two attempts.
Vittoriosa’s football was always slicker and with their stranglehold in midfield through their two anchors Arriagada and Aguiar, ensured that Pendas was reduced to ineffectual back tracking and Micallef mostlt marooned.
Past the half hour, Martin ran inside the Rabat area through the middle, on Pereira’s through pass, and fell when challenged by the Rabat defenders but play was not interrupted.
On 35 minutes Pereira tested the Rabat keeper with a hard drive, turned into a corner and on 42 minutes, Pereira should have done better when, unmarked inside the Rabat area, he shot feebly on the goalkeeper after put clear by Guerrero.
But Pereira atoned for that miss a minute later. Martin advanced on the left. His shot was repelled by keeper Velimirovic but Pereira got the better of Falzon in the air and headed in from close range to give Vittoriosa the lead.
In added time, Velimirovic produced a smart save off Siraj Arab’s drilling shot, tipping the ball into a corner to spare Rabat from further derision.
The second half was less eventful but more evenly balanced as Rabat increased their efforts as they probed for an equaliser. Vittoriosa keeper Muscat stretched himself to turn Pendas free kick from the left into a corner. On 53 minutes the Magpies were unlucky when Caruana’s grounder, following a short clearance from a Pendas’ corner, hit the foot of the post.
Smeir, who had just gone in for Licari, went close with his firm header on Gauci’s cross on 76 minutes and a minute later a Pendas shot took a wicked deflection off a Vittoriosa defender but Muscat held the ball out with a good reflex save.
With Rabat going forward, they left gaps at the back which Vittoriosa tried to exploit on fast breaks. The Rabat keeper turned Martin’s shot into a corner and then blocked providentially Sidibe’s header.
In the dying minutes, Velimirovic again saved Pereira’s effort into corner and deep into added time, Vittoriosa should have made the points safe when Carapic was caught against three opponents but the unmolested Pereira fluffed the chance, allowing Velimirovic to block him into a corner.