Senglea 2
Santa Lucia 5
Senglea
M. Farrugia (D. Farrugia 76)
C. Zammit
D. Debono
E. Sakyi (J. Tanti 58)
E. Arab
T. Marukawa
W. Teixeira
N. Braunovic
J. Debono (JM Micallef 52)
J. Cabral
A. Do Nascimento
Sta Lucia
T. Aquilina (R. Caruana 71)
G. Bohrer
K. Correia
A. Magri Overend
M. Maia (J. Magri Overend 67)
L. Riascos
J. Zerafa (J. Walker 63)
C. Escobar
R. Tachikawa
P. Santos De Azevedo
L. Grech
Referee: S. Pace
Asst refs: C. Francalanza, J. Muscat
4th official: P. Farrugia
Scorers: K. Correia 3, R. Tachikawa 12, 51, J. Cabral 54, M. Maia 60, J. Walker 65, W. Teixeira 88 pen.
Yellow cards: E. Arab 27, E. Sakyi 37, P. Santos de Azevedo 37, L. Riascos 57, K. Correia 74
Red card: Dejan Debono
BOV Player of the match: R. Tachikawa
TMI Top 3: 1. M. Maia, 2. R. Tachikawa, 3. L. Grech.
Attendance: 451
Sta Lucia moved closer to safety after a convincing 5-2 win over Senglea yesterday.
They overwhelmed their 10-man opponents (Senglea had Dejan Debono sent off midway through the opening period) taking a 2-0 lead in the first half during which they contrived to miss a penalty, and then adding three others in the second half with Senglea scoring a consolation goal when the score was 3-0.
They have now moved on the 23 point mark, seven points above the same Senglea, who occupy 13th place on 16 points.
Sta Lucia took Senglea by storm as the match started taking the lead after only three minutes and going on to extend it by another goal in the 12th minute.
The Saints insisted and could have added a third midway through the half when they were awarded a penalty as Senglea ended with Debono seeing red.
But goalie Matthew Farrugia saved the 11-metre kick to keep his side somehow in contention, even if Senglea only once came close to scoring during the first half.
Senglea tried to hit back early in the second half, but after suffering a third goal, and scoring their consolation goal, they threw in the towel, conceding two further goals which made Santa Lucia's win more resounding.
It was quite obvious that the Saints were vastly superior with a man extra on the field of play. And had they taken the chances which came their way, it would have been an even more handsome win.
Sta Lucia took the lead as early as the 3rd minute. From a Jamie Zerafa freekick, Gabriel Bohrer headed goalwards and Kevin Correia was on hand to tap the ball into the net.
Three minutes later, they almost scored another one when from a cross, Tachikawa was unmarked in the Senglea area, but headed wide.
The same Tachikawa had better luck in the 12th minute with a fine 'semi-rovesciata' after receiving the ball from a Leighton Grech cross.
In the 22nd minute, Senglea ended in 10 men when Dejan Debono was shown a red card after he was deemed to have handled the ball on the goalline off a Leighton Grech cross. Mr Pace ordered a penalty from which goalie Matthew Farrugia covered himself in glory as he dived sideways to save Maxuell Maia 's shot.
In the 32nd minute, Senglea were somewhat unlucky not to pull one back when off a Cabral fine cross, Teixeira saw his first timer hitting the upright.
At the other end, Leighton Grech made the most of a Senglea defensive lapse, rounded the goalie but then hit well over the bar from the angle.
Goalie Farrugia was again a protagonist in the 41st minute as he brilliantly turned to corner a fine rising shot from Tachikawa.
The Saints added a third goal in the 51st minute when off a Maxuell cross, Tachikawa breasted the ball past the helpless Farrugia.
The Saints seemed to be sitting pretty, but three minutes later, Senglea managed to pull one back through Cabral, who advanced into the area to beat Aquilina with a low shot.
In the 59th minute, Senglea missed a good chance to score another goal as Teixeira completely missed the ball two metres in front of goal.
They paid dearly for that miss as immediately afterwards, at the other end, Sta Lucia made it 4-1 with a Maia grounder which beat Farrugia all ends up.
It was no surprise that the Saints added a 5th goal on 65 minutes when a fine move involving Maxuell, Escobar and substitute Walker ended with the latter flicking the ball home from close in.
It could have been 6-1 on 75 minutes when in a fast breakaway, Riascos set Santos De Azevedo who saw his full blooded shot hitting the upright.
Senglea were awarded a very dubious penalty in the 87th minute when it appeared that the offence was committed by one of their players rather than the Sta Lucia defender. No player was shown a card. From the spotkick, Teixeira made no mistake, sending reserve goalie Ryan Caruana the other way.