Last-gasp penalty saves Vittoriosa

Lija A. Vittoriosa S 2 2

Vittoriosa scored an injury time equaliser to save the match against promotion aspirants Lija in a top of the table clash. Lija without three key players almost snatched the three points at stake but Obiefule’s last ditch penalty saved his side and kept Vittoriosa three points above the same Lija.

Vittoriosa started like a house on fire pushing their depleted opponents inside their own penalty area and going close after a couple of minutes through a Farrugia scorcher that was well blocked by Bonnici.

Lija without the suspended Erjon Beu, Yanis Tonna and Daniel Scerri, took some to settle down but hit back on ten minutes with a Bello-Osagie effort and an Antoine Borg grounder that missed the base of the upright by a whisker.

For the rest of the first half Vittoriosa had more possession of the ball but both goalkeepers were never really tested.

Six minutes into the second half Lija broke the deadlock when Lee Joe Schembri’s good run on the right was finished with an inch perfect cross towards Paolo Dandolo who fired home from close range.

On 58 minutes Dandolo beat a couple of defenders but his grounder went wide. On 64 minutes Vittoriosa drew level when Bonnici blocked a closed-range effort but could do nothing from Obiefule’s rebound.

Fourteen minutes from time Lija were back in front when from a Da Silva Santos freekick, defender Patrick Borg headed beautifully home. Three minutes from time Lija should have sealed the issue when Lee Joe Schembri dribbled past the goalkeeper, but hit the side netting from an acute angle.

In stoppage time defender Petar Mrvic was floored by Carl Cassar and from the penalty spot Obinna Obiefule fired home to give his side a precious point.

Lija A: L. Bonnici, C. Cassar, P. Babic, L. Muscat, P. Borg, L.J. Schembri (R. Sammut), M. Clinch, P. Dandolo (A. Sammut), E. Da Silva Santos, A. Bello-Osagie, A. Borg.

Vittoriosa S: K. Magri, A. Farrugia, L. Gauci, O. Obiefule, P. Mrvic, D. Fava, O.L. Agbeobina (D. Pisani), A. Galea (G. Sultana), R. Previ, C. Spiteri (E. Mbong), J. Pace.

Referee: Trustin Farrugia Cann