Pieta make it two in a row
Pieta Hotspurs kept their 100 per cent record intact when they beat another good side in the form of Żebbuġ Rangers. It needed an early second half goal by Nigerian Lawrence Chiedozie and another in injury time by substitute Clive Gauci to win a match they dominated early but suffered a lot as time went by.
Żebbuġ Rangers, who like Pieta had won their first league match press forward also in the second half but Pieta were always dangerous in their counter attacks
Pieta started well and on seven minutes a Lawrence Chiedozie missed a sitter when he drove the ball wide infront of goal after a glorious Nicholas Pisani pass. Three minutes later it was Pieta when a Geoffrey Spiteri cross and Chiedozie’s rose high to head just over the crossbar. Ramon Zammit’s side continued to press forward and on 27 it was Chiedozir again who after a fine run was foiled by goalkeeper Jeffrey Farrugia. Finally Winston Muscat’s side reacted and on the half hour Francesco Gusman dribbled three players to shoot on the run with the ball being saved by Montfort. Five minutes before the break a Muda Fagbeja’s freekick finished just wide and minute before the break Andrea Curmi’s drive finsihed wide as Żebbuġ now starting playing some good football.
Pieta managed to take the lead a minute into the second half when Chiedozie latched on to a through ball to shoot home past goalkeeper Farrugia. On 72 minutes it was Chiedozie again who this time hit the side netting following a good run from a Agius pass. On 79 minutes Rangers came close when a floating ball into the area was fumbled by Montfort with Larsson Mallia heading the ball inches wide. Muscat’s side continued to attack in search of an equaliser and came close again six minutes from time when substitute Ayrton Micallef drove the ball high and wide infront of goal from a Mallia cross. Two minutes later Quincy Bregman should have done better when he was freed by Chiedozioe but took too long to conclude. Two minutes into injury time it was Chiedozie again who sprinted on the right flank, passed to the unmarked substitute Clive Gauci u tapped the ball home.
Żebbuġ: J. Farrugia, C. Gauci, M. Fagbeja, A. Curmi (K. Zammit), M. Bonnici (A Micallef), R. Da Silva Gomes, L. Mallia, S. Schembri, M. Attard, J. Suda, F. Gusman
Pieta: M. Montfort, S. Bartolo (T. Bartolo), J. Riu Perez, C. Grech, G. Spiteri, D. Agius, A. Mizzi, N. Pace Cocks, L. Chiedozie, Q. Bregman (C. Gauci), N. Pisani (J.M. Artiaga)
Referee: Mario Apap