Carbone’s stoppage time goal hands Saints precious points
A goal two minutes into stoppage time gave Santa Lucia the maximum points from a direct encounter against fellow strugglers Żebbuġ Rangers. Thanks to this win the Saints have now leapfrogged Żebbuġ and are now in twelfth place.
This was a match between two sides languishing at the bottom part of the table with relegation a possibility for both teams.
The Rangers from Żebbuġ have the second worst defence in the Premier League with the Saints just following behind them.
Both teams were coming from defeats in their last match. Żebbuġ were trounced by Birkirkara to the tune of five goals to nil whereas the Saints lost to Balzan.
The Saints had a dream start when after just 22 second they took the lead thanks to a nice shot from the left side by Robert Bairam. For long stretches neither team threatend and it was only eight minutes from the break that Santa Lucia went near once again through Bairam whose free kick hit the side rigging.
The first part of the second period was played on the same pattern and on 58 minutes Żebbuġ went near for the first time when Ngoy set Jankovic only for his shot to end wide.
Żebbuġ drew level just past the hour when a Roberto Enrique Sanchez corner was fumbled by goalkeeper Calleja Cremona, with the ball ending in the net.
Santa Lucia mounted an immediate reaction and in the 68th minute they hit the woodwork through a Terzi shot.
And twelve minutes from time they went near once again when an Alba shot was partially saved by Azzopardi but from the rebound Terzi blasted over the bar.
The dramatic winner was scored in the second minute of stoppage time through substitute Jamie Carbone with his low drive beating Azzopardi.