Dos Santos scores hat-trick in Mosta’s big win

In the first half, both sides had their good moments with Dos Santos, on one side, and Kooh Sohna, on the other, figuring prominently in most of their club’s actions.

Mosta had more possession, but after 45 minutes, the 1-1 drawn result was perhaps a fair indication of what was witnessed.

In the second half, it was more or less balanced until Mosta regained the lead. After that came a strange incident (described later on) which led to a penalty for the Blues. It seemed to be enough for Mosta, but it was not yet over as the Blues scored another two goals – one of them another penalty – to make it a more pronounced victory.

Lija protested hotly about Mosta’s first penalty, but although it is true that some of their players stopped because of the assistant’s flagging, they should have continued playing until hearing the official’s whistle.

Lija opened on attack and on the third minute, Kooh Sohna tested goalie Vella who, however, saved well. Mosta replied soon after through a Farrugia header which went over.

Lija went close on 14 minutes when following a Galea cornerkick, it was Patrick Borg who hit just wide after the ball had been cleared in his path. Moments later, Beu set Kooh Sohna beautifully only to see his shot going just wide.

In the 25th minute, Mosta missed a glorious opportunity to take the lead when dos Santos had his low shot being desperately cleared off the line by Lija defender Borg.

On 33 minutes, a long distance effort from Dexter Xuereb, almost surprised Lija goalie Bonnici, but he managed to foot the ball to a corner.

Mosta opened the scoring on 37 minutes. They were awarded a freekick from outside the area from which Dos Santos beat Bonnici with a fine effort.

Lija reacted and equalised in the 43rd minute. From a Babic corner, it was Kooh Sohna who drilled the ball home from close in, giving goalie Vella no chance.

Early in the second half, Mosta again missed a good chance when Dos Santos advanced unhindered into the Lija area, but saw his effort going wide.

On the hour, from a long Beu pass, Sohna beat his direct opponent, but his shot was deviated to a corner.

Mosta took the lead again in the 64th minute when from a Tanti cross, it was Ferreira who beat goalie Bonnici with a neat header from the angle.

Lija replied with a Babic 20 metre effort, but the ball went wide.

A strange incident happened in the 75th minute. From a long distance pass, a Mosta player was flagged offside by the assistant on the far side. Some Lija players stopped waiting for the official’s whistle which never arrived. Simply because the assistant stopped his flagging as the Mosta player in an offside position allowed his ‘onside’ teammate dos Santos to move forward with the ball and was later floored in the area by Sidibe. The latter was shown a red card while Dos Santos coolly planted the ball home from the spotkick.

Four minutes later, Babic floored Tanti in the area, and the official had no hesitation to award a second penalty to Mosta which was also converted by Dos Santos.

In the 81st minute, it became 51 as L. Ferreira easily placed the ball into the net after a counterattack.

Before the end, Lija had two chances to reduce the arrears. First it was goalie Vella who thwarted Tanti, blocking to corner.

Later it was Kooh Sohna who lifted the ball out with the Mosta custodian out of place.

Photo: Christine Borg