Second defeat in a row for Valletta
Valletta St Andrews 0 2
Valletta suffered a second defeat in a row after losing their previous game against Melita. St Andrews are now in fourth place on 24 points from 13 games while Valletta are in fifth position on 16 points from the same number of games.
The first actions were created by Valletta when a flag kick by Lyon Camilleri created havoc in St Andrew’s area and the ball was cleared away with difficulty.
Paul Montfort served Camilleri with a through ball and St Andrews keeper Sebastian Spiteri saved his shot from outside the area. At the other end Mattia Veselji entered the area after dribbling past two defenders and Valletta keeper Brian Schiavone was able to save his feeble shot.
Valletta regained the initiative. Camilleri released Rui Zammit in the area and Spiteri foiled him with a timely sortie.
From an Andrew Sultana flag kick, Ruslan Borg missed the upright from inside the area and Sultana then dribbled past an opponent on the left flank only for the ball to miss the bar by inches from his distant shot.
The last action before the break was created by Valletta as Tabone dribbled past an opponent on the left flank but Spiteri saved his effort in two attempts.
The second period was dominated by St Andrews as Valletta created only one action worthy of note. A Jordan Kelly flag kick from the left flank created havoc in Valletta’s area and the ball was cleared away with difficulty.
Schiavone saved a free kick by substiute Lydon Pulis after Sebastian Agius was fouled outside the area and Veselji dribbled past an opponent on the right flank and after hugging the left edge of the area his cross-shot was partly cleared outside the area and Andrea Galea missed the bar by inches from the rebound.
In Valletta’s first and only action, they nearly broke the deadlock as the ball was cleared from over the line following a close-range shot by Warren Azzopardi after he was put through by Zammit.
St Andrews opened the score when Kelly received the ball from a long drop-kick by his keeper outside the area and after advancing he lobbed the ball over the onrushing Saliba and into the net.
The same player obtained a personal brace and his side’s second goal on the hour when Veselji entered the area after beating a defender and after the ball rattled the bar from his hard drive, Kelly was on hand to score with a low drive from the rebound.
B.Schiavone, P.Montfort, Y.Haggar, L.Camilleri, D.Catania, M.Tabone, J.Fiteni, W Azzopardi, M.Pulis, J.Azzopardi, R.Zammit
S.spiteri, A.Sultana, R.Galea, S.Agius, R.Borg, A Galea, M.Veselji, J.Kelly, D.Zammit Lupi, M.Fenech, J.Crossey Referee: Joe Scerri Player of the match: Kelly (St Andrew)
Birkirkara San Gwann
Jordan
0 1
This game was characterised by many fouls from which most of the actions were created. Shots at goal were very scarce as was methodical football.
Following this game San Gwann are in second place on 27 points from 13 games while Birkirkara are in bottom placing with only 2 points also from 13 games.
San Gwann applied the early pressure. Byron Madu was fouled outside the area and Adam Falzon drove slightly over the bar from the free kick.
Kurt Desira then dribbled past an opponent outside the area butBirkirkara keeper Jake Schiavone saved his distant shot.
San Gwann keeper Miguel Xerri had to dive to save a rebound shot by Calvin Mallia and later he saved a free kick shot by Miguel Abela after Lydon Borg was fouled on the left flank.
San Gwann reacted and Matthew Grech served Desira in the area but Schiavone saved his shot in two attempts.
Birkirkara created the last action before the break when Bugeja was fouled on the right flank but the ball missed the near post by inches from Calvin Mallia’s free kick.
In Birkirkara’s first action after the restart, Mallia was fouled outside the area and Adam Camilleri drove well off target from the free kick.
In the 53rd minute Birkirkara came close to open the score when the ball missed the bar by inches from a free kick by Bugeja. San Gwann kept pressing.
A Falzon flag kick was partly cleared outside the area and Nigel Aquilina missed the upright from the rebound.
In the first minute of added time, San Gwann opened the score from the penalty spot when Aquilina released substitute Dale Mifsud in the area and after he was pulled and floored the referee pointed to the spot and Desira made no mistake.
In the fourth minute of added time, Birkirkara defender Adam Camilleri was shown the red card for uttering threatening words towards the referee.
J.Schiavone, A.Camilleri, B.Farrugia, C.Mallia, D.Tabone Desira, H.Bugeja, L.Borg, M.Abela, P.Galea, R.Cutajar, Y.Theuma
M.Xerri, I.Colombo, J.Cassar, L.Musu’, M.Gauci, M.Grech, J.Grech, K.Desira, A.Falzon, M.Byron, O.Spiteri Referee: Michael Pio Cilia Player of the match: Kurt Desira (San Gwann)
NEPTUNES WPSC SIRENS ASC (1-3), (3-1), (4-0), (3-2) 11 6
The final outcome of the match could have indicated that it was an easy win for Neptunes, but in reality it was only the second part of the game that they dominated.
Sirens looked to be in the way of claiming the first win after a good start, but the experience of key players from Maslovar’s team, proved to be the downfall for Sirens, as they were caught by surprise and couldn’t fight back to save the game.
Sergio Afric’s team had a 3-0 lead in the beginning of the match after a brace by Isiah Riolo and a goal by Marc Grech, but