Mosta to contest play-off after derby defeat

Mosta will be contesting the BOV Premier League Play-Off against First Division side Gzira United on Friday 15th May after finishing tenth in the BOV Premier League following a 1-2 defeat to Naxxar Lions in the derby and identical 3-1 wins for Tarxien Rainbows and Qormi over Pietà Hotspurs and Zebbug Rangers respectively.

At the National Stadium, Naxxar Lions were clearly a better side and deserved to take the three points home, although even a draw would have been enough to avoid the decider.

Mosta went close to taking the lead on the 4th minute thanks to Jorge Santos Silva who hit the upright with a shot from the edge of the area. Ten minutes later, Pablo Doffo tested Omar Borg with a shot from outside the area which was turned into a corner by Omar Borg. On the 22nd, Tyrone Farrugia sent Udo Fortune through but the latter’s close-range shot was blocked by Azzopardi.

A Mickael Nicoise effort from outside the area ended just wide for Mosta on 28 minutes. Jorge Santos Silva went close with a long-distance shot for Naxxar but Omar Borg deflected into a corner.

Naxxar managed to break the deadlock on 69 minutes when off a Gilmar freekick from the left, Terence Vella headed home past goalkeeper Omar Borg.

Angus Buhagiar missed an excellent opportunity to seal the issue with a second goal on the 84th when off a perfect assist by Jorge Santos Silva, he hit high with a first-time effort.

However Naxxar were not to be denied on the 86th minute when Gilmar da SIlva Ribeiro advanced on the left before beating Omar Borg with a great rising shot.

Mosta reduced the gap on the 90th when off a cross by Kyle Frendo, Tyrone Farrugia headed the ball over goalkeeper Julian Azzopardi.

MOSTA Omar Borg, Tyrone Farrugia, Mark Brincat, Dyson Falzon, Udo Fortune (77′ Karl Pulo), Adrian Borg, Ryan Grech, Haruna Babangida, Mickael Nicoise (88′ James Brincat), Jonas Rodriguez Ekani, Kyle Frendo.
Subs not used: Kyle Gerada, Matteo Di Vita, Kurt Magro, Ian Zammit, Aaron Sammut.
Coach: Peter Smith

NAXXAR Julian Azzopardi, Andrew Scicluna, Emmanuel Ibok Edet, Terence Vella, (85′ Daren Falzon) Gilmar Ribeiro da Silva, Ryan Gilmour Cassar, Pablo Doffo, David Fenech, Angus Buhagiar, Jorge Santos Silva (89′ Frank Temile), Albert Bruce.
Coach: Luke Pecorella, Mattia Del Negro, Duane Bonnici, Jurgen Debono.
Coach: Jesmond Zerafa

Referee: Marco Borg
Assistant Referees: Roberto Vella, Sammy Attard
Additional Assistant Referees: Clayton Pisani, Malcolm Spiteri
Fourth Official: Paul Apap
Yellow Cards: Fenech, Brincat, Babangida, Falzon, Frendo, Grech
Scorers: 69′ Terence Vella, 86′ Gilmar, 90′ Tyrone Farrugia
BOV Player of the Match: Gilmar da Silva Ribeiro
Attendance at the National Stadium: 886

At the Hibernians Stadium, Qormi came from behind to beat Zebbug Rangers 3-1.

Zebbug took the lead on the 34th minute when off a cross by Paltemio Barbetti from the left, Mauricio Osmar Rodrigues Britto headed the ball home past goalkeeper Matthew Farrugia.

Six minutes later, Qormi equalised when Alex Nilsson advanced into the area and rounded a defender before serving Leighton Grech who slotted the ball past goalkeeper Jeffrey Farrugia.

Two minutes from the end of the first half, Qormi forged ahead when Alfred Effiong was unlucky to hit the upright but off the rebound, Alex Nilsson placed the ball at the back of the net.

Mark Miller’s side sealed the issue on the hour when Clifford Gauci served Leighton Grech who went past a number of players before hitting past Jeffrey Farrugia to make it 3-1.

ZEBBUG Jeffrey Farrugia, Matthew Gauci, David Alejandro Reano, Lee Galea, Paltemio Barbetti, Matthew Bartolo, Matias Muchardi (67′ Rashid Yussuff), Kurt Zammit, Carlo Monti, Mauricio Rodrigues Britto, Luke Montebello (82′ Shaun Borg).
Subs not used: Manuel Bartolo, Jacob Borg, Yessous Camilleri, Thomas Paris, Miguel Ciantar.
Coach: Alfonso Greco

QORMI Matthew Farrugia, Marcelo Lima de Mattos (62′ Alejandro Mendoza Corujo), Alfred Effiong (80′ Ryan Micallef) Clifford Gauci, Zoran Levnajic, Duncan Pisani (68′ Steve Agius), Jonathan Bondin, Billy Berntsson, Gustavo Villalobos, Leighton Grech, Alex Nilsson.
Subs not used: Mario Muscat, Jurgen Cilia, Bjorn Bondin, Karl Sciortino.
Coach: Mark Miller

Referee: Adrian Azzopardi
Assistant Referees: Mitchell Scerri, Jurgen Spiteri
Fourth Official: Luke Portelli
Yellow Cards: Barbetti, Galea
Scorers: 34′ Mauricio Britto, 40′ Leighton Grech, 43′ Alex Nilsson , 60′ Leighton Grech
BOV Player of the Match: Leighton Grech
Attendance at the Hibernians Stadium: 570

At the Victor Tedesco Stadium, Firas Aboulezz was the hero for Tarxien Rainbows as they defeated Pietà Hotspurs 3-1.

The Rainbows managed to take the lead on the 10th minute thanks to Firas Aboulezz who concluded a solo effort with a powerful shot from a close angle which beat goalkeeper David Cassar.

On the 20th, Claudio Frances sent Ricardo Costa through but the latter’s cross was cleared into a corner by Manu Bonaque with the goalkeeper beaten.

The Rainbows doubled the score seven minutes in the second half thanks to a curling shot by Firas Aboulezz following a short clearance by a defender which beat David Cassar.

Tarxien made it 3-0 on the 61st with a powerful shot by Mouhamed Soly whose powerful shot was deflected by a defender past the Pietà goalkeeper.

Pietà scored a consolation goal on the 74th when off a cross by Neil Pace Cocks, Claudio Frances tapped the ball home from close range.

TARXIEN Sean Mintoff, Steve Sadowski, Triston Caruana, Firas Aboulezz (79′ Nigel Vella), Eduardo Vallecillo Casado, Jose Angel Godar Pereira, Alexander Cini (82′ Nigel Vella II), Matthew Tabone, Mouhamed Soly (88′ Jorge Yepes Roda), Obinna Darlington Ajoku, Manuel Bonaque Acevedo.
Subs not used: Mikhail Schembri, Luke Zahra, Manuel Caruana, Owen Bugeja.
Coach: Clive Mizzi

PIETÀ David Cassar, Cain Attard (73′ Travis Bartolo), Karl Micallef, Leonardo Fortunato dos Santos, Jurgen Pisani, Orosco Anonam (63′ Neil Pace Cocks), Kyle Cesare, Ricardo Costa (63′ Luke Micallef), Rafael Rodrigues da Silva, Claudio Frances, Charles Newuche Nnaemeka.
Subs not used: Miguel Montfort, Christian Grech, Ayrton Mizzi, Christian Degabriele.
Coach: Noel Coleiro

Referee: Andre Arciola
Assistant Referees: Alan Camilleri, Peter Abela
Additional Assistant Referees: Trustin Farrugia Cann, Philip Farrugia
Fourth Official: David Castillo
Yellow Cards: Anonam, K. Micallef, N. Vella, Pace Cocks
Scorers: 10′ Firas Aboulezz, 52′ Firas Aboulezz, 60′ Mouhamed Soly 72′ Claudio Frances
BOV Player of the Match: Firas Aboulezz
Attendance at the Victor Tedesco Stadium: 260