Third draw for Santa Lucia

Santa Lucia obtained the third draw in as many matches thanks to a 2-2 draw with neighbours Gudja United at the National Stadium on Sunday.

Gudja, who were chasing their first points after losing their first two matches, twice managed to take the lead but each time, Santa Lucia levelled matters.

Following the narrow defeat to Hibernians, Hubert Vella, Marcelo Dias and Temitope Abdul replaced Tensior Gusman, Farid Zuniga and Justin Grioli for Gudja while Santa Lucia had Jamie Zerafa and Dexter Xuereb named in the starting line-up as Jan Tanti was ruled out through suspension and Gianmarco Conti was among the substitutes.

Gudja took the lead on the 14th minute when a Temitope Abdul long-distance effort was turned into a corner by goakeeper Julani Archibald and from the resulting corner by Pankarican, Igor Dudarev headed home.

Santa Lucia equalised four minutes in added time thanks to an Alan da Silva Souza penalty after Leighton Grech floored Victor Luiz Filho inside the area.

Nine minutes in the second half, Gudja regained the lead through Filip Pankarican, direct from a corner from the right, who stunned the Santa Lucia goalkeeper.

However ten minutes from time, Gianmarco Conti sent Alan da Silva through on the left and the latter beat Glenn Zammit with a diagonal shot from the right.

GUDJA Glen Zammit, Louis Beland-Goyette, Rodolfo Soares,  Llywelyn Cremona, Filip Pankarican, Gabriel Mensah, Hubert Vella, Neil Tabone (Leighton Grech 45+1’), Marcelo Mariano Dias, Igor Dudarev, Temitope Abdul (Junior Dibola 85’).
Coach: Thane Micallef

SANTA LUCIA Julani Archibald, Andre Prates Rodrigues, Jurgen Pisani, Nicholas Pulis (Kieran Xuereb 68’), Patrick Silva, Vito Plut (Gianmarco Conti 68’), Alan Souza, Francisco Farias, Victor Filho, Jamie Zerafa (Jamie Carbone 76’), Dexter Xuereb. 
Coach: Oliver Spiteri

Referee: Trustin Farrugia Cann
Assistant Referees: Luke Portelli, Duncan Sultana
Fourth Official: Ezekiel Barbara
Yellow Cards: Prates, Dias, Pulis, Conti, Abdul, Cremona
BOV Player of the Match: Alan da Silva Souza