Santa Lucia earned three precious points as they defeated Birkirkara 2-1 at the Centenary Stadium on Sunday.
A win which puts Alessandro Zinnari’s side on level points with Mosta, just two behind Valletta and Gzira and six ahead of Gudja and Sirens. Birkirkara, on the other hand, missed out on the chance to possibly move alone in fourth place.
Santa Lucia took the lead on the 22nd minute when off a cross by Santiago Moracci, Tatsuro Nagamatsu beat goalkeeper Marcel Zapytowski from close range.
The Stripes’ reaction was immediate and the score was level once again three minutes later when off a cross by Enrico Pepe from the right, Andrei Ciolacu slotted the ball past goalkeeper Celio.
However five minutes from the end of the first half, Santa Lucia regained the lead courtesy of Alessio Piazza who received a cross from the right by Evandro Pinto Gomes and unleashed a powerful shot which hit the crossbar before ending at the back of the net.