Dominant Saints win points

Dingli Swallows 1
Okonkwo 88
Msida St Joseph 2
T. Farrugia 53; Formosa 75

Msida St Joseph grabbed three useful points that could come handy when they launch their bold bid to escape the drop in the Relegation Pool next month.

It was a fine performance from the Saints who held the edge over bottom-placed Dingli right from the outset and created several scoring chances but lacked precision in front of goal, yesterday.

Tyrone Farrugia was the architect behind Msida's success as the skipper was a commanding figure in midfield, orchestrating most of his side's attacking moves and, more importantly, scoring the goal that paved the way to victory after five successive defeats.

Msida coach Keith Gouder was forced to do without Adam Spiteri and Kevin Mifsud, both serving a one-match ban, while Miguel Ciantar was on the bench after picking up a knock in training last week.

Jesmond Zammit, the Dingli mentor, had Shaun Tellus, Kevin Borg and Roderick Briffa suspended and Renato Conceicao dropped from the squad.

Msida were the more enterprising side in the opening half and held much of the possession with Farrugia and Emiliano Lattes creating several openings with inviting throughballs.

After only two minutes, Lattes was clear on the right before serving Andrew Formosa who fired over from just outside the area.

The Saints kept pushing forward and on 19 minutes, Formosa was first to Adrian Farrugia's corner but his header finished just over. Three minutes later, Joseph D'Amato tried his luck from the distance but his shot finished wide.

Msida should have taken the lead on 24 minutes when Ndayi Kalenga outmuscled his marker before nodding the ball towards Formosa, who, with only Jeffrey Farrugia to beat, shot straight into the keeper's safe hands.

Dingli's hopes suffered a blow five minutes from the break when defender Clint Caruana was shown a straight red for foul language. Msida kept pushing for a breakthrough but at the interval the score was still goalless.

On 50 minutes, the Swallows had a great chance to forge ahead despite the numerical handicap when Roderick Spiteri picked the steaming Joseph Okonkwo who dashed into the box but his shot was pushed away by Manuel Bartolo, the Msida keeper.

But on 53 minutes Msida took the lead. Lattes made space for himself in midfield before sending a precise ball towards the advancing Tyrone Farrugia who had little difficulty in firing home past Farrugia.

Ndayi Kalenga should have doubled Msida's lead on 57 minutes when he was released by D'Amato but the Nigerian's overhead kick flashed wide.

Dingli, however, were dealt a fatal blow on 75 minutes. Lattes sprinted past two Dingli defenders before serving the unmarked Formosa who had little difficulty in placing the ball inside an empty net.

Dingli did manage to pull a goal back two minutes from time when from a Kurt Formosa corner, Okonkwo anticpated his marker to head the ball home.

However, that goal came too late as Msida were long home and dry.

Dingli Swallows: J. Farrugia-5.5, C. Caruana, R. Spiteri-6, H. Doda-4 ('70 V. Fiteni-5), K. Formosa-6, C. Muscat-5, D. Cachia-5.5, E. Farrugia-5 ('44 C. Azzopardi-5), M. Borg-5, A. Rocha Da Silva-4.5 ('48 D. Zarb-5), J. Okonkwo-6.

Msida St Joseph: M. Bartolo-6, L. Micallef-6.5, M. Borda-6.5, C. Sciberras-6.5, A. Farrugia-6, J. D'Amato-7 ('87 V. Brincat), Z. Levniac-6, T. Farrugia-7.5, E. Lattes-7, N. Kalenga-5, A. Formosa-6 ('85 M. Ciantar).

Referee: Esther Azzopardi.

Red card: Caruana (D) 40.

BoV Player of the match: Tyrone Farrugia (Msida St Joseph).