No goals as Mqabba frustrate St Patrick

Mqabba 0
St Patrick 0

St Patrick missed the chance to extend their lead at the top of Division One after being held to a goalless draw by Mqabba in a match that produced two red cards in the dying stages.

The Zabbar team were without Thomas Caruana, suspended, and his flair in midfield was sorely missed. However, Caruana's absence is no excuse for St Patrick's below-par performance yesterday against a resilient Mqabba side.

The first half was short on goalmouth action as both sides cancelled each other out in midfield. Facing the in-form Division One leaders, Mqabba knew that they had to play to the maximum of their abilities to stop the Saints' run.

The first notable scoring opportunity of the game was created by Mqabba after 26 minutes. Paul Chimezie tried a shot from just inside the area but the ball took a deflection off Mark Pullicino. Michael Borg Olivier was first to the loose ball but his low drive ended just wide.

Scoring chances were rare for much of the opening 45 minutes but both teams tried to step up their attacks as the game moved on. With four minutes to go before the end of the first half, St Patrick's Beppe Muscat hit a long-range drive but Kris Calleja, the Mqabba goalkeeper, palmed the ball onto a post and away from goal. From the resulting corner, Muscat was again blocked by the Mqabba rearguard.

Mqabba refused to lie down and a minute before the break it was the St Patrick goalkeeper, David Cassar, who touched John Paul Muscat's drive away for a corner.

St Patrick came out for the second half showing more guile and determination. Two minutes after the restart, Muscat shot wide after a prolonged St Patrick move. On 56 minutes, the Saints came close again, but Muscat failed to conclude a Daniel Gatt free-kick.

Winston Muscat's men were now piling the pressure on Mqabba. On 64 minutes, Peter Anizoba rose well to reach a cross but headed just wide.

At the other end, Mqabba might have gone ahead when Borg Olivier pounced on a mistake by the Saints defence but he hesitated a second too long and Cassar rushed out of goal to clear the danger.

Twenty minutes from time, Gatt's free-kick was neutralised by Calleja who also stopped Anizoba's effort on the rebound.

With five minutes remaining, Chimezie should have won it for Mqabba when he danced his way past two St Patrick defenders but shot straight at Cassar.

Mqabba were then reduced to 10 men when Claudio Calleja was sent off for a poor challenge on Muscat.

In the final moments, Mqabba's Chimezie intercepted a back-pass but his effort was saved by Cassar.

In stoppage time, Anizoba was also dismissed after he was shown a second yellow card for dissent.

Mqabba: K. Calleja, J. Debattista, P. Grima, J. Zammit, S. Magro, D. Azzopardi, P. Chimezie, C. Calleja, J.P. Muscat (M. Mifsud), L. Baldacchino (M. Camilleri), M. Borg Olivier (J. Fenech).

St Patrick: D. Cassar, M. Pullicino, R. Briffa, M. Fleri Soler, S. Zerafa (J. Farrugia), G. Inguanez, C. Micallef, P. Anizoba, B. Bonnici, D. Gatt (C. Grech), B. Muscat.

Referee: Marco Borg.

Man of the match: Roderick Briffa (St Patrick).

Red cards: Calleja (M) 86; Anizoba (SP) 90.