Costa brace earns newly-promoted Melita first win

MARSAXLOKK 1-2 MELITA
Gomes 64 (Marsaxlokk); Costa 42, 76 (Melita)

Referee: Glen Tonna.

Yellow cards: Muscat, Morlets, Bondin, Ghio.

Newly-promoted side Melita secured three important points after upsetting Marsaxlokk, one of last season’s best teams in the national championship.

Andre Da Costa, who hails from Brazil, scored both goals for Melita and has now already found the net on three occasions in the first couple of league outings.

Marsaxlokk, on their part, remain without a single point after two games having lost against Gżira United in their opening match.

Marsaxlokk’s coach Winston Muscat made some changes from the opening game against Gżira United with Jefferson, Duane Bonnici, Jacob Walker and Alex Gomes dropped on the bench.

Replacing them were Nikolai Muscat Patrick Nonato, Enmy Pena Beltre and Nikola Raden.

Clive Mizzi, on his part, kept faith in his starting players that featured against Floriana last weekend, including captain Jean Pierre Attard.

Melita produced the first noteworthy action of the match when captain Jean Paul Attard threatened Marsaxlokk with a long-range effort.

Marsaxlokk’s reply came through Patrick Nonato who could not beat Melita’s goalkeeper with a towering header.

Just before half-time, Melita broke the deadlock through Andre Da Costa who latched onto an Attard through ball to beat Marko Drobnjak from tight angle.

After the exchange of ends, Marsaxlokk made one substitution with Alex Gomes coming on for Pena Beltre to spark their attack into life.

Muscat’s choice paid off when a Gomes’s shot, albeit deflected, rolled back past Melita’s custodian Gosef Mizzi just past the hour mark.

Marsaxlokk almost went one goal ahead when a Yuri’s strike glanced past Mizzi’s goal.

Nonetheless, it was Melita who scored the game’s next goal when Da Costa beat his Marsaxlokk marker before slotting past Drobnjak.

A minute before the full-time whistle, Marsaxlokk came agonisingly close to rescue a point only for Igor Goularte’s effort hitting the woodwork.