Melita and Żabbar St Patrick battle to a draw

MELITA           1

Barone 44

ŻABBAR SP     1

Barros Santos 45 pen.

MELITA

A. Lubik, A. Simanca, J.P. Attard, K. Mohnani, Andre, A. Borg Olivier, A. Yepez, G. Barone, K. Bondin (60 M. Debattista), C. Sanchez, S. Martinez.

ŻABBAR SP

L. Camilleri, J. Micallef, F. Bonilha (46 Z. Grech), B. Gambarte, S. Ilic, A. Iervolino, J. Pisani, Vinicius, D. Jovicic, M. Barros Santos.

Referee Ezekiel Barbara.

Yellow cards: Borg Olivier, Simanca, Grech, Pisani, Micallef.

Missed penalty: Borg Olivier (M) 68.

Żabbar St Patrick and Melita failed to boost their aspirations for a Top Six finish after they battled to a 1-1 draw at the Tony Bezzina Stadium.

There was little separating the two newly-promoted sides who battled hard to gain supremacy.

Melita looked to have taken a vital lead two minutes from half-time through Gareth Barone but the Saints quickly responded to equalise through a Manuel Barros Santos penalty goal.

After the break, both teams pushed for a winner with Melita having the better chance when they were awarded a penalty but Alan Borg Olivier saw his shot saved by Luca Camilleri and both teams took a point apiece.

Melita created the first chance of the match after eight minutes when Yepez was played into space inside the area but his shot was kept out by goalkeeper Luca Camilleri.

Żabbar slow grew in stature and on 22 minutes they came close to take the lead when Jurgen Pisani nodded the ball into the path of Jake Micallef who fired over from just inside the area.

The Saints had an even better chance on 35 minutes when Manuel Barros Santos found himself in space inside the area but fired just wide.

The best chance of the half fell to Melita eight minutes from the break, when from a free-kick action the ball fell to Aldair Simanca whose acrobatic shot was somehow kept out by Camilleri.

Just before the half-time whistle, it was Melita who struck.

From a corner action, the Żabbar defence failed to clear the ball and Andre Carlos’s shot came into the path of Gareth Barone who fired home.

But Żabbar’s response was immediate as straight from kick off they were awarded a penalty when Stefan Ilic was brought down inside the area by Yepes with the referee pointing to the spot.

Barros Santos stepped up to drill the ball into the net.

Żabbar started the second half brightly and on 47 minutes Ilic fired a thumping drive that finished just wide.

Ilic was again found in space four minutes later but this time he fired well wide.

On 65 minutes, Yepes had a great opportunity for Melita when he was found in space inside the area but was denied by Camilleri.

Melita had a glorious chance to regain the lead on 69 minutes when from a corner action Jurgen Pisani was adjudged to have fouled Simanca inside the area and the referee pointed to the spot.

But from the resultant penalty, Alan Borg Olivier saw his effort saved by Camilleri.

Ilic remained Żabbar’s main source of attacking threat and nine minutes from time he fired over from an inviting position as both teams had to settle for a point.