Żabbar St Patrick beat Melita to secure top-flight status

ŻABBAR SP                   2       

Santos 45

Tavares 72

MELITA                 0

ŻABBAR SP

L. Camilleri, J. Micallef, W. Bonilha, B. Gambarte (86 I. Akpan), S. Ilic (75 S. Gatt), Z. Grech, D. Tavares (86 G. Zammit), S. Jovancic, V. De Paiva, K. Keqi (67 D. Oliveira), M. Santos (75 A. Iervolino).

MELITA

G. Mizzi, A. Aquilina (55 E. Attard), J. Attard, K. Mohnani (65 J. Micallef), M. Debattista, M. Bovenkamp, D. Xuereb (55 N. Cutajar), J. Yepez, C. Gyamfi (65 B. Cassar), P. Galea Testaferrata (76 M. Sammut Peresso), G. Barone.

Referee: Matthew De Gabriele.

Yellow cards: De Paiva, Xuereb, Santos.

Żabbar St Patrick secured their Malta Premier status as they defeated Melita 2-0 in a clash between the two teams, which were promoted from the Challenge League last season.

Melita, on the other hand, are now sure of finishing bottom of the table in the Bottom 6. They will now await their opponents in the relegation play-out which will emerge from the clash between Balzan and Naxxar Lions due to be played this weekend.

The Saints showed great determination right from the start and scored a goal in each half to take home the three points.

On the other hand, for Melita, this was the sixth successive defeat.

Żabbar welcomed back Wallace Bonilha after serving a three-match as he replaced Djordje Jovicic.

Melita lacked goalkeeper Aleksander Lubik, who was suspended, but coach Clive Mizzi opted for another five changes from the team which lost to Naxxar Lions on Monday with Adam Aquilina, Gareth Barone Jean Pierre Attard, Karl Mohnani, Paul Galea Testaferrata all named in the starting line-up.

Żabbar held the initiative right from the start and Diogo Tavares went close with a shot from outside the area which ended high.

Melita replied with a Jesus Yepez effort from the edge of the area ending just wide on 20 minutes.

On 31 minutes, Marcelo Santos, served by Stefan Ilic, had a shot blocked by Melita goalkeeper Gosef Mizzi and two minutes later, Vinicius De Paiva went close with a shot from outside the area ending just wide.

Melita replied with a Matthew Debattista freekick which was partially saved by Camilleri and Marc Van de Font Bovenkamp’s conclusion was deflected into a corner.

Żabbar took the lead on 45 minutes. Diogo Tavares sent Marcelo Santos through on the right and the latter slotted the ball past goalkeeper Mizzi.

Five minutes in the second half, Debattista tested Camilleri with a shot from outside the area.

However, on 72 minutes, the Saints sealed the issue with a second goal.

Van De Font Bovenkamp lost the ball when pressed by David Oliveira and Tavares advanced into the area before slotting the ball past the Melita custodian.

Six minutes later, Żabbar almost added a third when Brian Gambarte served Tavares inside the area but Mizzi deflected his conclusion into a corner.