Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/421389
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 23 NOVEMBER 2014 53 Sport PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAY ATTARD FOOTBALL SPORTTODAY Pieta edge past Birkirkara in seven-goal thriller Pieta Hotspurs ............... 4 Birkirkara ...................... 3 NEWLYPROMOTED side Pieta Hotspurs defeated Birkirkara 4-3. This was Birkirkara's second consec- utive defeat and fifth of the season. Pieta managed to take the lead as early as the seventh minute when Luke Micallef headed the ball past goalkeeper Justin Haber. Birkirkara managed to equalise on the 23rd minute. Off a corner by Ra- fael Ledesma, Ellinton Antonio costa Morais headed the ball past goal- keeper Miguel Montford. Birkirkara managed to take the lead on the 39th minute when Elinton Antonio Costa Morais headed the ball home to make the score 2-1. Pieta managed to get make the score 2-2 on the 53rd minute. Ter- ence Agius' powerful shot from out- side the area left no chance for Justin Haber. Three minutes later, Birkirkara were awarded a penalty when Cain Attard brought Paul Fenech down inside the area. From the penalty spot Rafael Ledesma made no mis- take with his shot to make the score 3-2 in Birkirkara's favour. Pieta equalised again on the 77th minute when they were awarded a penalty after goalkeeper Justin Hab- er fouled Nikola Tasic inside the area. From the penalty spot, Jurgen Pisani beat Haber with his shot to make the score 3-3. Four minutes from time, Pieta managed to score the winning goal. Pisani picked Claudio Frances on the edge of the area and the Argentine striker's curling shot left no chance for Birkirkara's goalkeeper. PIETÀ HOTSPURS Miguel Mont- ford, Cain Attard, Leonardo Fortu- nato dos Santos, Christian Grech, Terence Agius (81' Joao Gabriel da Silva), Nikola Tasic, Rafael Rodriguez da Silva, Kyle Cesare (90+1' Dylan Agius), Luke Micallef, Rafael Xavier Zacarias (40' Claudio Frances), Jur- gen Pisani Subs not used: David Cassar, Orosco Ndubisi Anonam, Cleaven Cassar, Malcolm Licari Coach: Noel Coleiro BIRKIRKARA Justin Haber, Mat- theus Bissi da Silva, Shola Haruana Shodija (62' Edmond Agius), Ellinton Antonio Costa Morais, Rafael Pom- peo Rodrigues Ledesma, Nikola Vu- kanac, Gareth Sciberras, Zach Mus- cat, Paul Fenech (85' V'Yancheslav Shevchenko), Leighton Grech (81' Ed- ward Herrera), Ryan Camenzuli Subs: Ini Etim Akpan, Antoine Borg, Beppe Jaccarini, Kurt Zammit Referee: Sandro Spiteri Assistant Referees: Thomas Debono, Duncan Sultana Additional Assistant Referes: Mario Apap, Glen Tonna Fourth Official: Adrian Azzopardi Yellow cards: T. Agius, C. Attard, Matteus Bissi, Gabriel Scorers: 7' Luke Micallef (P) 23' 39' Elinton Antonio Costa Morais (B); 39' Elinton Antonio Costa Morais (B), 53' Terrence Agius (P), 56' Rafael Pompero Rodrigues Ledesma (B), 77' Jurgen Pisani (B), 86' Claudio Frances (P) BOV Player of the Match: Elinton Antonio Costa Morais Zebbug and Balzan share the spoils Zebbug Rangers ......... 1 Balzan ...................... 1 ZEBBUG Rangers and Balzan shared the points as they played to a 1-1 draw. This was not the result Balzan was looking for as they have now gone six matches without a victory. Balzan created the first chance after thee minutes of play. Samir Arab ran forward from the de- fence before passing to Lydon Micallef inside the box. The lat- ter released Guerrero, but the Co- lombian's effort was pushed away for a corner by goalkeeper Fabri- cio Morales. On the 18th minute, goalkeeper Fabricio Rapchan performed a fine save at point blank on Gian- marco Piccioni following a cross from the left by Steve Bezzina. Zebbug managed to take the lead on the 30th minute when off a cross by Matthew Gauci, Bojan Mamic headed home past goal- keeper Steve Sultana. One minute in the second half, goalkeeper Fabricio Rapchan came to the rescue for Zebbug saving in two attempts a close- range shot by Oscar Guerrero. Balzan managed to score the equaliser on the 63rd minute when Elkin Serrano sent Edison Zarate through and the latter served Gianmarco Piccioni beat goalkeeper Fabricio Rapchan from close range. Both teams continued to have good chances in front of goal but they could not manage to score the winner and had to settle for a draw. ZEBBUG R ANGERS Fabricio Rapchan dos Santos Morales, Jacob Borg , Lee Galea, Yessous Camilleri, Matthew Gauci, Melvin Farrugia, Matias Muchardi, Car- lo Monti, Bojan Mamic, Matthew Bartolo (90' Ratko Mandic), Mau- ricio Osmar Rodrigues Britto (76' Miguel Ciantar). Subs not used: Jef frey Farrugia, Jonathan Xerri, Lee James Agius, Clif ford Gatt Baldacchino, John Ogechukwu Nwoba. Coach: Alfonso Greco BALZAN Steve Sultana, Elkin Or- lando Serrano Valero, Steve Bez- zina, Justin Grioli, Edison David Bilbao Zarate, Osa Ice-Cream Guobadia, Samir Arab, Michael Borg (46' Dylan Grima)(86' God- win Mckay), Oscar Dario Guer- rero Alvarado, Lydon Micallef (71' Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza), Gi- anmarco Piccioni. Subs not used: Christian Cassar, Gianfranco Micallef, Ryan Dar- manin, Sean Cipriott. Coach: Oliver Spiteri Referee: Iwan Grif fith (WAL) Assistant Referees: Ian Bird, John Bryant (WAL) Foruth Of ficial: Nick Pratt (WAL) Yellow Cards: J. Borg , E . Zarate, Monti, S. Arab, M. Farrugia BOV Player of the Match: Fabricio Rapchan