Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/478858
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 15 MARCH 2015 33 Sport PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAY ATTARD FOOTBALL SPORTTODAY Valletta edge past Pieta to keep chase for second place Valletta ...................... 2 Pieta Hotspurs ............ 1 EDWARD FALZON TWO goals from the in-form Abdel Nafti gave Valletta a most difficult 2-1 win over Pieta Hotspurs at the Victor Tedesco Stadium. Valletta now currently occupy second place with Birkirkara who are yet to play Floriana today. Pieta continued where they had left off against Hibernians, produc- ing another resilient and encour- aging performance, but again left the stadium empty handed for the second consecutive match. Follow- ing this defeat Pieta remain locked in the relegation battle, occupying 11th place, one point above Tarx- ien. Following a quiet first half, Vallet- ta went ahead on 54 minutes when after some good work by Shaun Ba- jada, the latter found Abdel Nahti who shot past keeper Montfort to put his team in front. Moments later, Valletta almost doubled their lead when Pieta de- fender Gabriel managed to clear off the line following Steve Borg's headed attempt. In an attempt to hit their opponents on the counter, Luke Micallef went close to equalis- ing, hitting the upright after beat- ing the Valletta keeper with a good run. However Pieta restored equilib- rium on the 71st minute when the positive Luke Micallef beat a de- fender with pace, who then served the Argentine Claudio Frances who rounded the goalkeeper and putting the ball into the net. Joy was brief for Pieta however as Valletta went in front less than a minute later through Abdel Nafti with the offensive midfielder chip- ping the ball over Montfort to hand his team an important three points. Valletta still struggled to control the game after regaining the lead as the hard-running Pieta' players defended compactly and broke for- ward in numbers. In stoppage time, Marino leapt to his right to push away Costa's dangerous drive. Then, Nafti tried to surprise Montfort with a chip after a good run by Bajada which the goalkeeper saved. Valletta; Marino, Caruana, Camilleri, Barry, Hilary (Briffa 86'), Bajada, Cremona (Dimech 78'), Nafti, Borg, Azzopardi, Leef lang, (Fenech 43') Pieta; Montfort, Micallef, Grech. Fortunato dos Santos, Pisani, Gabri- el da Silva (Cesare 74'), Attard, Rod- rigues da Silva (Costa 16'), Newuche (Agius 62'), Micallef, Frances Referee: Fyodor Zammit Yellow Cards: Gabriel (P) Scorers: Nafti 54, 72' (V), Frances 71' (P) BOV Man of the Match: Abdel Nafti Rachid Yussuf (L), Tyrone Farrugia (R) in aerial duel during Mosta's 3-1 win over Zebbug. Photo: Ray Attard