League Play-Off

San Pawl il-Baħar
Spectators: 37 (Terracing: 29, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) The field was rather wet after several days of rain when Joe Attard took the kick off in the first half of the match. After having played for 2 minutes, Pierre Fava managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. San Pawl il-Baħar's supporters crossed their fingers, but Pierre Fava was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. Joe Attard recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 5th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. The supporters of Cospicua booed when San Pawl il-Baħar was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 6 match minutes in a wonderful position. Thomas Degabriele didn't get a good kick on the ball. Daniele Bencini succeeded to score despite a near miss that spronge from right pole into the goal to 1-0 in the 9th playminute. If Pierre Fava had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 16th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Carl De Piro made an important save on a dangerous shot by Daniele Bencini in the 22nd minute. Thomas Degabriele received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 29th minute. Carl De Piro tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Joe Attard sent away a hard shot on goal in the 35th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. After 38 minutes, Dustin Caruana Curran mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Cospicua and the San Pawl il-Baħar players grew even worse after the yellow card. Godwin Schembri Zerafa placed the ball on the penalty spot and got himself ready to shoot. Post out! Daniele Bencini fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 44th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Carl De Piro having to interfere. Cospicua's Carl De Piro proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 46th minute of the match, managed to save Cospicua from getting a goal against them. In the 48th minute, Daniele Bencini ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Carl De Piro was frozen by the shot and now it was 2-0.

Carlo Catania was a little too slow when Joe Attard got a fine hit on the ball which went right into the goal in the 59th minute. The score was now 2-1. Joe Attard who was well placed in front of the goal fired away a dangerous shot that in the 62ndth minute tested the skills of Carlo Catania when he managed to save the team from getting behind. Carl De Piro made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Daniele Bencini in the 67th minute of play. In the 73rd minute, Pierre Fava left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The San Pawl il-Baħar fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 3-1. San Pawl il-Baħar's Pierre Fava got a good chance for a goal in the 76th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. Thanks to some nice foot action and superb ball handling Daniele Bencini in the 84th minute a chance for a shot on goal. With an extended leg and a bit of luck Carl De Piro prevented the ball from getting in the gole. After having played for 86 minutes, Clifton Valletta managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Cospicua's supporters crossed their fingers, but Clifton Valletta was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. The supporters of Cospicua booed when San Pawl il-Baħar was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 87 match minutes in a wonderful position. Thomas Degabriele didn't get a good kick on the ball. If Joe Attard had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 88th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. In the 97th minute the ball was on its way in behind Cospicua's goalkeeper Carl De Piro, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. After 99 minutes of play, San Pawl il-Baħar's Pierre Fava made it 4-1 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Carl De Piro was left in no man's land by his defense there! San Pawl il-Baħar were really happy, having secured the victory after a very even contest. They thanked the players of Cospicua for a fine match.