Pembroke secure first ever Promotion to the BOV Premier League

Melita and Luxol share the points in anticipated derby with Melita closer to promotion play-off

Pembroke were crowned First Division Champions after beating St.Georges' 5-2
Pembroke were crowned First Division Champions after beating St.Georges' 5-2

Pembroke Athleta secured their first ever First Division Championship success when they won their last game of the season against a St.George’s side who were still in contention to making it to the play-offs had Melita lost their direct clash against St. Andrew’s.

It is most certaintly a huge achievement for Athleta who secured a place with the big boys next season after winning consecutive promotions from the third division to the top tier of Maltese Football.

The first half was highly entertaining with end to end action with the second half seeing Pembroke Athleta taking control of the game and putting it to bed after scoring the fourth goal with St. George’s finishing with 10-men after having Daniel Zerafa sent-off.

Pembroke couldn’t have had a better start when after only four minutes they forged ahead when an Azzopardi freekick was nodded down by Abubaker into the path of Ariel Laudisi who beat Carbonaro from close range after the Saints goalkeeper had blocked Laudis’s first effort. Pembroke were dominant in the first 15 minutes with the Saints having their first go on 19 minutes when Spiteri’s back pass for the goalkeeper freed Chikwado who intercepted well with his lob finishing high and wide. St.George’s drew level two minutes later when from a Muscat cross Anthony Bonello rose well to head home.

But the Saints joy was shortlived because four minutes later Pembroke regained their lead when Lyden Micallef with a perfect lob after a good pass by Laudisi left Carbonaro moveless. St. George’s reacted immediately with Balzan saving magnificently off an Ojuola,s close range header. But St.George’s managed to draw level again on 26 minutes when from a cross from the right courtesy of Liam Mallia, Noah Ojoula hit home with a magnificent grounder.

The Cottonera side could have taken the lead for the first time on 38 minutes when Chikwado’s effort from an acute angle was well saved by Balzan. Pembroke again forged ahed a minute before the break when Abubaker Bello-Osagie unamerked hit home from close range following a Laudisi free-kick.

The tempo of the match slowed down in the second half but with 15 minutes to go Ariel Laudisi scored a beauty with a shot from the edge of the area, a grounder that gave Carbonaro no mercy. Seven minutes from time the Saints finished playing with 10-men when Daniel Zerafa was shownb a second yellow card and five minutes before the end substitute

Lucky Omerou scored a fifth when he headed home in his first touch of the ball. At the end of the match MFA’s Vice President Ludovigo Micallef presented the Championship trophy to captain Rodrick Bajada.

In the other match being played at the Centenary Stadium, Luxol denied rivals of the three points with only a few seconds left in the game when lanky defender Ivan Tufegdzic equalised for St. Andrews to draw level against 10-men Melita, who now they have to wait for the outcome of Gżira United’s result in today’s match against Mqabba.

 

A win for the Maroons will mean a decider will have to be played between Melita and Gżira. In front of a sizeable crowd and despite being without their captain George Gribbon, Melita were slightly the better side but as they had to defend en masse at the latter stages of the match in a St. Andrews onslaught, they succumbed It was Melita who did the early running and after just two minutes a Julian Galea effort from just outside the area was neutralised by Nicholas Grima.

Two minutes later a similar effort by Nigel Rizzo was again stopped by the Saints custodian. St. Andrews responded in the 16th minute when a Michael Johnson header was saved by Philip Schranz following a Joseph Farrugia corner. After a spell were both teams were playing in the middle of the mark, the Saints made a good move between Matteo Desira Buttigieg and Joseph Farrugia with the former darting into the area but his shot was weak that the Melita keeper saved easily.

 A minute into injury time St. Andrews missed a golden opportunity when Matteo Desira Buttigieg was set free by Nicholas Bradshaw but the Saints striker drove the ball wide with only the goalkeeper to beat. The second started in the same mould with St. Andrews threatening first when aq Niki Vella Petroni drive was saved by the Melita keeper. Melita took the lead three minutes later when following some good passing movement substitute Antoine Attard hit home from the edge of thee area with a low shot. On 57 minutes Neil Zarb Cousin side went close again when Julian Galea dribbled a defender in the area with his effort finishing just wide. St. Andrews responded in the 62nd minutes when a Tray Grozev header following a Farrugia free-kick was deflected by a defender for a corner. On 69 minutes it was Farrugia again who after being served by Grozev turned well in the area to see his shot blocked by Schranz.

 A minute later it was Lattes following an Nwoko cross who hit the side netting. St. Andrews effort bore fruit in the 77th minute when Ivan Tufegdzic brought Desira Buttigieg down, an obvious opportunity for goal, with referee Glenn Tonna pointing to the spot and sending off the Melita defender.

Trayo Grozev converted from the spot. More drama to come when 10-men Melita regained their lead with seven minutes to go when following a quick counter attack, substitute Kane Micallef slotted the ball home following a good run by Borg Olivier who was served by Mennini Righini.

Two minutes later a Farrugia cross-shot for the Saints was saved by Schranz. With a minute to go Lattes hit inches wide from just inside the area following a melee inside the Melita box.

 A minute into injury time Nwoko headed inches over the crossbar from a Michael Johnson cross. Four minutes into injury time the Saints saved the match and dented Melita’s promotion hopes as Marigen Sehitaj rose well to head home a Farrugia free-kick.

Luxol players celebrating their promotion to the Premier League
Luxol players celebrating their promotion to the Premier League