Qrendi 3

Kalkara 2

Qrendi won their fourth seasonal match after they beat Kalkara 3-2. Although this match produced five goals, it was a quiet game where apart the actions the actions were few. This was the 14th defeat for Kalkara to leave them last with only three points.

Qrendi took the lead in the first action of the game. It was on the 19th minute when George Saliba advanced and passed to Kain Azzopardi who scored in a practically empty net.

Kalkara made a good reaction and equalised six minutes later when Jacob Camilleri beat Zammit with a great shot. Qrendi again took the lead ten minutes later when Robert Darmanin beat Bajada with a low shot.

Kalkara almost equalised again but Zammit saved a David Gauci free-kick. Qrendi went close on the 40th minute when Bajada turned into a corner a shot from Kain Azzopardi. Qrendi gained a two-goal cushion three minutes later. It was again Robert Darmanin who beat Bajada again with a low shot.

Kalkara reduced the gap five minutes into the second half when Abduljawed Musha scored a wonderful goal from outside the box that gave Zammit no chance.

After this goal, the game took centre stage in the middle of the pitch and we had to wait until the 80th minute when Zammit turned into a corner a free-kick from Jacob Camilleri

Qrendi: B. Zammit, B. Demicoli, M. Ellul, A. Buttigieg, P. Muscat, G. Azzopardi, J. Camilleri, L. Vidal, R. Darmanin, G. Saliba, K. Azzopardi (J. Bugeja)

Kalkara: C. Bajada, D. Mifsud, M. Cassar, J. Camilleri, D. Gauci, J. Farrugia (C. Tabone), A. Musha, S. Cucciardi, S. Camilleri, J. Zahra (D. Zammit), C. Zammit (M. Agius)

Referee: Darell Agius

Sirens 3

Marsa 1

Sirens recorded a good win when they came from behind to beat Marsa 3-1. This was a mediocre match with very few actions to the posts.

The real first action came on the 23rd minute when George Falzon had a shot that went close to Grima’s posts. Marsa opened the score on the 41st minute when Ramon Xuereb took advantage after an indecision by the Sirens defence.

Sirens started the second half better and grabbed the draw thanks to foreigner Clifford Obinwanne on the 51st minute.

The St Paul’s Bay side continued to pressure their opponents and took the lead five minutes later when captain George Falzon beat Grima with a good shot.

Marsa had the chance to equalise but Carl Cremona missed the opportunity. In the stoppage time Attard made the save of the match when he denied a shot from Cremona.

Sirens scored the third goal in the dying minutes when substitute Glen Scibberas lobbed over Grima after a good counter attack.

Sirens: N. Attard, J. Grech, D. Sant, G. Vella, A. Goecoglie, G. Falzon, S. Pisani, K. Bonavia, B. Borg, G. Gauci (R. Scibberas), C. Obinwanne (M. Sammut)

Marsa: D. Grima, J. Rizzo, J. Abdullahi (M. Scerri), E. Camilleri, R. Xuereb, D. Agius, B. Zammit, C. Cremona (S. Sultana), J.P Zammit, M. Mifsud (E. Vella), S. Cutajar

Referee: Etienne Mangion

Ghaxaq 1

Swieqi 3

Swieqi managed to turn a match that seemed lost in their favour, when from being a goal down at the end of the first half, they managed to score three goals in the last 20 minutes of the match to take the three points home.

Swieqi thus remain in the middle of the grid, now with a total of 19 points, while Ghaxaq, who before this match had been in second place with 31 points, will certainly need a lot of post-match homework to do following this rather poor performance.

Ghaxaq opened the scoring one minute before the break, when from a corner, Grech intercepted the ball and passed on to Mark Cassar who tapped the ball at the back of the net.

Swieqi equalised on 68 minutes, when Simon Sammut’s lovely shot from outside the area took the opposing defence completely by susprise. Four minutes later, they took the lead for the first time, when Fabien Debono fled Ghaxaq’s defence in an extremely fast counter-attack, and put the ball past the goalkeeper with a low shot.

Swieqi sealed the three points 12 minutes before stoppage time, when Steven Diacono tried his luck from an incredible distance and found the corner of the net, with the goalkeeper beaten.

Seven minutes from the final whistle, Ghaxaq were down to nine men, when Marvic Grech and Paul Bugeja were sent off following an argument on the pitch.

Ghaxaq: J. Chetcuti, E. Dimech, M. Cassar (J. Caruana), M. Axiaq, L. Alla (P. Bugeja), M. Ellul, M. Grech, F. Galea (R. Damato), B. Parnis, A. Caruana, B. Dalli

Swieqi: J. Debattista, J. Pace, I. Scicluna, B. Buhagiar (L. Fenech), K. Calleja, N. Zammit, S. Sammut, S. Diacono, P. Spiteri (F. Debono), E. Sciberras, E. Grima

Referee: Martin Borg

Mgarr 1

Fgura 4

Fgura United obtained an impressive victory against Mgarr United who played the whole second half with 10 players. Mgarr missed a penalty when they were still trailing 0-1, and minutes later they suffered the second goal and were reduced to 10 players.

Fgura then controlled the match to cruise to an easy victory. Fgura took the lead on 12 minutes when Lyden Cilia scored after a good pass from Goncalves.

Deguara missed a good header for Mgarr minutes later and on 34 minutes Mgarr were awarded a penalty for a foul on Chris Abela by Adami, but from the penalty spot Deguara blasted wide.

Seven minutes later Said handled inside the area and was sent off. A penalty was awarded to Fgura and Robert Adami netted to make it 2-0 from the penalty spot.

It was relatively easy for Fgura in the second half as they added a third on the hour through Severino Goncalves. Mgarr scored a consolation goal ten minutes later through Paul Fenech, and in stoppage time Vince Testferrata scored the fourth and final goal for Fgura.

Mgarr: J. Borg, P. Fenech, G. Said, W. Camilleri, K. Pace, J. Gauci (M. Bugeja), J. Said, A. Zahra (V. Petrovic), C. Tabone, M. Deguara (K. Vella), C. Abela

Fgura: R. Attard, R. Adami, D. Aquilina, V. Camilleri, M. Portelli, R. Severino Goncalves, G. Scerri, K. Scerri (N. Zerafa), M. Spiteri, L. Vella (C. Calvagna), M. Zammit (V. Testaferrata)

Referee: Gordon Barbara 

Mtarfa 2

Marsascala 3

Marsascala triumphed over Mtarfa 3-2, in a very exciting and keenly fought match. They now have 17 points on the grid, yet still remain in the lower end of the standings.

Marsascala opened the scoring 41 minutes from kick-off, when Christopher Zammit’s header from a corner found the corner of the net. Two minutes later, Mtarfa’s defence failed to clear the ball properly, with Christian Schembri having good control and tapping the ball inside.

On 65 minutes, Pierre Spiteri pulled one back for Mtarfa when he surprised the opposing defence with a splendid freekick from outside the area.

But four minutes later, Nazzareno Abela increased the lead again for Marsascala, when amidst confusion in Mtarfa’s defence, Marsascala‘s midfielder found the net with a low shot.

Nine minutes from time, Giorgio Cumbo reduced the deficit once more for Mtarfa, when after receiving from Sammut, he beat the goalkeeper with a low drive.

Mtarfa: K. Sammut, G. Cumbo, J. Azzopardi, J. Fenech, R. Sammut, S. Peplow, A. Wingfield, D. Mohammed Abdilla, P. Spiteri, O. Smier, R. Zammit

Marsascala: C. Camilleri, J. Debono, S. Saliba, C. Bordieri, C. Schembri, J. Scicluna (E. Desira), F. Peplow, C. Zammit, A. Dominicus, M. Said (A. Yeomans), N. Abela (M. Pace)

Referee: Kevin Azzopardi

Pembroke 1

Mdina 1

League leaders Pembroke Athleta were surprisingly held to a 1-1 draw by Mdina Knights in an exciting match that reached its peak in the second half.

After a balanced and keenly contested first half, Mdina went very close on the restart when Peter Grima was completely unmarked but he hesitated and was blocked in time by the Pembroke defenders.

However Mdina took the lead three minutes later when Matthew Francalanza made his way past the Pembroke defence to beat Calleja with a fine shot.

Mdina’s joy was shortlived however as Pembroke were back on level terms three minutes later. Lyden Cilia was floored inside the penalty by Mdina goalkeeper Aquilina and from the resultant penalty, Matthew Borg made no mistake to level the score.

In the dying minutes of the match both sides had some good scoring opportunities but noteam managed to score the winner as both sides had to settle for a mere point.

Pembroke Ath: M. Calleja Cremona, N. Coleiro Gatt, M. Mamo, A. Galea, (D. Cremona), L. Cilia, V. Martinovic, C. Leonardi (J.C. Borg), M. Borg (D. Calleja Cremona), J. Mifsud, R. Caruana, G. Spiteri

Mdina K: M. Aquilina, A. Spiteri, K. Formosa, G. Camilleri, A. Catania, A. Gatt, R. Southward, Y. Grech, N. Micallef, P. Grima (M. Prudencio), M. Francalanza

Referee: Matthew Degabriele

Xghajra 4

St Lucia 2

Xghajra triumphed over St Lucia in a match that offered a lot of excitement with four players being sent off.

This was quite a disappointing and unexpected result for St Lucia who, before this match, were in second place with a total of 29 points, and will certainly feel today’s loss in the weeks to come.

Xghajra were clearly better than their opponents, and opened the scoring 15 minutes into the match thanks to Andrew Vella’s shot from an acute angle. Five minutes later, Xghajra doubled their lead when from a shot by Cassar, Hubert Friggieri tapped the ball at the back of his own net.

One minute before the end of the first half, St Lucia reduced the deficit thanks to Basil Chibueze, when they were awarded a penalty for Axisa’s foul in the area.

Ten minutes into the second half, Xghajra were down to 10 men, when Mauro Leonardi was sent off for a nasty foul on Farrugia. From the ensuing freekick, Chibueze found the net for the second time.

On 73 minutes, St Lucia were down to 10 men as well, when Joseph Cutajar committed his second bookable offence.

Ten minutes from stoppage time, Milan Polenec put Xghajra in the lead once again with a lovely low shot from inside the area. Two minutes later, a heated argument erupted between both sides, with Sinclair Camilleri and Chris Camilleri being sent off for Xghajra and St Lucia respectively.

One minute before the end, Ali Manaf sealed Xghajra’s win, when in a personal action, he fled St Lucia’s defence and beat the goalkeeper with a lovely effort.

Xghajra: R. Camilleri, G. Saliba, M. Leonardi, S. Camilleri, N. Attard, D. Axisa, C. Magro, A. Vella, A. Manaf, M. Nosko, M. Polenec

St Lucia: D. Carabott, H. Friggieri (D. D’Amato), R. Mifsud, J. Galea, C. Camilleri, J. Cutajar, C. Bugeja, A. Sapiano, S. D’Amato, M. Farrugia, B. Chibueze

Referee: Stefan Pace