BIRKIRKARA 3
NAXXAR 2
Birkirkara: P. Schranz, C. Attard, M. Landry, N. Vukanac, M. Klein, M. Andellkovic, , J. Grech, B. De Brito (B. N'For 79'), L. Montebello (K. Zammit 83'), R. Camenzuli (E. Herrera 68')
Naxxar: C. Nicht, S. Fenwick, R. Grech, D. Falzon, D. Bonnici, J. Debono, D. Bustos, A. Buhagiar, M. Fenech, A. Cascaval, A. Mendy
Yellow Cards: J. Debono 9', D. Bustos 89', A. Buhagiar 90+1' (N) B. De Brito 68', M. Landry 86' (B)
Scorers: J. Grech 29', L. Montebello 45', C. Attard 90+1' (B) D. Falzon 48', D. Bustos 70' (N)
Referee: Stefan Pace
Assistenti Referees: Luke Portelli, Sammy Attard
TMI Top 3:1. J. Grech (B), 2. D. Bustos (B) 3.D. Bonnici (N)
BOV Player of the match: Jake Grech (Birkirkara)
Attendance:471
Both managers decided to make multiple changes to their first eleven and it was Jake Grech's first goal with the Birkirkara shirt which led the way to victory for the stripes who controlled most of the game. Naxxar opened the second half with an early goal and later got the draw but Birkirkara kept on pressing and got the win late on.
In the 21st minute Jake Grech tried a shot from distance which was matched with a good save by Nicth.When the game was closing in to its first half hour Birkira opened the scoring after a cross from the left flank found Jake Grech in the box who burried home.
A few minutes later Ryan Camenzuli found himself in the box after a great personal run but had his shot parried by Nicht.Bustos tried a direct freekick moments later which seemed destined in the net but Schranz had other ideas with a brilliant save, turning the ball into a corner.
Birkirkara made it two close to half time when De Brito crossed the ball towards Luke Montebello who slotted past Naxxar's goalkeeper.
Naxxar opened the second half with a goal when Ryan Grech put through Darren Falzon who rounded the goalkeeper before placing his shot into an empty net.
Daniel Mateo Bustos got the draw for his team with a brilliant goal 20 minutes from timestraight into the top corner, after he was found with a perfect pass by Fenwick.
Birkirkara won it in the last knockings of the game when it was Cain Attard who put the ball past the goalkeeper after multiple efforts by the stripes within the same action.
HAMRUN SPARTANS 0
FLORIANA 1
Hamrun S: S. Sultana, K. Micallef, D. Zerafa, L. Micallef, T. Caruana, D. Camilleri, G. De Castro, T. Espindola, T. Agius (A. Machado), M. Marinho, S. Arab
Floriana: I. Akpan, J. Baldacchino, E. Pepe, E. Ruiz, C. Borg (D. Grima), I. Varela, M. Vella, J. Cabral (L. Grech), A. Cini, M. Fontanella, E. Marcelina
Referee: C. Pisani
Asst.refs: E. Spiteri, M. Scerri
Asst. additional refs: F. Zammit, P. Farrugia
4th official: J. Spiteri
Scorers: M. Fontanella 81
Yellow cards: C. Borg, D. Camilleri, E. Marcelina, I. Varela, L. Micallef
Player of the match: J. Cabral (Floriana)
TMI top 3: 1. M. Vella 2. D. Zerafa 3. C. Borg
Attendance: 842
Unbeaten Floriana keep enjoying their good start to a campaign, beating Hamrun Spartans by the only goal of the match, scored in the late stages by their defender Mario Fontanella, even if a contest they had initially threatened to dominate, bullying their opponents into submission, went on to become a far sterner test of their resilience.
Floriana were not at their best in the first half as Hamrun held their poise and even had their chances - very good ones.
But the Spartans were virtually subdued after the interval and the Greens finally deserved their success.
Floriana made three changes after their win against St Andrews. Chiesa and Oyama did not figure in their squad. The third change, that of Steve Pisani, was a forced one, after the player was handed a three-match ban. Baldacchino started in defence as Marcelina and Cabral returned to the side.
Pepe and Ruiz flung themselves at anything that moved, while Clyde Borg and Maurizio Vella offered a measure of authority in central midfield.
Floriana succeeded in keeping their opponents blunted. Hamrun's Lydon Micallef was the culprit for missing a couple of good chances for his side in the first half.
A hefty suspension also deprived the Spartans of their forward Pedro Gois, who will be out of action till the end of October. Other Brazilian 'Cicho' Claveiro was also missing, with only three foreigners named by coach Scerri in the starting line-up yesterday.
The first half was a largely clumsy affair, certainly in an attacking sense, as heavy touches and mis-hit passes dominated proceedings.
Floriana's only real attempt in a cagey first half, came after nine minutes, with a Varela header saved by keeper Sultana off a Fontanella corner.
Although Floriana continued to push forward, their efforts were too soft to threaten Steve Sultana in the Hamrun goal, even if before the break, Cabral found the ball at his feet inside the Hamrun area, but Sultana footed out his effort.
The Spartans themselves began to look menacing after the half hour. Camilleri sent a low cross inside the Floriana area, catching the Greens' defence off balance. Lydon Micallef had an effort blocked and keeper Akpan saved Marinho's shot from the rebound.
Clyde Borg's timely tackle stopped Agius from reaching for the ball inside the Floriana area.
On 36 minutes, Micallef took possession off an erratic clearance by the Floriana keeper but the grounded defender Ruiz managed to block his shot on the line.
It was still goalless at halftime.
Floriana again made the more promising start to the second half. Fontanella made progress isnide the Hamrun area from the left. His shot was repelled by keeper Sultana and Marinho cleared into a corner.
On 70 minutes, Cabral ran in for a Fontanella through pass but lacked composure and dragged the inviting ball wide.
Five minutes later keeper Sultana dropped a deep Vella cross, but recovered in time to save substitute Leighton Grech's effort.
The Spartans had appeared fragile at that stage, and wilted with nine minutes remaining.
Grech crossed from inside the area from the right, Marcelina's firm header was held out by Sultana, who was rendered helpless by Fontanella's strike to give his side a third win and lifts them in second place.
TARXIEN RAINBOWS 1
SENGLEA ATHLETIC 1
Tarxien R: C. Cassar, A. Scicluna, A. Azzopardi, J. Brincat, L. Grech, R. Darmanin, R. Faria, S. Cipriott (M. Desira Buttigieg), G. McKay (A. Benes), E. Baker, E. Calin
Senglea A: T. Aquilina, J. Bondin, S. Bonnici, A. Terracciano, M. Garzia, G. Virano (R. Dalli), N. Palmieri (H. Vella), I. Paz, A. Caseras, T. Vella, J. Leyton
Referee: T. Farrugia Cann
Asst.refs: D. Sultana, R. Aquilina
4th official: I. Barbara
Scorers: I. Paz 23, R. Darmanin 67
Yellow cards: I. Paz, E. Baker, E. Calin, R. Faria, J. Bondin
Player of the match: I. Paz (Senglea A)
TMI top 3: 1. G. Virano 2. R. Faria 3. I. Paz
Senglea Athletic missed an opportunity to make it three wins in a row, and navigate their way through unchartered waters with the top three, when held by bottom side Tarxien Rainbows in a 1-1 draw at Victor Tedesco Stadium.
Senglea took a deserved first half lead through Ivan Paz but the Rainbows restored parity in the second, courtesy of a Ryan Darmanin stricke, after they found some semblance of order that shut out Senglea's early dominance.
Despite previous two wins, there were changes for Senglea that included a debut to Argentine left back Julian Leyton and a start to Terence Vella, playing wide behind strikers Palmieri and Caseras.
Tarxien went into this match with no win from their first four matches and their dispirited run looked like going on as Senglea showed the better cutting edge in attack.
Senglea always looked the team with the better game plan. Virano, Vella and Paz were being allowed too much space in midfield and that always caused embarrassment to the Tarxien rearguard.
Confidence told too, growing through their ranks once Ivan Paz put them ahead midway through the opening half. He took possession inside the Tarxien area on the right, turned away from defender Scicluna, and beat keeper Christian Cassar with a low diagonal shot.
From then on, Senglea took a stranglehold, not so much in terms of possession, but in their control of the contest.
Before the break Vella had an effort blocked inside the area and then sent the ball across the face of the Tarxien goal, only for McKay to clear the danger.
Tarxien failed to put up a fight in the first half, except for a 25th minute Faria header that went narrowly off target.
Those obvious problems in front of goal were reflected in the first 45 minutes, as they stayed cautious, leaving Ryan Darmanin too isolated up front.
The Tarxien striker made his mark on 67 minutes though. He ran in well for substitute Benes' cross from the right, outpacing the two cntral defenders, to hit past the helpless keeper Aquilina.
Senglea searched for the winner after that and had the majority of the play when there was always a sense that they had another gear to move into, enough know-how to emerge unscathed. Yet they looked like running out of ideas.
Ten minutes from time, Vella should have done better as he ran clear through the middle but shot straight on the onrushing keeper Cassar.
In added time, Caseras headed a Paz corner over.
Ultimately, that was as good as it got for Senglea, though, as Tarxien ended up with their first point and some reprieve in a campaign that looks ominously clouded.
Sliema back to winning ways
LIJA A 0
SLIEMA W 2
Lija: J. Martinelli, P. Babic, L. Muscat (J. Varela 87'), D. Scerri, E. Beu, LJ. Schembri (A. Sammut 81'), A. Borg, A. Bello Osagie, McA. Clinch (C. Cassar 77'), O. Sidibe, D. Leeflang
Sliema: G. Zammit, J. De Assis, L. Motta (G. Aquilina 59'), J. Mintoff, P. Xuereb (N. Gavric 45'), S. Binchardi, E. Agius, R. Correa, J. Pearson, F. Temille (M. Sansone 82'), F. Qeros
Yellow Cards: F. Temille 74', G. Aquilina 90' (S)
Scorers: S. Bianchardi 16’, J. De Assis 79’ (S)
Referee: Malcolm Spiteri
Assistant Referees: Alan Camilleri, Paul Apap
TMI Top 3: 1. F. Qeros (S), 2. R. Correa (S), 3. J. Mintoff (S)
BOV Player of the match: Frenci Qeros (Sliema)
A goal in each half gave Sliema Wanderers their second win of the season. The Wanderers managed also to score again, after failing to do so in the last two games, finishing in a goalless draw against Balzan and losing to Valletta 1-0. This game meant also that Sliema have played against all three promoted teams, winning two games while they finished 2-2 against Senglea.
John Buttigieg changed half of the team that lost against the citizens last week, which meant a debut for 18-year-old Albanian ex Inter midfielder Frenci Qero who had a good game. On the other side, Joseph Galea made his only change in between the sticks with Jonathan Martinelli stating instead of Bonnici.
The first half saw both teams have their good moments with possession being very much even. Lija were not deadly in front of goal making it easy for Zammit whilst Sliema made the most of their chances. The second half was mostly played in the middle of the pitch with Lija having most of the possession. It was an error by Lija Athletic which gave Sliema the initiative to close the game late on.
Sliema opened the score in the 16th minute when a good corner by debutant Frenci Qeros found Stefano BIANCARDI who headed the ball in the corner of the net with a well-placed shot, leaving the Lija goalkeeper helpless.
Ten minutes later Qeros was unlucky not to make it two when his shot from outside the box hit the woodwork.
Sliema were again unlucky to not score after 35 minutes when Correa Duarte lobbed the ball over goalkeeper Martinelli but Sidibe was quick to get to the ball before it went over the line before clearing the danger.
Sliema doubled on the 79th minute when the Lija defenders gifted the ball to Jefferson DE ASSIS who went through on goal and slotted past the keeper.
A few minutes later Lija's winger Beu found Zammit ready who saved his cross shot before Sliema cleared it to safety.