Santa Lucia-Mqabba       2-3

Santa Lucia: D. Carabott, J. Busuttil, M. Caruana, J. Usuga Mendoza, K. Vella, P. Teixeira Maia, K. Ante Rosero (A. Chetcuti 62'), K. Pulo (J. Suda 46'), N. Micallef (N. Borg 46'), L. Galea, K. Camilleri.

Mqabba: F. Tabone, L. Farrugia (D. Briffa 57'), R. Da Silva Gomes, D. Micallef, G. Micallef, A. Ferreira, B. Grech, W. Borg, D. Azzopardi, C. Cutajar, N. Micallef.

Referee: Mario Apap

Scorers: Kevin Anter Rosero 3' (SL), Alexsandro Ferreira 63', 93' (M), Gianfranco Micallef 78' (M), Patrick Teixeira Maia 85' pen (SL).

Mqabba staged a remarkeable comeback in the last thirty minutes of the match to beat ten-man Santa Lucia 3-2. For Mqabba this was their fifth successive victory as they are now in a healthy mid-table position.

The match was an exciting affair with Santa Lucia leading by half time thanks to an earlu Ante Rosero goal, with the Mqabba defence caught napping following a throw in action.

On the hour the turning point of the game when the Santa Lucia goalkeeper was sent off, and three minutes later Mqabba drew level with a Ferreira header. Mqabba were now playing better and took the lead with a well executed move finished by Gianfranco Micallef.

Santa Lucia equalised from the penalty spot five minutes from time, but deep in stoppage time Ferreira scored a gem of a goal to dent Santa Lucia's promotion hopes.

 

Lija A-Vittoriosa S             1-1

Lija A.: L. Bonnici, J. Cassar, L. Muscat, D. Scerri, E. Beu, A. Borg, M. Clinch, A. Galea (A. Azzopardi 59'), C. Gauci, K. Kuroki, O. Sidibe.

Vittoriosa S: C. Cassar, I. Abela, D. Pisani (A. Galea 28')(M. Scicluna 74'), K. Degiorgio, B. Panzo, J. Ogonuppe, A. Cilia Mumford, J. Briffa, J.C. Galea, D. Tabone, L. Gauci (C. Spiteri 83')

Referee: Alex Johnson

Scorers: Joseph Ogunuppe 2' (V), Joseph Carl Cassar 93' (L)

A stoppage time equaliser saved Lija yesterday in a keenly contested match against Vittoriosa. It was a fair result between two sides lying in the middle of the table and with no apparent pressure to gain points.

However both sides produced an entertaining affair with Vittoriosa taking an early lead through Joseph Ogunnupe following a Duncan Pisani cross. Lija were unlucky on 26 minutes when a Cassar shot finished against the crossbar and just before the break an Erjon Beu header just missed the upright.

The second half was more balanced with both sides having good opportunities in the closing stages of the match. Deep in stoppage time, when Vittoriosa were already tasting victory, cam Lija's equaliser with Cassar's deflected shot finishing at the back of the net.

 

Marsa-Swieqi U                                0-5

Marsa: K. Brincat, S. Zampa, L. Camilleri, J. Bonello, J. Lovegrove, J. Theuma (S. Briffa 63'), R. Gatt De Raffaele (K. Vella 78'), O. Cristiani, H. Kawamura, A. Watanabe (I. Anyoso 78'), R. Gafa.

Swieqi U: J.C. Debattista, J.L. Cassar, K. Muscat (G. Bugeja 71'), K. Sultana, K. Ekezie, I. Margarit (N. Schembri 54'), L. Covic, K. Olowoyo (M. Laferla 54'), S. Grech, S. Bugeja, L. Scicluna.

Referee: Andrea Sciriha

Scorers: Jackson Cassar 17', Luka Covic 41', Kenneth Ekezie 50', Kristian Sultana 62' pen, Nicholas Schembri 86'

Swieqi returned to winning ways easily beating bottom of the table side Marsa in a one way traffic affair. For Marsa this was the twelfth successive defeat.

Swieqi dictated matters from the initial whistle and were in full control, and in the first half they even had the wind behind their backs. After going close on two occassions, with Brincat making two great saves, on seventeen minutes Swieqi took the lead when Jackson Cassar headed home a Sheldon Grech corner.

Marsa failed to react and Swieqi continued to attack and after having a Margarit goal disallowed, they doubled the score on 41 minutes when Luka Coric shot home a Sheldon Grech from the left.

In the second half Ekezie headed home from close range and Sultana converted from the penalty spot. Three minutes from time substitute Nicholas Schembri fired home from close range following a Covic cross from the right.

Qrendi-Gudja U             0-2

Qrendi: J. Farrugia, D. Micallef, M. Farrugia, L. Brincat (K. Abela 51’), D. Sammut, M. Barbara, Z. Bowman, D. Zarb, D. Martini, J. Spiteri (B. Bondin 77’), C. Quaranta.

Gudja U: J. Debono, J. Bondin, M. Attard, A. Mizzi, F. Aboulezz, L.J. Schembri (S. Diacono 79’), J. Farrugia, L. Cremona, D. Santos da Hora, A. Nagbe, R. Kooh Sohna.

Referee: Darryl Agius

Scorers: Dhonathan Santos Da Hora 27’, Raphael Kooh Sohna 92’

Gudja scored a goal in each half yesterday to beat lowly Qrendi and move closer to a historical promotion to the Premier League. With Santa Lucia’s defeat earlier in the afternoon, Gudja have now opened a seven-point gap over third placed Santa Lucia, and look set on course for promotion with just six matches to go.

Gudja completely dominated this encounter and could have obtained a larger victory, even though they had to wait till stoppage time to make sure of the three points at stake when Raphaeol Kooh Sohna scored their second goal.

Gudja had taken the lead on 27 minutes when Santos Da Hora beat Farrugia after a fine run.