A superb Anywanna showed all his scoring skills and scored a hat-trick to help Mqabba score their first goals and grab the first points of the season.

It was a deserved victory for a better outfit, who started the match without one of their stars, John Paul Muscat. But players like Busuttil and Spiteri played a great game to help Mqabba register their first victory.

For Lija it was a rather disappointing performance especially in defence, where Anywanna created havoc with his runs.

Lija had a very slow start, as they did in their first match against St. Patrick, suffering two goals in the process. As was the case in the first match, Lija rallied back strongly in the second half, even managing to reduce the arrears, and putting Mqabba under pressure, but this time they failed to save the match, thanks mainly to Anywanna's third killer goal.

Mqabba had a flying start going ahead after only seven minutes through Anywanna who blasted home from close range following a good Busuttil move.

On 13 minutes Mqabba's Spiteri had a good effort going slightly over the bar. Mqabba were simply better in the first half playing some excellent football with Albert Busuttil and Marlon Briffa above the rest.

On 22 minutes Mqabba deservedly scored the second goal when Busuttil crossed to the unmarked Anywanna who, from close range, headed in.

Minutes later Mqabba missed a sitter when Marlon Briffa completely unmarked in front of goal shot incredibly wide. Lija's only chances came near the end with a Camilleri header and a good shot from Barry from close in, with Calleja saving well on both occasions.

On the resumption, Lija got back into the game with a good Michael Gatt header beating Calleja following an Anicic freekick from the right. Lija tried their best to get the equaliser but Calleja was never really tested.

On the other hand Mqabba were unlucky when a Spiteri dipper beat Mercieca but hit the upright. On 75 minutes Mqabba sealed the issue with another superb goal from Anywanna who beat a couple of defenders with speed before beating Mercieca from an acute angle.

The match was now won and lost with Mqabba goalkeeper Calleja making a superb save off a John Camilleri point blank shot, and with one of Mqabba's best players, Busuttil, missing a sitter in front of goal following a good John Paul Muscat run.

St. Patrick 0

San Gwann 1

An Anizoba header ten minutes from time was enough for San Gwann to register their first win of the season. The ex-St. Patrick player headed home from close range following a corner-kick action to give three valuable points to San Gwann in this keenly contested match.

The match was very balanced, with San Gwann having the edge in the second half, and in the end deserved their slender win.

The first half was played mainly in midfield with both sides blotting each other out of the game. Scoring chances were very few, and came in the final part of the first 45 minutes.

Peter Anizoba was playing against his former team, but was left alone to battle against the Zabbar rearguard. However San Gwann's only danger came from the ex-St. Patrick striker, first through a header that was tipped to a corner by Franklin Azzopardi, and later through a hard shot which went slightly wide.

On their part, St. Patrick could have scored on 36 minutes. A good Gordon Failla freekick, hit the post after the San Gwann goalkeeper slipped on the goal line, and from the rebound the point blank shot by Benoir Fenech, destined for the back of the net, was luckily blocked by the San Gwann captain Antonio Saliba.

In the final minutes Mark Tanti went close on two occasions for St. Patrick. On 44 minutes his effort hit the side netting, and in added time, his hard central shot was saved by Bartolo in two attempts.

In the second half San Gwann were better than their opponents, with Anizoba denied by a splendid save by Franklin Azzopardi. On 62 minutes St. Patrick failed to capitalise on an indirect freekick with Caruana's shot blocked by Bartolo.

On 70 minutes San Gwann were very unlucky when from a Zammit Tabona corner, Anizoba's thunderous shot slammed against the crossbar, with Sciberras missing the upright by inches from the rebound.

With ten minutes to go San Gwann scored the all important winner, when Zammit Tabona's corner was fumbled by Azzopardi and Anizoba headed in the top corner of the net.