APS Bank U/16 Section A
Qormi 2
Hamrun S 6
The Spartans had a very good start to the season. Newly-promoted Qormi were reduced to 10 men after 22 minutes but they have to improve on their performance if they intend to retain Section A status.
Hamrun dominated from the start, but on 20 minutes, against the run of play, Qormi opened the score. Gabriel Buttigieg floated a ball in the area from a freekick and Ryan Cauchi headed in past Hamrun keeper Lee Garrard.
Two minutes later Hamrun equalised. From a Civelli corner kick, Lee Agius headed the ball goalwards and Ryan Cauchi standing on the goal line did the goalkeeping act. He was eventually red-carded and Lee Agius converted the resultant penalty.
On 27 minutes Qormi regained their slender lead. Jurgen Gerada was put through on the edge of the area, Garrard came out of his charge to foil him and handled the ball outside the area which earned him a yellow card. From the free-kick by the same player the ball hit the crossbar and James Winters hit in the rebound with a grounder.
On 36 minutes the score was again level. Mauro Busuttil served Lee Agius with a through ball in the area and he scored with a hard grounder. From then on Hamrun resumed the pressure creating a chance after another. Xerri foiled Agius with a timely sortie after he was put through by substitute Daniel Bonnici. A freekick by Agius was cleared to a corner and Xerri neutralised an Agius cross.
Hamrun scored a third goal on 56 minutes as Agius received a cross from the right and scored from inside the area, and two minutes later Agius got the best out of Xerri when he had to tip the ball over the bar from his header after a Busuttil cross.
The score became 4-2 for Hamrun on 63 minutes. A corner kick by Agius was partially cleared and Busuttil scored from the rebound. Hardly two minutes later a fifth goal was scored, Karl Magro served Glenn Frendo with a through ball in the area who netted with a low shot. The sixth and final goal was scored eight minutes from time by Frendo after receiving a cross from the right.
Referee: Manuel Calleja
Player of the match: Karl Magro (Hamrun S)
APS Bank U/16 Section B
St Venera 0
Valletta 1
The final score does not reflect the true difference between the two teams. Valletta were denied twice by the woodwork and St Venera keeper Warren Cuschieri was in fine form and surely saved his side from a heavier defeat.
The Citizens started on the offensive. A shot from outside the area by Tonio McKay was cleared and at the other end, a free-kick by Karl Cilia finished out. A Kurt Attard free-kick was headed away by Saints defender Justin Pace and Anatoly Tishchenko served Justin Muscat with a through ball but the Saints keeper Cuschieri foiled him with a timely sortie.
In a rare Saints attack Daniel Grima put Caroll Theuma through but Valletta keeper Dunstan Zarb foiled him with a timely sortie and, at the other end, Cuschieri saved a header by Tishchenko after a Carabott cross.
Two minutes after the restart, Adrian Carabott dribbled his way past two defenders but the ball hit the base of the upright with Cuschieri beaten. Hardly a minute later a shot by Kurt Attard hit the upright and the ball finished out.
Valletta resumed their pressing on their opponents fort. Yessous Camilleri headed out from inside the area. A Dylan Grima cross was headed away by a defender and another cross by Kurt Attard was neutralised by Cuschieri.
Ten minutes from time Valletta finally got their just reward. Adrian Carabott square passed to substitute Charlton Scicluna in the area who netted with a low shot and a minute before the end, a flagkick by Muscat was partially cleared and Cuschieri saved a header by Neil Curmi.
Referee: Jurgen Spiteri
Player of the match: Warren Cuschieri (St Venera)