Mqabba and Qormi figured in a highly interesting draw, with league leaders Mqabba holding on to their leadership despite playing the last 20 minutes with ten players.

Once again promoted Qormi under the guidance of Martin Gregory gave a very good account of themselves and confirmed they are a force to be reckoned with. The result can be considered a fair one, as both teams gave their best and had their good moments.

Qormi did the early running and dominated the first minutes of the match creating the better chances. On three minutes a Joseph Farrugia shot went slightly over the bar. Five minutes later Qormi went close again with Calleja saving Buhagiar's shot.

Mqabba, still without Marlon Briffa, took some time to settle down but started to get more of the ball after the first fifteen minutes. With Muscat, Cocks and Anastasi producing some good football, Mqabba took the upper hand.

On 16 minutes Nicolo Baldacchino missed a sitter when he headed weakly an inviting cross from the left by Chibueze. A minute later Chibueze came face to face with Camilleri, with the Qormi custodian saving well.

On 28 minutes Mqabba deservedly took the lead with a well executed move between Borg and Anastasi, with the latter's perfect cross easily tapped in by Chibueze. Qormi tried to get back into the game but the Mqabba defence held well.

However in the dying minutes Qormi were dangerous with a Carmel Formosa close range shot going inches wide, with the Mqabba goalkeeper Kris Calleja charging out of position to block Buhagiar.

The second half started with Qormi's Buhagiar missing an easy chance in front of goal, when he shot weakly in Calleja's waiting hands. On 57 minutes Anastasi shot wide from the edge of the penalty, and a minute later Qormi were very unlucky when a Carmel Formosa shot from six meters hit the base of the upright.

On 62 minutes Nicolo Baldacchino failed to connect to an inviting John Paul Muscat cross. It was a good spell for Mqabba with Chibueze testing Camilleri from an acute angle. The same Camilleri effected the best save of the morning when he dived to block an Anastasi lob following a good Baldacchino pass.

On 70 minutes Mauro Bonnici was sent off following his second yellow card, and from the resulting freekick Joseph Farrugia's perfectly executed free-kick finished in the top corner of the net.

Qormi tried hard in the final minutes to obtain the three points at stake, but ten-man Mqabba held well to earn a precious draw and maintain the leadership.