Under 16 KO competition

Sliema W- St Patrick 4-0

Sliema had an easy passage to the Second Phase after beating Section B side St Patrick by four goals. The Saints created chances but they were erratic in their conclusions.

The first action came from St Patrick as Owen Mizzi served Christian Zammit with a cross from the right but he drove over the bar from inside the area.

At the other end, after a run down the left flank, Luca Martinelli executed a perfect cross but found no takers in the Saints area. In a Saints reaction they created two actions in succession: Wayne Caruana served Dillon Pace with a through ball who then square-passed to Jonathan Piscopo but his shot from outside the area missed the upright.

Jurgen Farrugia served Pace with a through ball but he was foiled from progressing further after a timely tackle by Dorian Sammut.

The Blues soon reacted: Ryan Azzopardi served Amedeo Mercieca with a square pass but Saints keeper Kenneth Cremona saved the latter’s grounder from outside the area and a corner kick taken by Klinsman Grech was headed away by a defender.

In the 22nd minute Sliema opened the score. Ryan Azzopardi served Grech with a through ball, who was standing in a clear offside position. This went unnoticed by assistant referee Wayne Minton, and after entering the area he shot past a helpless Cremona. Minutes later, Cremona denied Mercieca with a fine diving save after he was served from the right flank by Ryan Azzopardi.

In the 31st minute St Patrick were awarded a penalty. Owen Mizzi served Jurgen Farrugia with a through ball on the left flank who then crossed to Randall Cassar in the area. The Blues keeper Nicky Azzopardi tripped him and was also shown the yellow card. Dillon Pace took charge of the spot kick and Azzopardi saved his central shot while Randall Cassar skied the rebound over the bar. The last action before the break came from Sliema when from a flag kick by Grech, Merlin Mifsud headed the ball just over the bar.

St Patrick created the first action after the restart as Randall Cassar was fouled on the right flank of the area but Azzopardi saved the free kick taken by Jurgen Farrugia.

The Blues doubled the score in the 47th minute with a perfect set-piece which must have been well rehearsed. Mercieca was fouled outside the area, Grech served Luca Mottola with a short pass from the free kick who served Ryan Azzopardi with a through ball in the area and the latter netted with a low shot.

Six minutes later Sliema were very close to scoring a third goal. Mercieca served Grech with a through ball on the right flank who then crossed to Mercieca in the area and the ball was cleared on the line from the latter’s shot.

The score became 3-0 on the hour. Luca Mottola won a loose ball in the Saints area and served Mercieca in the area who netted with a low shot. Mercieca then served Ray Attard with a through ball on the right flank but he found no takers in the Saints area following his cross.

The fourth and final goal was scored in the 65th minute. Mottola served Grech with a through ball in the area who scored with a low shot

The last action before the break came from St Patrick when substitute Neil Cassar served Jurgen Farrugia in the area but he was foiled from concluding by a timely tackle by Merlin Mifsud.

Referee: Adrian Azzopardi

APS Bank U-16 Section B

Kirkop Utd-Marsaxlokk 0-0

A very low-key game where methodical play was very lacking and shots at goal were also very scarce. Marsaxlokk player Dulton Magri was injured in a tackle in the 22nd minute and had to be rushed to Mater Dei Hospital. From these columns I wish him a speedy recovery.

The first three actions came from Kirkop. A free kick by Marvick Ciantar was cleared by a Marsaxlokk defender, a cross-shot from the left by Daniel Scicluna was neutralised by Marsaxlokk keeper Luca Bugeja.

Kirkop keeper Paulseph Cutajar then saved a free kick shot by Andre Spiteri. Justin Bonnici was fouled outside the area and from the free kick by Gary Caruana the ball missed Kirkop’s upright by inches. Andre Spiteri served Justin Bonnici with a through ball, the latter returned the compliment to Christopher Bugeja in the area but Cutajar foiled him from concluding with a timely sortie.

The first action after the restart was created by Kirkop as Marvick Ciantar served Daniel Scicluna in the area but Marsaxlokk keeper Luca Bugeja foiled him with a perfect timely sortie.

At the other end, Daniel Scicluna won a loose ball in Kirkop’s area and from his shot from outside the area Cutajar turned the ball to a corner.

Kirkop then created two actions in succession; after a run down the right flank by Daniel Scicluna the ball missed the bar by inches from his cross-shot and after Clint Agius was fouled on the right edge of the area the ball was cleared with difficulty from the free kick by Karl Muscat.

The last two actions before the end came from Marsaxlokk. The ball finished well off target from a shot from outside the area by Justin Pace and from a corner kick by Andre Spiteri the ball was partly fisted away by Cutajar and a defender cleared the ball to safety.

Referee: Matthew Vella