Rabat-St.Venera Ls 2-0

St.Venera went close early on through a Stefan Farrugia corner-kick which was saved with difficulty by Rabat’s custodian Jonathan Azzopardi.

Rabat replied through an Emanuel Muscat dipper which was saved by Elvin Attard with St.Venera responding through Ian Falzon who headed just over the bar from a cross by Mark Grech.

At the other end Rabat were very close on two occasions through Adam Smeir and Darren Galea and four minutes before the end of the first-half Mark Grech hit just wide from close-range.

Rabat continued to dictate the run of play throughout the second-half and Keith Micallef was close in the 56th minute.

St.Venera replied through a Stefan Farrugia free-kick which was blocked on the goal line but in the 69th minute Rabat opened the score with Jonathan Bezzina crossing from the left flank and Adam Smeir hit home from close-range.

Two minutes later Rabat were denied by Attard off a shot by Keith Micallef and later on an effort by Darren Galea went inches wide of the far post.

St.Venera pushed forward late in the match and were close through Stefan Farrugia but in the 94th minute Rabat sealed their win through Adam Smeir following a good move by Kayne Said.

Referee: Paul Caruana.

Lija-Zurrieq 3-1

Lija were close to taking the lead after just seven minutes with Azzopardi saving with difficulty off a Jean Paul Scerri header but in the 16th minute Lija’s striker Glenn Barry was fouled by Azzopardi and the referee gave them a penalty which was scored by Daniel Cremona.

Lija continued to push forward and went close again through Lydon Cilia and Alan Ellul with Zurrieq claiming a penalty in the 39th minute when Frans Cassar appeared to have been fouled by a Lija defender.

Just before the break Lydon Cilia wasted a glaring opportunity for Lija and early on in the second period they created two further opportunities through Lydon Cilia and Daniel Cremona.

Zurrieq made it one-all on 51 minutes through a Godfrey Chetcuti penalty, a penalty given for a foul on the same player.

Then Lija hit the post through a close-range shot by Michael Mangion with Zurrieq responding through Jason Saliba and Michael Abdilla whose shots went just wide.

In the 75th minute Beppe Antignolo put Lija 2-1 in front with a low shot following a personal effort and three minutes later Lydon Cilia set up Glen Barry who beat Azzopardi for Lija’s third and final goal.

In the 83rd minute Lija’s midfield player Daniel Scerri was sent off for a second yellow card and in the closing seconds Zurrieq went close to reducing the arrears through Godfrey Chetcuti.

Referee: William Debattista.

Sirens-B’Bugia SP 0-1

After just two minutes B’Bugia created a goal scoring opportunity but Jeffrey Zammit was well tackled when he was about to shoot home.

In the fifth minute B’Bugia’s striker Johann Zammit headed just wide and later on a shot by Ronnie Celeste was saved by Buttigieg and the ball then bounced off the crossbar.

On another occasion B’Bugia again hit the post through Donald Gatt and they were then denied by the Sirens’ keeper off a shot by Johann Zammit. Gradually play resulted in the midfield sector with Sirens going close through a Clyde Grech free-kick which was deflected by a B’Bugia defender.

In the 54th minute Ronnie Celeste finished off from close-range to put B’Bugia 1-0 in front and then Noel Tabone hit just wide from a good position.

In the 63rd minute Ronnie Celeste shot wide in front of an open goal with Sirens coming back through dangerous efforts by Ryan Theuma and Neil Mercieca.

In the closing seconds of the match Patrick Barbara scored for Sirens but the goal was disallowed for an offside position, a decision which brought about protests by the Sirens players.

In injury-time Sirens were denied by Mercieca off a shot by Mark Sciberras.

Referee: Sammy Attard.

St.Andrews-Naxxar L. 0-1

The Saints went close in the opening minute through Jeremy Gatt Coleiro whose shot just missed the target.

On nine minutes the Naxxar keeper Bjorn Attard saved with difficulty off an Anthony Gera header and from the resultant corner taken by Michael Valenzia, a strong header by Steve Falzon was again saved by the Naxxar custodian.

Then an Andrew Camilleri Kamsky volley was deflected by a Naxxar defender. The Lions gradually reacted as they went very close through Matthew Spiteri Gonzi, Trevor Fenech and Emmanuel Cutajar.

The second period belonged to St. Andrews who dominated the proceedings They went close in the 65th minute through Michael Valenzia but three minutes later Naxxar broke the deadlock with the Saints’ keeper Tabone saving partially off a header by Matthew Spiteri Gonzi and substitute Andy Bartolo was on hand to shoot home.

The Saints’ reaction produced a Gera header which just missed the target and in the 80th minute they were denied by Attard who saved splendidly to stop Gera.

Late in the match the Saints were again denied the equaliser through excellent saves by Attard off efforts by Gera and Jeremy Gatt Coleiro.

Referee: Thomas Debono.