APS Bank U-16 Section A

Pieta H 5

Hamrun S 0

The final result is a clear indication of the difference between the two teams. Pieta’ were complete masters of the game and pressed their opponents in their own half for long stretches. Hamrun tried very hard to act on the counter attack but the Pieta’ midfield and rearguard were hard nuts to crack. Following this game, Pieta’ are in fourth place with 18 points from 10 games while Hamrun are third from bottom with only nine points from 11 games.

Pieta’ forged ahead after only 48 seconds as Matthew Agius served Rendall Refalo with a through ball on the right flank who served Kyle Darmanin with a cross and shot past Hamrun keeper Lee Garrard. The score became 2-0 in the eighth minute when Agius was served from a drop kick by Pieta’ keeper Stoyan Vasev who in turn served Refalo with a through ball in the area and netted with a rising shot.

The pressing by Pieta’ was incessant. After David Caruana dribbled past an opponent on the left flank he entered the area and his cross shot finished slightly over the bar. Agius served Refalo with a through ball on the right flank and ball was cleared to a corner from his cross and after Caruana was fouled on the left edge of the area. The ball was cleared with difficulty from the freekick shot by Agius, and in a Hamrun rare occasion Ryan Cardona pounced on a faulty clearance and served Chris Cardona with a through ball but he was ruled offside.

In a span of two minutes, Pieta’ added two further goals between the 16th and 17th minute. Dave Camilleri served Agius with a through ball in the area who served Caruana with a cross from the left and scored from inside the area and Agius served Refalo on the right flank who scored with a low shot after entering the area and the score became 4-0. Vasev then saved a freekick shot taken by Kurt Chircop.

Pieta’ persisted with their pressing as Refalo served Caruana with a through ball in the area and the ball was cleared on the line to a corner from his shot and after Caruana entered the area after beating two defenders Garrard had to tip the ball over the bar to a corner and the last action before half-time came from Hamrun when Ryan Cardona served Yoran Camilleri with a through ball on the right flank and after he was fouled on the right edge of the area the ball was headed away after the freekick shot by Darren Rapa.

The second period was dominated by Pieta’. Caruana served Refalo with a through ball in the area but he lobbed the ball over the bar. After Caruana was fouled on the left flank of the area the ball was cleared by a defender after the freekick shot by Agius. In a Hamrun counter attack, Camilleri served Ryan Cardona with a through ball on the left flank but Vasev neutralised the ball from his cross.

Hamrun substitute keeper Andrea Cassar effected a good save on a shot by substitute Clifford Gauci. The score became 5-0 in the 63rd minute when Gauci won a loose ball outside Hamrun’s area and netted with a hard drive in the bottom right hand corner of the net. Hamrun came very close to narrow the gap in the 68th minute as the ball missed the upright by inches from a shot by Camilleri after he was served with a through ball by Ryan Cardona. The last action, six minutes from the end came from Pieta’ as Gauci was fouled just outside the area. Agius served Ishmael Grech with a short pass from the freekick and the ball missed the upright by inches from his shot.

Referee: Glenn Tonna

Player of the match: Matthew Agius (Pieta’ H)

APS Bank U-16 Section C

Pembroke Ath 12

Ghaxaq 0

This one side game turned out to be a training session for Pembroke. Ghaxaq offered very weak resistance and were rarely in the game. Pembroke keeper Dwayne Grech had a very easy Sunday morning and he only dealt with back passes from his colleagues. Following this game, Pembroke are in third place with maximum points from 10 games while Ghaxaq are third from bottom with only seven points from 13 games.

The route commenced as early as the seventh minute as Daniel Calleja served Branden Laudi with a long throw-in in the area who scored with a lobbed ball past Ghaxaq keeper Jensen Chetcuti. The same player made it 2-0 in the 14th minute after he was put through by Calleja, hardly a minute later he scored No. 3 after receiving a cross pass by Julian Caruana.

Pembroke resumed with their pressing. Daniel Said served Laudi with a through ball in the area and his shot was cleared to a corner. From a Laudi flagkick Chetcuti partially saved the ball which was cleared by a defender and later effected a diving save on a shot by Jean Claude Borg after he was served with a short corner pass by Laudi. He also foiled Laudi from concluding with a timely sortie in two attempts after a through ball by Luke Sammut.

Three minutes before half-time the score became 4-0 after a prolonged action. Daniel Calleja served Laudi with a through ball in the area and Chetcuti turned his shot to a corner which was taken by Borg. The ball was cleared to another corner, which was taken again by Borg and after the ball was partially cleared the ever present Calleja served Julian Caruana in the area who scored with a close range shot.

Eight minutes after restart the score became 5-0. Laudi served Borg with a back pass from a corner kick. The latter served Keith Grech in the area who scored with a powerful rising shot. A sixth goal was scored in the 55th minute. Luke Sammut served Andrew Muscat on the right flank from a freekick and after his cross Laudi made no mistake from inside the area, and hardly a minute later it became 7-0 with a choral move which involved three players. Calleja served Laudi with a through ball who returned the compliment to Borg who netted from inside the area. Calleja then served Sammut in the area who scored No. 8 in the 58th minute.

The ninth goal was scored in the 66th minute when Julian Caruana served Borg with a through ball. He entered the area. Chetcuti partially saved his shot and the same player scored from the rebound. A minute later Pembroke were awarded a penalty after Andrew Muscat was tripped in the area and Pembroke keeper Dwayne Grech made it 10-0 from the spot, and the last two goals were scored between the 70th and 71st minutes. Luke Sammut served Borg in the area who scored from close range and Laudi served Sammut in the area who shot past Chetcuti.

Referee:William Debattista

Player of the match:Daniel Calleja (Pembroke)