APS Bank U/16 Section B
Naxxar L 1
Qormi 0
Naxxar managed to win the three points they needed in their final game to assure themselves of promotion to Section A next season, having won 45 points from 22 games. Qormi just failed to do it with a point less.
The Lions went straight on the offensvie and created two actions in succession: after Jonathan Bilocca was fouled outside the area Darren Farrugia drove out from the resultant free kick, Andrea Farrugia was then fouled on the right flank, the ball was deflected to a corner after the free kick shot by Darren Farrugia, which was taken by Kurt Farrugia and Qormi keeper Kurt Fenech saved a header by Kurt Drago.
At the other end, Ryan Sammut handled the ball outside Naxxar’s area and the ball was cleard with difficulty after the free kick shot by Jurgen Gerada.
The Qormi keeper was prominent when he effected a spectacular diving save to a corner on a shot by Shawn Borg Cardona after a Mattia Del Negro square pass and in a Qormi reaction Andrea Vella served Gerada with a long throw-in on the left flank and after entering the area had his shot blocked by a Naxxar defender.
In the 29th minute Naxxar were denied by the woodwork when the ball thumped the crossbar from a fierce drive by Bilocca and finished in the Qormi keeper waiting hands. A minute before the interval Naxxar forged ahead as Borg Cardona served Andrea Farrugia in the area and as the Qormi keeper came out to narrow the angle he scored with a low shot.
Qormi created the first two actions after restart: from a free kick shot by George Spiteri the ball was deflected to a corner and from another free kick by the same player substitute Michael Sant headed the ball away to safety.
Darren Farrugia was the fouled on the right flank and after the free kick shot by the same player the Qormi keeper saved in two attempts a header by Anthony Spiteri.
Naxxar kept pressing,and Spiteri, after beating a defender served Borg Cardona in the area but he miscued his shot and a good opportunity was lost. Craig Dingli served Spiteri with a through ball, the latter back-passed to Andrea Farrugia who missed the upright by inches from outside the area.
Qormi tried very hard to save the game but they lacked the final strike when entering the area. In the 70th minute they came very close to equalise as from a free kick shot by Chircop, Andrea Vella was a split-second late to get his head to the ball and three minutes later substitute Alessio Cassar should have equalised for Qormi but he drove over the bar from a very ideal position after receiving a perfect cross from Andrea Vella and in a last fling in the second minute of added time Andrea Vella served Gerada in the area but Naxxar keeper Anton Micallef saved his effort.
Referee: Franco Cachia
Player of the match: Kurt Farrugia (Naxxar L)
Rabat Section winners
APS Bank U/16 Section B
Kirkop Utd 0
Rabat D 9
The final score is a clear indication that Rabat had an easy going against bottom-placed Kirkop who are relegated to Section C next season, who must thank their keeper for the wonderful saves he effected which saved them from a much heavier defeat.
The hammering commenced as early as the 7th minute: Karl Micallef served Roderick Vassallo in the area, who was standing in a clear off side position, which went unnoticed by Assistant Claudio Mangion who was not up with play, and he shot past Kirkop keeper Paulseph Cutajar.
Four minutes later the score became 2-0 after a choral move: Christian Vassallo served David Azzopardi in the area, Cutajar partially saved his shot and Ryan Micallef shot in the rebound.
Roderick Vassallo made it 3-0 in the 13th minute from inside the area after being put through by Christian Vassallo. Cutajar then saved to a corner a shot by Christian Vassallo. Ryan Micallef scored No4 in the 20th minute after being put through in the area by Christian Vassallo.
Kirkop created their only occasion in the first period after 24 minutes: Karl Muscat served Jesmond Xuereb with a cross from the left but he was a split-second late to apply the killer touch and Rabat keeper Darryl Vella, who had a very easy Sunday afternoon, smothered the ball.
Eight minutes before the break Rabat scored a fifth goal: Keith Gauci served Ryan Micallef on the left flank who in turn crossed to David Azzopardi who made no mistake from inside the area.
Rabat added a sixth goal five minutes after restart through David Azzopardi after receiving a cross from the right from substitute Francesco Azzopardi. the seventh goal was scored in the 51st minute through a header by Roderick Vassallo after a Chris Vassallo through pass, and ten minutes later Karl Micallef served Ryan Micallef in the area and after he was tripped by a defender David Azzopardi made no mistake from the resultant penalty to make it 8-0, and the ninth and final goal was scored nine minutes from time when substitute Francesco Azzopardi served Ryan Micallef in the area, Cutajar partially saved his shot and the same player scored from the rebound.
Referee: Roberto Vella
Player of the match: Christian Vassallo (Rabat D)
Congratulations to St Andrew who won the Under 14 Section B and eventual promotion to Section A next season. They won 47 points from 22 games winning 14, drawing 5 and losing 3, they scored 51 goals and suffered 15. St Patrick and Tarxien R finished second and third respectively on 46 and 40 points and are also promoted to Section A next season.