Rabat dropped their first points against lowly-placed Lija-Iklin who are in penultimate place on two points from six games, they managed to salvage a point after being four times in arrears.  Following this game Rabat are joint leaders with Pembroke Athleta on 19 points from seven games.

The first two actions came from Lija-Iklin when Shawn Caruana served Christian Aquilina on the right flank and Rabat keeper Mario Bonello neutralised the ball from his cross.

The reaction by Rabat was very immediate as they created all the actions up to the half time whistle. Nicholas Aquilina served Luke Cauchi on the right flank, the ball was partly cleared from his cross and Zachary Tanti missed the bar from the rebound.

Chris Vella then served Aquilina in the area and the Lija-Iklin keeper foiled him with a timely sortie. Later Cauchi drove over the bar.

Rabat opened the score in the 34th minute when they won a corner kick on the left flank which was taken by Brandon Farrugia and, in the melee that ensued, the referee judged that Mark Galea pushed Kurt Muscat in the area and Chris Vella converted from the spot with a hard grounder.

Just before the half time whistle they doubled the score with a choral move between three players: Tanti served Cauchi on the left flank who then served Aquilina with a cross in the area and he netted with a low shot.

The second period was a balanced affair as both teams had their good moments and the first two actions were created by Lija-Iklin. Rydon Gatt was fouled outside the area and Aquilina drove slightly over the bar from the free kick. Mark Galea then served Timothy Portelli on the left flank but his cross found no takers.

In a Rabat reaction, they won a corner kick on the right flank which was taken by Brandon Farrugia and Chris Vella headed slightly out.

At the other end, Rabat defender Sean Abela handled the ball on the left edge of the area, Aquilina served Timothy Portelli with a short pass but he drove well off target.

In a Rabat fast attack, Cauchi dribbled past two opponents and the ball missed the upright as he tried his luck from outside the area. 

In the 60th minute Lija-Iklin reduced the deficit when Aquilina pounced on a loose ball in Rabat’s half and after beating two opponents he scored with a strong rising shot from 40 metres.

In the 64th minute Rabat re-established their two-goal lead when Cauchi dribbled past an opponent, entered the area and served substitute Chris Schembri, who had entered the pitch two minutes earlier. The latter scored with a low shot.  

In the 66th minute Lija-Iklin scored a second goal when Galea served Timothy Portelli with a through ball and after entering the area he scored with a low shot to make it 2-3.

In a Rabat attack in the 71st minute we witnessed a very strange decision by the referee. Substitute Nicolai Attard served Schembri with a through ball in the area and as he was tripped from behind. Everybody present expected that the referee to award a penalty, but instead he showed the yellow card to Schembri for simulation.     

Four minutes before the end Lija-Iklin scored a dramatic equaliser. Substitute Luke Gatt served Jean C Hili with a through ball in the area and as Rabat substitute keeper Andrew Zammit came out of his charge to kick the ball upfield he miscued his shot and after Hili kept following the progression of the ball he shot into an empty net.

Referee: James Farrugia

Player of the match: Christian Aquilina (Lija-Iklin)