Zejtun met their Waterloo after being unbeaten for nine games. This top-of-the-table clash attracted a very large crowd at the Luxol ground. The game was played at a very fast pace and both sets of players played attractive football which delighted the crowd present.
Birzebbuga are joint leaders with Mqabba on 22 points from nine games, the latter played 10 games and Zejtun are on 21 points from 10 games.
Zejtun nearly opened the score after only two minutes when Gabriel Bonavia served Margeth Scicluna on the left flank who after entering the area he missed the bar by inches with Birzebbuga keeper Isaac Rapa beaten.
A minute later at the other end, Peter Abdilla served Lee Joe Schembri on the left flank and the ball sailed over the bar from his cross-shot.
Birzebbuga opened the score in the fifth minute when Clayton Frendo served Schembri with a through ball outside the area who, after advancing, scored with a grounder past Zejtun keeper Kurt Bonnett.
Radnor Farrugia floated a perfect ball in Birzebbuga’s area from a free kick and Rapa saved a header by Josvel Spiteri.
At the other end, Frendo drove over the bar from a free kick after Malcolm Saleeb was fouled outside the area.
Scicluna had a free kick tipped by Rapa over the bar and from Scicluna’s flag kick Spiteri headed over the bar.
The score became 2-0 in the 18th minute after a choral move between three players. Justin Farrugia served Abdilla on the right flank who crossed the ball in the area to Saleeb who placed the ball in the net from close-range.
Rapa then saved a shot from outside the area by Scicluna after a square pass by Josef Bonnici and Bonnett denied Saleeb with a diving save after a Schembri through ball .
Minutes later he saved a free kick by Dalli in two attempts after Abdilla was fouled outside the area.
Birzebbuga scored a third goal two minutes before the break when Schembri served Frendo with a through ball who scored with a lobbed ball as Bonnett came out of his charge to narrow the angle.
Zejtun enjoyed the lion’s share of exchanges after Rapa saved a free kick by Jean C Galea.
Bennett Schembri then floated a high ball in the area from a free kick and Rapa sturned to a corner a shot by Galea.
In the 53rd minute Zejtun reduced the gap. They won a corner kick on the right flank which was taken by Schembri: the ball was partly cleared and it came in the path of the same player who scored with a hard rising shot from the right edge of the area.
The score became 4-1 in the 58th minute. From a Schembri corner kick, Jamie Farrugia rose above friend and foe and headed the ball in the top left hand corner of the net.
In the 60th minute Zejtun were reduced to ten men as Jean C Galea was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Abdilla.
In the 61st minute Birzebbuga were denied by the woodwork off a Frendo effort.
A flag kick by Shembri created havoc in Birzebbuga’s area but the ball was somehow cleared.
The last two actions before the end were mounted by Birzebbuga. Frendo served Schembri with a through ball outside the area and Bonnett saved his shot.
Then Dalli served Saleeb in the area and Bonnett denied him with a diving save to a corner.
Referee: Joseph Vella
Player of the match: Clayton Frendo (Birzebbuga WM)