The first period was a balanced affair with the Maroons going close early on through Cedric Sciberras whose attempt just missed the target.

Naxxar came back through Kurt Drago who headed just over the crossbar from an Andre Rocha Da Silva corner-kick with Gzira responding through Cedric Sciberras who headed just wide from a Josef Felice free-kick.

In the 20th minute Naxxar Lions broke the deadlock with Andre Rocha Da Silva heading in past Gerada from a free-kick taken by their other foreign player Gabriel Buys Duarte.

Naxxar kept pushing forward and were again very close to increasing their lead through efforts by Adrian Fenech and Andre Rocha Da Silva with Gzira replying in the 40th minute as Richard Attard ended a personal run with a shot which fionished well wide off the near post.

After the change of ends Naxxar were the better team and in the 47th minute a pass by Gabriel Buys Duarte was finished off by an angled shot by Andre Rocha Da Silva who got his second goal.

Gzira failed to react as Naxxar were denied by Gerada off a strong low shot by Gabriel Buys Duarte. Gradually Gzira came back strongly and were close on the 69th minute through Lydon Cilia.

They increased the pressure and in the 77th minute Cilia crossed from the left flank and Richard Attard’s shot was splendidly saved by the Naxxar keeper.

Then the foot of the upright denied Gzira’s striker Alessandro Pirrone but a minute into injury-time Naxxar sealed the issue with a third goal scored by Gabriel Buys Duarte from the penalty spot, a penalty given as Andre Rocha Da Silva was fouled by Gzira’s defender Andre White.

Referee: Fyodor Zammit.

San Gwann-Mgarr U 2-1

After just nine minutes San Gwann could have opened the score bu Chris Cacciattolo, all alone, shot wide to squander an easy goal scoring opportunity.

Then Mauro Busuttil shot into the side netting from a favourable position with Mgarr responding through a dangerous effort by Ibrahim Tarek.

In the 23rd minute the Saints missed another clear opportunity through Joseph Achokwo Chidi following good work by Mario Caruana as Mgarr replied four minutes later through a free-kick taken by William Camilleri was well saved by the Saints’ custodian.

In the 38th minute San Gwann were again close through Chris Cacciattolo who shot just high over the bar and in the 42nd minute a point-blank shot by Mauro Busuttil was well saved by Carbonaro to a corner-kick.

The corner was taken by Chris Cacciattolo and Keith Vella headed in past Carbonaro to give San Gwann a deserved lead.

Three minutes after the restart San Gwann could have increased their lead but Mauro Busuttil shot just high over the bar from close-range.

In the 56th minute Mgarr made it one-all through a beauty of a shot by Ibrahim Tarek but on the hour San Gwann made it 2-1 through an angled shot by Miguel Francica from a cross by Alan Borg.

In the 67th minute San Gwann were denied by Carbonaro off a close-range effort by Lee Galea but three minutes later Mgarr almost equalized but Chris Abela’s inswinging corner-kick was cleared off the goal line by a Saints’ defender.

Mgarr increased the pressure and were very close through Ibrahim Tarek.

Three minutes from time a strong shot by Chris Abela was saved by the San Gwann keeper with the Saints losing a clear opportunity in a counter-attack through Lee Galea.

Referee: Trustan Farrugia Cann.