Rabat are back to winning ways after they lost to St Patrick and managed to retain second spot on 41 points from 17 games while Lija-Iklin are in penultimate placing on 12 points also from 17 games.

After a balanced first period, Lija-Iklin enjoyed the lion’s share of the exchanges after the restart but they lacked co-ordination up front.

The early pressure came from Rabat. Chris Vella served Nickolai Aquilina in the area but Lija-Iklin keeper Justin Tonna foiled him with a timely sortie as he dived at his feet and smothered the ball.

After Chris Vella dribbled past an opponent on the right flank he crossed the ball in the area but it was cleared to a corner and the ball was headed away after a well-taken flag kick by Brendon Farrugia.

Rabat opened the score in the 12th minute when Jamie Bonavia served Vella with a through ball in the area and was tripped by Jan Spiteri. From the resultant penalty, Vella made no mistake.

In the first action by Lija-Iklin they won a corner on the left flank which was taken by Chris Aquilina: after the ball was partly cleared, the same player missed the bar from the rebound.

In another Rabat attack, Vella was fouled on the left edge of the area and Tonna saved the free kick by Aquilina with a diving save to a corner. 

Lija-Iklin reacted. Timothy Portelli served Shawn Caruana in the area but Rabat keeper Mario Bonello foiled him with a timely sortie. Then he served Chris Aquilina in the area who was tripped from behind but the referee waved play on.

In the last action before the break, Rabat won a corner kick on the left flank which was well-taken by Aquilina and Tonna saved Adrian Azzopardi’s header into a corner.

Lija-Iklin applied the early pressure after the resumption. Caruana was fouled on the right flank and Bonello saved from the free kick by Roderick Portelli while Aquilina then dribbled past two opponents outside the area and the ball finished over the bar from his long-range shot.

In a Rabat reaction, Etemal Scicluna served Aquilina on the left flank and after he was fouled the ball was headed away following the free kick by Adrian Azzopardi. 

Lija-Iklin kept trying and created another three actions. A well-taken flag kick by Leandro Scerri created havoc in Rabat’s area but somehow the ball was cleared. The ball was cleared in an identical action from a flag kick by Aquilina and after Giancarlo Vella dribbled past an opponent outside the area, Bonello saved his effort turning the ball to a corner.

At the other end, Tonna saved from a free kick by Farrugia.

No.13 proved to be the unlucky number for Lija-Iklin for it was substitute Chris Schembri who was wearing the No.13 shirt who scored the second goal for Rabat from inside the area after receiving a cross from the right by Jean Abela a minute before the end.

Referee: Etienne Mangion

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