Mtarfa 2

Pembroke 4

Pembroke won their first three points of their season after they managed to beat Mtarfa 4-2.

Pembroke sealed their win after two goals in the beginning of the second half which took them to a comfortable 3-0 lead. Mtarfa managed to at least make the score respectable with two goals in the last 15 minutes.

The first half was quiet with very few scoring opportunities. Pembroke were superior to their opponents and went in front in their real first chance when they concluded a good conter attack following a mistake from a Mtarfa free-kick.

Lydon Cilia passed the ball to Matthew Borg who’s shot was saved partially by Galea with Cilia scoring from the rebound. Mtarfa came close to equalise on the 32nd minute when from a corner, Shawn Peplow shot the ball of target.

On the 39th minute Pembroke came close to double the score when a good action from Martinovic and Borg ended with the Mtarfa keeper making a good save.

Pembroke scored two goals in the first five minutes thanks to Borg and Cilia with Cilia’s goal being a super goal. Pembroke then added another goal 15 minutes later when off a cross from Leonardi substitute Muscat concluded on target.

In the last 15 minutes Mtarfa scored twice to close the gap. First it was Smeir who scored with a good lob over goalkeeper Cremona and two minutes from time Azzopardi scored from close range.

Mtarfa: D. Galea, J. Fenech, J. Azzopardi, S. Peplow, R. Sammut, J. Ciantar, L. Vella, A. Wingfield, O. Smeir, C. Bonello, R. Zammit

Pembroke: M. Calleja, K. Sultana, R. Caruana, R. Zammit (M. Mamo), V. Martinovic, A. Galea, G. Spiteri, C. Leonardi, M. Borg, L. Cilia.

Referee: Philip Farrugia

Ghaxaq 1

St Lucia 1

Ghaxaq and StLucia shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw. The game was a balanced one with possession being the order of the day. St Lucia managed to equalise after Ghaxaq took an early lead.

Ghaxaq went in front on the 12th minute when a cross in the box from Bjorn Dalli, found Marvin Grech who finished the ball from two metres. Ghaxaq failed to double the score on the 18th minute when Grech failed to find the net in a one on one against Carabott.

St Lucia managed to equalise in their real first attempt when Shawn D’Amato converted a penalty after Chiboeze was fouled in the box.

The second half was a balanced affair with both teams cancelling each other with few scoring opportunities. Ghaxaq went close to go in front on the 55th minute when Brady Parnis shot hit the post.

On the 72nd mintute substitute Marlon Farrugia went close after his shot went a bit wide from the posts defended by Verbina. Till the end there weren’t any dangerous opportunities: so both teams took a point.

Ghaxaq: J. Verbina, A. Grech, M. Coleiro, L. Alla, D. Spiteri, L. Camilleri, M. Grech, M. Axiaq, B. Parnis, A. Caruana, B. Dalli

St Lucia: D. Carabott, R. Mifsud, J. Galea, H. Friggieri, S. D’Amato, J. Azzopardi, M. Spiteri, B. Chetcuti, J. Bugeja, A. Sapiano , B. Chiboeze.

Referee: Keith Buhagiar

Qrendi 0

Marsa 0

Qrendi and Marsa opened their season with a 0-0 draw to take a point. It was not the best match to watch with very few occasions created by both sides. The game was characterised by continious mistakes from both teams.

In the first half the only really dangerous occasion came from Marsa in the 42nd minute when a shot from Jeremy Dalli went close.

The second half wasn’t different from the first half.

On the 69th minute a free-kick from Kevin Scerri, Sean Curajar’s low cross from the left found no one to connect.

Six minutes later Qrendi had a shot from outside the box that went close but finished over the posts defended by Brincat.

Qrendi: B. Zammit, P. Muscat, L. Schembri, B. Demicoli, D. Caruana, A. Buttigieg, R. Darmanin (A. Formosa), M. Vujic, A. Pendry, P. Bezzina, C. Debattista (J. Bugeja)

Marsa: K. Brincat, L. Bugeja, B. Zammit, K. Cremona, K. Scerri, E. Vella, J. Camilleri, S. Cutajar, Y. Abdullah, K. Zammit (M. Mifsud), J. Dalli

Referee: Eman Grech

Mgarr 3

Sirens 2

Mgarr had a positive start to the season when they beat Sirens 3-2, with a brace by Russel Marmara.

Mgarr had a good start and took the lead after just 12 minutes, when a powerful shot by Russel Marmara took Vella by surprise. After three more minutes, Marmara doubled Mgarr’s lead with a low shot from outside the penalty area.

Sirens tried to come back into the game and in the 20th minute they were very close to scoring when a shot by Magri went slightly high over the crossbar. Fifteen minutes later, Sirens pulled one back with a beautiful shot by George Falzon.

The second half was quite balanced, with both teams cautious in their actions. Fifteen minutes before stoppage time, Giovanni Galea fled Mgarr’s defence to score Sirens’ equaliser.

The last twist in the game came one minute before the end, when Mgarr’s substitute Mark Deguara surprised Sirens’ defence to score with a low shot from inside the penalty area, barely two minutes after coming on the pitch. It was too late for Sirens to get back in the match; yet they deserved to obtain a point from this match.

Mgarr United: J. Borg, M. Mifsud, G. Said, W. Camilleri, M. Bugeja, J. Said, S. Camilleri (M. Deguara), K. Vella (C. Tabone), R. Marmara, J. Gauci (P. Fenech), C. Abela.

Sirens: J.P. Vella, D. Sant, K. Montebello (J. Grech), A. Debattista, G. Vella, G. Magri, K. Bonavia, A. Xuereb, G. Galea, C. Pickard (S. Pisani), G. Falzon (J. Camilleri).

Referee: Darryl Sultana

Xghajra 5

Marsascala 1

Xghajra kicked off the season with a satisfying win over Marsascala where Kevin Tonna and Lizio Grech impressed with a brace each.

If this was a promising start for Xghajra, it was quite the opposite for Marsascala, who must review their tactics before the season wears on.

After just seven minutes, Xghajra take the lead when Lizio Grech beat Marsascala’s goalkeeper with a low shot from outside the penalty box. After just three more minutes, Grech made it 2-0, when following a good run from the centre of the pitch, his shot hit the post before the ball finished at the back of the net.

Marsascala tried to come back in the match, and in the 40th minute they reduced the gap thanks to Glen Azzopardi, who fled Xghajra’s defence.

Half-way through the second half, Xghajra increased their lead by two goals in a span of six minutes. Kevin Tonna made it 3-0 with a precise shot on the right-hand side of the net, and Andrew Vella added his name to the list of scorers after receiving from Muscat.

The fifth and last goal was scored nine minutes before stoppage time, when once again it was Tonna who defeated Marsascala’s defence with a header.

Xghajra T: R. Camilleri (D. Scicluna), G. Saliba, S. Camilleri, A. Vella, K. Caruaan, K. Micallef, M. Magro (A. Manaf), N. Attard (K. Tonna), A. Muscat, L. Grech, C. Magro.

Marsascala: L. Fardell (J. Peplow), E. Desira, J. Debono (M. Pace), N. Soychev Slavchev, J. Galdes, S. Sultana, D. Falzon, B. Grech (K. Cassar), J.C. Dobre, G. Azzopardi, P.A. Osman.

Referee: Etienne Mangion

Mdina 4

Kalkara 1

Mdina cruised to an easy victory over Kalkara in an entertaining match. The Knights were superior to their opponents and could have even won by a bigger margin.

The Greens had their good moments, but they were let down by some bad defending which gave the Mdina strikers ample space to roam and hit at goal.

After only 12 minutes Mdina took the lead when Ayrton Buhagiar beat the offside trap to hit a fierce drive past Azzopardi. Kalkara were back on level terms two minutes later when Nicholas Gatt headed home a Grima corner.

But Mdina were playing better and they re-established their lead on 22 minutes with another good move finished off by Mark Saliba. Mdina missed a glorious chance minutes later when Kalkara goalkeeper Azzopardi saved Buhagiar’s penalty.

On 70 minutes Mdina sealed the issue when substitute Justin Buhagiar fired home from close range.

In stoppage time, Mdina were awarded the second penalty of the match and captain Nicholas Micallef scored from the penalty spot.

Mdina: M. Aquilina, A. Spiteri, K. Formosa, G. Camilleri, A. Catania, J. Buhagiar (T. Fenech), R. Southward, N. Micallef, J. Farrugia (A. Gatt), A. Buhagiar, M. Saliba (C. Scerri)

Kalkara: F. Azzopardi, C. Barbara, J. Camilleri (C. Bilocca), S. Camilleri, J. Farrugia, N. Gatt, C. Grima, C. Micallef, S. Vella (C. Caruana), C. Zammit, J. Fenech (C. Tabone)

Referee: Matthew Degabriele

Fgura 2

Swieqi 2

Swieqi obtained a deserved draw against the more fancied Fgura United. It was a deserved point for Swieqi who played a good match after a rather difficult start.

Fgura did the early running going close on some occasions, but Swieqi missed a couple of sitters in front of goal.

Just before the break Swieqi forged ahead when Eric Sciberras scored direct from a freekick. But in stoppage time Fgura obtained an immediate equaliser through Michael Zammit.

The match remained keenly contested in the second half, with Fgura taking the lead for the first time again through Michael Zammit who obtained his brace.

But Swieqi were not to be denied and, 10 minutes from time, they obtained the equaliser when substitute Timothy Hampton finished off in style a well orchestrated move.

Fgura: R. Attard, R. Adami, S. Aquilina, C. Calvagna, V. Camilleri, R. Galea, M. Portelli, R. Goncalves Severino, M. Sammut (L. Vella), M. Spiteri (T. Gheiti), M. Zammit.

Swieqi: G. Edwards, B. Buhagiar, C. Dalli, S. Borg, K. Calleja, P. Spiteri (D. Mckean), S. Diacono (T. Hampton), J. Debono, F. Debono, E. Sciberras, S. Psaila.

Referee: Anthony Buhagiar