Ghaxaq 1

Marsa 0

Ghaxaq registered their third consecutive win this season when they beat lowly Marsa by a solitary goal.

The match was quite balanced, with very few scoring opportunities on both sides. Ghaxaq now find themselves in the second place on the grid with ten points, following leaders Pembroke with 12 points.

Ghaxaq scored the only goal of the match after 17 minutes of play, when from a cross by Grech, Bjorn Dalli beat Grima with a shot at the top of the net.

Marsa tried to react, and were close to equalising in the 37th minute, when a powerful strike by Scerri from outside the penalty area went inches wide.

There were very few actions worthy of note in the second half, with a golden opportunity to save the game coming Marsa’s way in the 92nd minute. After fleeing the opponents’ defence, Dalli’s shot was splendidly saved by Verbina.

This was the third consecutive defeat for Marsa, who now find themselves at the bottom of the table with just one point.

Ghaxaq: J. Verbina, E. Dimech, M. Cassar, L. Alla, M. Vassallo (C. Xuereb), J. L. Caruana (C. Borg), M. Grech (R. D’Amato), F. Galea, B. Parnis, A. Caruana, B. Dalli

Marsa: D. Grima, J. Rizzo (M. Scerri), C. Cremona, B. Zammit, L. Bugeja, E. Vella, J. Camilleri (W. Debattista), K. Scerri, J. Dalli, S. Cutajar, P. Chircop

Referee: Jude Amin Utulu

Qrendi 0

Marsascala 0

Qrendi and Marsascala gained a point each when the match between the two resulted in a goalless draw. Qrendi were slightly better than their opponents, but neither side managed to penetrate the opponents’ defence.

The only scoring opportunity in the first half came from Marsascala when, after receiving from Dobre, Falzon’s shot went inches wide.

The second half was dominated by Qrendi, who were very close to taking the lead 10 minutes before stoppage time, when substitute Debattista’s header went slightly high over the crossbar.

Just a few seconds before the final whistle, Qrendi missed a golden opportunity to take the three points home, when Bezzina’s powerful strike hit the post, before being converted into a corner by the goalkeeper.

This was the first point for Marsascala this season who, had lost all their previous matches.

Qrendi: B. Zammit, S. Galea, B. Demicoli, M. Psaila, G. Azzopardi (C. Debattista), S. Buhagiar, O. Camenzuli (P. Bezzina), P. Muscat, M. Farrugia, A. Muscat, A. Pendry

Marsascala: J. Peplow, A. Yeomans, J. Debono, N. Stoychen Slavchev, S. Saliba, J. Galdes, D. Falzon, A. Domenicus (B. Grech), C. Iouvnut Dobre, B. Azzopardi, G. Azzopardi (K. Cassar)

Referee: Mohammed Kalil

Swieqi 2

Xghajra 0

Swieqi won their first match when they defeated Xghajra 2-0. Swieqi were superior to their opponents. Contributing to this factor was the early dismissal of Antoine Muscat in the 17th minute.

The first action came after three minutes when from a free-kick, Eric Sciberras’s shot went wide. On the 17th minute Xghajra were reduced to 10 men when Antoine Muscat fouled Simon Psaila outside the box with referee Paul Apap showing the red card to the Xghajra player.

On the 27th minute Swieqi had a corner but Nicholas Zammit’s header was off target. Swieqi were definitly the better team and it was no surprise that they took the lead on the 38th minute through a Fabien Debono header.

On the 53rd minute Swieqi went close when a header from Nicholas Zammit was saved with difficulty by Camilleri.

Four minutes later Steven Diacono went close but his low shot went wide. Swieqi doubled the score on the 70th minute.

The action was similar to the first goal when substitute John Debono crossed to Fabien Debono who scored his second goal. On the 81st minute Xghajra were close to scoring when Cachia’s cross-shot hit the post.

Swieqi: G. Edwards, J. Pace, C. Dalli (J. Debono), S. Borg, K. Calleja, N. Zammit, B. Buhagiar, S. Diacono (I.Scicluna), F. Debono (S. Sammut), E. Scibberas, S. Psaila

Xghajra: R. Camilleri, G. Saliba, S. Camilleri (K. Caruana), C. Magro, A. Muscat, A. Manaf, B. Magro (K. Tonna), A. Vella, J. Cachia, K. Micallef (N. Attard), L. Grech

Referee: Paul Apap

Mgarr United 0

St Lucia 1

St Lucia won their second consecutive match after they managed to beat Mgarr with a goal in the dying minutes. For Mgarr this was their second defeat.

In the first half both teams were short of ideas and there were very few scoring opportunites. In fact the real opportunities came from St Lucia when on the 23rd minute a persistent action from Shawn D’Amato resulted in a save from goalkeeper Muscat who saved with his legs. On the 37th minute a free-kick from Hubert Friggieri went off target.

On the 46th minute the Saints went close to open the score but Camilleri failed to connect to a cross from Chibueze.

Six minutes later St Lucia had another scoring opportunity when a cross from Chibueze found D’Amato but his header went wide. On the hour, St Lucia missed another chance when from a through pass from Goodrum, Chibueze shot off target.

On the 67th minute Mgarr went close when a Chris Tabone cross was deflected by Clayton Goodrum who conceded a corner.

Mgarr were reduced to 10 men after William Camilleri was sent off. From the free-kick, Muscat saved the header from Chibueze.

The Saints broke the deadlock on the 90th minute when Chibueze scored after his one-on-one lob hit the post.

Mgarr: J. Muscat, M. Mifsud, G. Said (M. Muscat), W. Camilleri, J. Ebejer, J. Said, K. Vella (J. Gauci), C Tabone, R. Marmara, P. Fenech, C. Abela

S. Lucia: D. Carabott, C. Camilleri (C. Cutajar), J. Bugeja, H. Friggieri, J. Galea, C. Bugeja (J. Woodhead), B. Chetcuti (M. Spiteri), C. Goodrum, S. D’Amato, M .Farrugia, B. Chibueze.

Referee: Trustin Farrugia Cann

Pembroke A. 2

Sirens 1

Pembroke registered their fourth straight win this season to remain on maximum points after four games.

It was a well deserved result against Sirens who keenly contested the match, although their efforts were not enough.

During the first half, Sirens had the opportunity of scoring on the seventh minute when Giovanni Galea’s angled shot ended wide.

Two minutes later, Pembroke replied with Lydon Cilia’s free kick in the direction of Geoffrey Spiteri, who passed back to Cilia but the latter concluded with a rising shot hitting the crossbar.

On the 39th minute, Lydon Cini’s corner found Jonathan Mifsud who fired in the corner of the net to give Athleta the lead.

On the 51st minute, Sirens’ goalkeeper Noel Attard committed a penalty which Matthew Borg converted. Sirens reduced the gap nine minutes from time when substitute Glenn Gauci’s shot was intercepted by Pembroke’s goalkeeper Michael Carter and from the rebound, Giovanni Galea fired home a low shot.

The Sirens pressure to achieve a draw increased tremendously during the final six minutes injury time granted by the referee.

Pembroke also insisted for a win but both goalkeepers saved all that came in their direction. Sirens hopes of obtaining a point came to an end when players Gianluca Vella and Jonathan Grech were sent off in the last two minutes of the injury time.

Pembroke A.: M. Carter, K. Sultana (J.C. Borg), R. Caruana (M. Agius), M. Mamo, J. Mifsud, V. Martinovic, A. Galea, G. Spiteri, C. Leonardi (D. Calleja Cremona), M. Borg, L. Cilia

Sirens: N. Attard, D. Sant, C. Agius (N. Scerri), J. Grech, G. Magri, G. Vella, K. Bonavia, R. Sciberras (K. Galea), G. Galea, G. Falzon, C. Pickard (G. Gauci)

Referee: Emanuel Grech

Mtarfa 1

Mdina K 2

This was a keenly contested match in which both teams had ample opportunities of scoring. However it was Mdina Knights who emerged victorious, moving to third in the table.

Mtarfa excelled throughout the whole 90 minutes even though they played with 10 players during all of the second half and were down to nine towards the end.

Mdina Knights took this opportunity and played more persistently in the second part of the match.

During the first half, Mtarfa tried to take the lead when on two occasions, Franceso Azzopardi shot at an angle from outside the penalty area but both efforts were saved by Mdina’s goalkeeper Mark Aquilina.

The Knights opened the score on the 33rd minute when Justin Buhagiar shot low past goalkeeper Duncan Galea of Mtarfa.

Mtarfa’s Ryan Zammit equalised on the 45th minute when he fired the ball at the back of the net.

Three minutes from the restart, Mtarfa’s Jean Paul Ciantar was sent off. Mdina missed a chance when Mark Saliba passed to Adrian Gatt who shot high over the bar. Mtarfa responded on the 68th minute when Luca Borg beat goalkeeper Aquilina but failed to find the net.

Robert Southward’s free kick from a notable distance on the 89th minute secured Mdina’s victory and gave them their third win this season.

In injury time, Adam Wingfield was shown his second yellow card and he too was sent off.

Mtarfa: D. Galea, C. Calleja, J. Fenech, R. Sammut, S. Peplow, A. Wingfield, R. Zammit, L. Borg (P. Azzopardi), C. Bonello, F. Azzopardi, J.P. Ciantar

Mdina K.: M. Aquilina, A. Spiteri, L. Mercieca, K. Formosa, N. Toutoung, J. Buhagiar, R. Southward, A. Buhagiar (T. Fenech), J. Ferriggi (A. Gatt), M. Saliba (M. Francalanza), C. Vella

Referee: Etienne Mangion

Kalkara 1

Fgura 3

Fgura registered their second consecutive win this season when they triumphed over Kalkara. Fgura were definitely the better team throughout the entire match, even if they played for 55 minutes with 10 men.

On the half-hour mark, Fgura took the lead thanks to Ricardo Congalves Severino, who upon receiving from Zammit, put the ball at the back of the net between the untenanted posts, with goalkeeper Barbara showing bad timing.

Barely five minutes later, Fgura were down to ten men, when Martin Portelli was sent off for a dangerous foul on Matthew Cassar.

The second half was once again administered by Fgura, who doubled their lead in the 55th minute, when after fleeing the Kalkara defence, Leeroy Bonnett beat the Kalkara custodian with a low strike.

Ten minutes before stoppage time, Fgura sealed the match, when following a powerful run through the middle of Kalkara’s defence, Zammit passed the ball towards the unmarked Matthew Spiteri in the centre, who handed his team the merited victory.

In the 88th minute, Fgura’s goalkeeper appeared to foul Musha in the area, with the referee awarding a penalty. From the spot, Jacob Camilleri scored the only goal for Kalkara.

Kalkara’s goal game too late to overturn the match, with the losing side being at toils to overcome the opponents’ defence, where despite their numerical superiority, they were rarely a threat to Fgura’s defence.

This was the fourth loss for Kalkara, who now find themselves at the bottom of the table, without any points.

Kalkara: C. Barbara, M. Agius (C. Spiteri), F. Azzopardi (C. Micallef), M. Cassar, C. Grima, K. Bonavia (S. Camilleri), N. Gatt, D. Mifsud. J. Cassar, A. Musha, J. Camilleri

Fgura: R. Attard, S. Aquilina, C. Calvagna, V. Camilleri, L. Vella, M. Zammit, R. Congalves Severino (C. Bordieri), M. Spiteri, R. Adami, M. Portelli, L. Bonnett (S. Pace)

Referee: Fiodor Zammit