St Lucia 0

Fgura United 1

Fgura won an important match when they beat St Lucia 1-0. With this win Fgura are now two points behind the same St Lucia.

The match was characterised by continious arguments with referee Keith Buhagiar for whom it was no easy job.

Fgura created the first opportunity after just one minute with Goncalves shot that went over the bar after a good feint. Fgura were given a penalty on the 13th minute when Goncalves was fouled into the box by keeper Carabott with referee ordering a penalty. From the penalty spot Carabott saved the penalty taken by the same Goncalves.

Fgura opened the score on the 29th minute when Robert Adami took advantage from an indecision by the St Lucia defence.

St Lucia hit the post on the 50th minute through Jason Galea’s shot. Eleven minutes later Renald Attard saved a good shot from Marlon Farrugia while on the other end, Goncalves missed the double from close range.

Fgura were reduced to 10 men when Leeroy Bonett was sent off. St Lucia missed a golden chance on the 76th minute when Shawn D’Amato shot a bit wide from close range. Three minutes later Marlon Farrugia went again close after a low shot finished very close the post.

St Lucia: D. Carabott, H. Friggieri, J. Galea, R. Mifsud, C. Camilleri, C. Bugeja, J. Bugeja,C. Goodrum (M. Farrugia), A. Sapiano, S. D’Amato (G. D’Amato), B. Chibueze

Fgura: R. Attard, R. Adami, S. Aquilina, L. Bonett, M. Portelli (R. Galea), G. Scerri, K. Scerri, M. Spiteri, R. Severino Goncalves (L. Vella), M. Zammit, N. Zerafa

Referee: Keith Buhagiar

Kalkara 1

Mtarfa 2

Mtarfa won their second match of the season after they managed to beat Kalkara with a penalty in the dying minutes.

This was a match characterised by mediocrity but the last minutes were full of action with Kalkara arguing with the match officials throughout and even after the match with police intervention being needed.

The first action came on the 7th minute when a cross-shot from Matthew Cassar caught Cassar off guard but he still managed to turn into a corner. On the 32nd minute Galea saved without difficulty a free-kick by Jacob Camilleri.

Mtarfa missed a golden chance on the 50th minute when Wingfield advanced but his shot was saved by Azzopardi. Kalkara took advantage of the chance and took the lead two minutes when from a free-kick from Jacob Camilleri, the ball bounced in front of Galea and finished in the net.

Mtarfa made a quick reaction and made the score equal when substitute Ramon Bonello recieved a good ball and after advanced and beat Azzopardi concluded in the net.

On the 82nd minute Mtarfa hit the post when a curved corner from Pierre Spiteri finished on the crossbar. Mtarfa were given a penalty when Jonathan Zahra played the ball with his hands with referee Glenn Tonna ordering. Kalkara players were furious and Clayton Spiteri was sent off after protesting. Pierre Spiteri converted from the spot.

After the final whistle Kalkara continued their protests even with the other officials and the police had to intervene to limit the damage.

Kalkara: F. Azzopardi, M. Agius (R. Gialanze), D. Gauci (S. Cucciardi), C. Caruana, C. Zammit, J. Zahra, M. Cassar, J. Camilleri, D. Zammit, A. Musha (C. Spiteri), D. Mifsud

Mtarfa: D. Galea, J. Azzopardi, J. Fenech, R. Sammut, E. Falzon, A. Wingfield, P. Spiteri, R. Zammit, P. Azzopardi (R. Bonello), J. Munyao Mwema (L. Vella), A. Micallef (G. Curmi)

Referee: Glenn Tonna

Pembroke 7

Marsascala 1

Pembroke had a very easy and satisfactory win over Marsascala, where they were awarded two penalties and enjoyed numerical superiority for the last the last 30 minutes of the match.

Thus they secured their place at the summit of the table with 35 points, whilst Marsascala keep battling towards the lower half of the grid with 11 points.

Lydon Cilia opened the scoring for Pembroke six minutes into the match, and in the 13th minute captain Carlo leonardi doubled their lead with a looping header from a corner.

On 28 minutes, Pembroke were awarded penalty for a foul in the area, and Carlo Leonardi netted from the spot. Three minutes before the break, Rodney Caruana further increased his side’s lead, when after a good run, he beat the opposing defence with a long-distance drive.

Seven minutes into the second half, Juan Galdes pulled one back for Marsascala when he took Pembroke by surprise with a long-distance drive.

Six minutes later Pembroke were awarded their second penalty, and Carlo Leonardi hit home again. In the 60th minute, Jesmond Scicluna committed his second bookable offence and was sent off for Marsascala.

In the 73rd minute, Malcolm Mao beat Marsascala’s defence with a header, despite having his head bandaged for an injury he took on earlier on in the match.

A few seconds before the final whistle, Daniel Cremona added his name to the list of scorers when after receiving from Galea, he beat substitute goalkeeper Vella with a low shot.

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

Marsascala: J. Peplow (M. Vella), S. Saliba (M. Pace), E. Desira, J. Debono, J. Scicluna, M. Said, M. Bugeja (A. Yeomans), A. Dominicus, C. Zammit, C. Ionut Doubre, J. Galdes

Referee: Matthew Degabriele

Swieqi 0

Sirens 1

After losing their last four outings, Sirens registered an important victory over Swieqi, who also missed a penalty, with the marginal score of 1-0, thus going a little further up in the standings with 13 points.

Swieqi failed to open the score in the 43rd minute, when Sirens’ captain Galea was seen fouling Debono in the area, with the referee awarding a penalty. Yet from the spot, Sciberras fired incredibly high.

Sirens scored the only goal of the match in the 65th minute, when after a good run, Giovanni Galea tried his luck from outside the area and beat his opponents.

Ten minutes from stoppage time, Sirens missed a sitter, when Obunwanne passed central towards Galea, but the goalkeeper saved in style before Galea could tap the ball home.

Swieqi: L. Bugeja, J. Pace, C. Dalli (L. Fenech), R. Buhagiar, K. Calleja, N. Zammit, I. Scicluna, P. Spiteri (S. Psaila), F. Debono, E. Sciberras, C. Micallef

Sirens: J. P. Vella, A. Debattista, G. Magri (J. Grech), N. Scerri, G. Galea, G. Falzon, S. Pisani (G. Vella), K. Bonavia, D. Sant, B. Borg, C. Obunwanne

Referee: Etienne Mangion

Xghajra 0

Ghaxaq 1

After having suffered their first defeat this season in their final outing, a goal scored ten minutes before stoppage time was all Ghaxaq needed to take the three points home from their encounter with Xghajra. Thus they held fast to their place in the upper part of the standings with a total of 30 points, while Xghajra keep struggling with 19 points.

Ghaxaq were close to opening the scoring 33 minutes into the match, when Luca Caruana’s shot was temporarily saved by the goalkeeper, and from the rebound Vassallo’s shot from a good position was too central.

The only goal in the match came in the 79th minute, when Mark Vassallo’s header from a corner beat Xghajra’s defence.

Xghajra: R. Camilleri, A. Vella, F. Mizzi, M. Leonardi, S. Camilleri (K. Tonna), B. Magro (N. Attard), C. Magro, A. Manaf, M. Nosko, L. Grech (K. Micallef), A. Pendry

Ghaxaq: J. Verbina, P. Bugeja (M. Axiaq), M. Cassar, L. Alla, M. Vassallo, M. Ellul, L. J. Caruana, F. Galea, B. Parnis, A. Caruana (F. Schembri), B. Dalli

Referee: Martin Borg

Marsa 0

Mdina 2

Mdina had a comfortable win over Marsa when they beat their opponents 2-0, with a goal being scored in each set of 45 minutes, thus rising to the sixth place on the grid with 24 points.

Marsa keep struggling in the lower end of the standings, when after having won their previous three outings, they put on a pretty disappointing performance on Monday night.

The first opportunity for Mdina came 20 minutes into the match, when Southward tried his luck from outside the area, with goalkeeper Grima converting into a corner in style.

Mdina opened the scoring five minutes before the break, when Yan Grech fled Marsa’s defence and concluded at the back of the net from an acute angle.

Eight minutes into the second half, Mdina sealed the three points thanks to Matthew Francalanza, who after having good control of the ball, beat Grima with a low shot.

Marsa: D. Grima (S. Danilov), D. Chircop, S. Cutajar, B. Zammit, C. Cremona, J. P. Zammit, E. Vella, K. Brincat (S. Sultana), Y. Abdulahhi, Dylan Agius, W. Debattista (R. Xuereb)

Mdina: A. Aquilina, A. Spiteri, K. Formosa, G. Camilleri, A. Catania, Y. Grech, R. Southward, J. Buhagiar, A. Buhagiar (J. Feriggi), N. Micallef, M. Francalanza

Referee: Darryl Agius

Mgarr 1

Qrendi 0

A goal scored eight minutes from stoppage time was all Mgarr needed to obtain a very important three points from their encounter against Qrendi, thus rising to the fourth place on the grid with 27 points. Qrendi’s season keeps proving to be a disappointing one, where at the end of the first round, they have lost seven of their matches and keep struggling in the lower half of standings with 10 points.

The first action worthy of note came 15 minutes into the match, when Abela’s shot from outside the area was saved from over the line by Qrendi’s goalkeeper.

On 67 minutes, Schembri’s effort from an acute angle was converted into a corner by goalkeeper Borg with the tips of his fingers.

Eight minutes before the final whistle, Mgarr were down to ten men, when Gordon Said was sent off for dissent. This seemed to spur the Blues to react, and barely two minutes later, they scored the only goal of the match, when after a good run by Abela along the left flank who crossed central, Mark Deguara’s low first timer hit on target.

Mgarr: J. Borg, G. Said, J. Ebejer (V. Petrovic), J. Said, K. Pace, J. Gauci (K. Caruana), C. Tabone, C. Abela, A. Zahra, M. Deguara, M. Muscat

Qrendi: B. Zammit, A. Formosa, L. Schembri, A. Buttigieg, P. Muscat (M. Farrugia), G. Azzopardi, J. Camilleri, R. Darmanin (L. Vidal), A. Muscat, L. Magri, M. A. Ellul

Referee: Duncan Sultana