Kalkara 1
Mdina K 3
Mdina won their eighth seasonal match after they beat lowly Kalkara 3-1. Mdina worked harder than expected where they scored three goals after they were in numerical advantage following Kalkara had Musha sent off.
After last week’s arguments Kalkara were with several players missing but they still fought till the end.
Kalkara took the lead on the sixth minute from a penalty by Jacob Camilleri. After this goal, we had to wait till the end of the first half to see another action when in stoppage time Carlos Bajada saved a good shot from Adrian Gatt.
Kalkara coud have doubled the score on the 52nd minute when a header from Matthew Cassar hit the crossbar. Mdina went close to score ten minutes later when a shot from Andrea Spiteri went close to the post.
Kalkara were reduced to 10 men when Abduljawed Musha was sent-off.
Enjoying numerical advantage, Mdina levelled the score when Adrian Gatt lobbed over the Kalkara defence where Marco Pavdencio came in and lobbed over Bajada.
Four minutes later Mdina took the lead. It was again substitute Marco Pavdencio who beat Bajada for the second time. Mdina had the chance to close the match when Robert Southend had a shot cleared off the line.
Mdina closed the encounter on the 93rd minute when Ayrton Buhagiar came one on one with Bajada and finished with a low shot.
Kalkara: C. Bajada, D. Gauci, M.Cassar, J. Camilleri, S. Cucciardi, A. Musha, J. Caruana (J. Galea), S. Camilleri, C. Zammit (K. Stafrace), J. Zahra, C. Cachia
Mdina: M. Aquilina, A. Spiteri, K. Formosa, G. Camilleri, A. Catania, Y. Grech, R. Southend, A. Gatt, J. Ferriggi (M. Pavdencio), N. Micallef, M. Francalanza (A. Buhagiar)
Referee: Etienne Mangion
Marsa 0
Qrendi 1
Qrendi won an important match for the table when they beat Marsa 1-0 in a direct counter from the bottom of the table. This match dissapointed as there were very few actions with both teams having no ambitions for the rest of the season.
The first half fell into a spell of mediocrity with the only real action coming on the 23rd minute when Kirsten Brincat headed from a corner by Cioffi but found Zammit who saved the header.
On the 58th minute Qrendi were awarded a penalty when George Saliba was fouled in the box. But Demis Grima saved the penalty from Silvano Pace.
We had to wait till the 77th minute to see another shot when a shot from outside the box by Joseph Rizzo caught off guard Zammit but managed to save the ball. Qrendi scored the winning goal when Kain Azzopardi beat Grima with a great shot from the line of the box.
Marsa: D. Grima, J. Rizzo, S. Cutajar, C. Cremona, E. Camilleri, J.P. Zammit, B. Zammit, C. Cioffi (D. Chircop), K. Brincat, D. Agius (E. Vella), R. Xuereb
Qrendi: B. Zammit, B. Demicoli, L. Schembri, M. Ellul, G. Azzopardi, J. Camilleri, R. Darmanin (S. Pace), L. Magri (K. Azzopardi), G. Saliba, A. Formosa (M. Farrugia), A. Muscat
Referee: Anthony Buhagiar
Mgarr U. 1
Sirens 1
The match between Mgarr and Sirens finished in a 1-1 draw with the Sirens goal scored from a very dubious offside position.
Mgarr deserved something better from this match as they dominated throughout the whole 90 minutes.
On the 10th minute, Sirens took the lead when Glen Gauci scored with a low shot from a notable distance.
Mgarr lost a good scoring opportunity on the 32nd when Chris Abela’s freekick was saved by Sirens’ goalkeeper Noel Attard.
From a cornerkick action for Mgarr on the 43rd minute, Mark Deguara concluded high over the crossbar.
Another unfortunate attempt for Mgarr came one minute before the break when Chris Tabone fired a nice angled shot but hit the pole.
During the second half, the situation remained practically the same, with Mgarr applying more pressure on the Sirens’ defence.
Noel Attard’s goalkeeping abilities excelled as he saved the majority of the attempts directed towards him.
However his efforts were unsuccessful on the 84th minute when Vesco Petrovic scored with an excellent shot from the edge of the area.
Mgarr U: J. Borg, J. Ebejer, K. Pace, W. Camilleri, K. Caruana (V. Petrovic), J. Said, A. Zahra, C.Tabone (J. Gauci), C. Abela, M. Muscat, M. Degaura (R. Marmara)
Sirens: N. Attard, A. Debattista, M. Sammut (R. Sciberras), N. Scerri (K. Galea), G. Vella. G. Falzon, S. Pisani, K. Bonavia, D. Sant, B. Borg, G. Gauci
Referee: Matthew Degabriele
Sta Lucia 1
Ghaxaq 1
A keenly contested match was that between St Lucia and Ghaxaq – two teams who occuphy a prominent placing in the table.
Ghaxaq ended with 10 players in the first 45 minutes and although St Lucia were more insidious in the second half, the game ended in a draw.
On the 29th minute, Ghaxaq opened the score when Bjorn Dalli took off from the centre and without any St Lucia defender blocking his path, scored with a low central shot.
Two minutes later, Ghaxaq’s goalkeeper Julian Verbina punched off a corner for St Lucia in the direction of the net.
On the 41st, Clayton Goodrum’s free kick for St Lucia ended high over the bar. Two minutes from break, Ghaxaq’s Mark Vassallo was sent off when he was shown a second yellow card after committing a foal on Shawn D’Amato.
During the second half, St Lucia had a series of corners; however none went past Ghaxaq’s defence and goalkeeper.
On the 60th minute, St Lucia equalised when Basil Chibueze scored an angled shot from a close range, giving each team only one point from this match.
St Lucia: D. Carabott, C. Goodrum (J. Cutajar), R. Mifsud, J. Galea, H. Friggieri (C. Camilleri), A. Sapiano, C. Bugeja, J. Bugeja, M. Farrugia, S. D’Amato (G. D’Amato), B. Chibueze
Ghaxaq: J. Verbina, P. Bugeja (A. Farrugia), M. Cassar, L. Alla, M. Vassallo, J.L. Caruana (M. Axiaq), R. D’Amato (M.Ellul), F. Galea, B. Parnis, A. Caruana, B. Dalli
Referee: Trustin Farrugia Cann
Marsascala 1
Xghajra T. 0
Marsascala claimed another three points from a balanced derby against Xghajra Tornados.
In this match, three goals were scored in the first half, but two of them were cancelled due to offside infringements.
On the 18th minute, the Tornados’ first goal was cancelled by referee Grech due to an offside position.
History repeated itself six minutes later, this time for Marsascala whose goal was also cancelled. On the 34th, Polonec once again lost a good opportunity at scoring when his shot from within the penalty area ended wide.
Marsascala took the lead when Adrian Dominicus found Xghajra’s defence lacking and shot low past goalkeeper Roderick Camilleri on the 39th minute.
Four minutes from the break, Marsascala tried to double, however their attempt was saved by Xghajra’s goalkeeper.
On the 51st minute, Xghajra replied with Polonec’s central free kick which was also saved by Marsascala’s goalkeeper.
On the 71st minute, an action commencing with Kevin Tonna’s cross in the direction of Xghajra’s Martin Nosko, ended a few centimetres wide of the adversaries’ net.
Xghajra were persistent and insidious in their attacks even though without success especially when Marsascala thoroughly defended their only goal which gave them their second win in this round.
Marsascala: C. Camilleri, J. Galdes, E. Desira, C. Bordieri, C. Schembri, F. Peplow, C. Zammit, A. Domincus, M. Said, N. Abela (M. Grech), J. Debono
Xghajra T.: R. Camilleri, A. Vella, M. Leonardi, F. Mizzi, M. Magro, K. Caruana (K. Tonna), B. Magro, C. Magro, M. Polonec (L. Grech), M. Nosko, K. Micallef
Referee: Emanuel Grech