Mgarr United 2

Ghaxaq 1

Mgarr took three important points when they beat Ghaxaq 2-1 to join the same Ghaxaq and with a good chance of a promotion. This was the third defeat for Ghaxaq and now they are risking their promotion.

Mgarr opened the score after just two minutes when Chris Abela beat the offside trap, advanced and hit past Verbina. Chris Abela was again dangerous five minutes later when he hit the post with an identical action. Two minutes from the first half Verbina saved easily a free-kick by Abela.

In the second half it was again Mgarr who started on a bright note and it was no surprise that they doubled when Matthew Muscat lobbed over Verbina with a good shot.

On the 54th minute a free-kick by Alla went wide. Ghaxaq were given a penalty a minute later when Malcolm Bugeja fouled Ryan D’Amato in the box, but Bjorn Dalli missed the penalty when his shot hit the crossbar.

Although Ghaxaq missed a penalty they reduced the margin on the 62nd minute when an Axiaq free-kick found Albert Caruana who caught Borg off guard and lobbed his header over the Mgarr keeper.

Ghaxaq had the chance to equalise on the 77th minute when D’Amato passed to Dalli but he shot out in a practically empty net.

Mgarr: J. Borg, A. Aquilina, K. Pace (M. Bugeja), W. Camilleri, P. Fenech, J. Gauci, K. Vella, C. Tabone, R. Marmara (M. Psaila), M. Muscat (M. Deguara), C. Abela

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

Referee: Sandro Spiteri

Pembroke Athleta 4

Qrendi 0

Pembroke continued with their positive form when they easily beat Qrendi 4-0 to keep their unbeaten streak. As the result suggests, Pembroke were superior to their opponents.

They scored an early goal and from then onwards they kept the control of the match with Qrendi powerless to make a reaction.

Pembroke went close after just four minutes when Brain Zammit turned into a corner a shot from Adrian Galea.

But Pembroke opened the deadlock one minute later when Daniel Calleja made a one-two with Matthew Borg and buried past Zammit.

Qrendi had the chance to equalise when Darmanin recieved a good ball but shot over the bar from close range. Pembroke doubled their lead on the 39th minute when Lydon Cilia ran with the ball from the middle of the pitch and after beating several defenders including the goalkeeper shot into an empty net.

Pembroke continued where they left in the first half and made them three on the hour mark when Jonathan Mifsud headed past Zammit after a good corner by Cilia.

The leaders scored their fourth goal two minutes later when substitute Daniel Calleja Cremona caught Zammit off guard when his cross-shot beat Zammit. In the stoppage time Leonardi missed the chance to make them five when his shot went off target.

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

Qrendi: B. Zammit, B. Demicoli, M. Farrugia (J. Bugeja), A. Buttigieg (C. Azzopardi), P. Muscat, S. Pace, J. Camilleri, L. Vidal, R. Darmanin, M. Ellul, A. Muscat (L. Schembri)

Referee: Anthony Buhagiar

Marsa 0

Fgura 2

As expected, Fgura dominated and registered an easy three points over bottom-side Marsa thanks to a brace by Goncalves Severino, where Marsa were rarely offensive and did not give their opposing defence any trouble.

Thanks to this success, Fgura held fast to their second place on the standings with 35 points.  

Fgura were awarded a penalty 22 minutes into the match, when Cioffi fouled Severino Goncalves in the area. Adami tried his luck from the spot, but his shot was saved by the goalkeeper. Adami took ownership of the rebound but was fouled by Danilov before hitting the ball a second time. From the ensuing second penalty, Riccardo Goncalves Severino hit home. 

A few minutes into the second half, Fgura were close to doubling their lead, when substitute Camilleri’s shot skimmed the woodwork. 

Fgura sealed the match in the fourth minute of added time, when after a good run through Marsa’s defence, Goncalves Severino beat Danilov for the second time with a low shot. 

Marsa: S. Danilov, J. Rizzo, S. Cutajar, C. Cremona, B. Zammit, S. Sultana (D. Chircop), D. Agius, J. P. Zammit, K. Brincat, E. Vella, C. Cioffi (J. Abdullahi)

Fgura: R. Attard, R. Congalves Severino, M. Portelli (V. Camilleri), N. Zerafa, C. Calvagna, G. Scerri, M. Spiteri, K. Scerri, R. Adami, L. Vella (V. Testaferrata), M. Zammit

Referee: Manuel Grech

Kalkara 2

Sirens 2

Two goals scored in the last five minutes of the match saved an important point for Sirens, who were playing with 10 men for a long time against bottom-side Kalkara.

Sirens thus keep struggling in the lower end of the grid with 18 points, while Kalkara remain at the bottom of the standings with four points. 

Kalkara took the lead 13 minutes into the match, when Matthew Cassar’s header on a corner finished at the back of the net. 

On 37 minutes Sirens were down to 10 men, when Stephen Pisani was sent off for a nasty foul on Christian Zammit. 

One minute from stoppage time, Conrad Tabone increased Kalkara’s lead when he beat the opposing defence with a low shot. 

Sirens’ comeback commenced on 84 minutes, when Ray Theuma took Kalkara’s defence by surprise with a lovely shot from an acute angle.

Three minutes later, substitute Adam Debattista saved the match for Sirens, when amid confusion in Kalkara’s area, he tapped the ball at the back of the net. 

Kalkara: C. Bajada, J. Camilleri, C. Zammit, M. Cassar, C. Tabone, D. Gauci, C. Cachia, S. Cucciardi (D. Balzia), S. Camilleri, J. Zahra, D. Zammit

Sirens: N. Attard, J. Grech, D. Sant, G. Vella, A. Gaeolghe (A. Debattista), G. Falzon, S. Pisani, M. Sammut, R. Sciberras, B. Borg (R. Theuma), K. Bonavia

Referee: Matthew Degabriele

Swieqi U. 0

St Lucia 0

Swieqi United and St Lucia shared the spoils in a goalless match. The match was keenly contested with both teams creating several opportunities at scoring, however none managed to beat the opponent goalkeeper.

On the 50th minute, Ivan Scicluna’s corner for Swieqi was cleared by St Lucia’s Ramon Mifsud.

St Lucia’s Melvin Agius’ free kick on the 58th minute was saved by United’s goalkeeper Jean Debattista.

St Lucia missed a good opportunity on the 65th when Ramon Mifsud crossed in the direction of Nico Corito, whose header ended high over the bar.

On the 82nd, Edward Grima’s angled shot for Swieqi was tipped upwards by St Lucia’s goalkeeper Duane Carabott, it hit the crossbar and ended out.

The situation remained the same throughout the rest of the match granting both teams only one point from this Third Division League confrontation placing Swieqi sixth and St Lucia fourth only one point behind Ghaxaq, Mdina and Mgarr United on the table.

Swieqi U.: J. Debattista, T. Hampton (D. McKeon), I. Scicluna (A. Calleja-Urry), P. Spiteri, K. Calleja, L. Fenech, S. Sammut, T. Kurtulush (S. Diacono), F. Debono, E. Sciberras, E. Grima

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

Referee: Philip Farrugia

Mtarfa 1

Xghajra T. 1

Xghajra Tornados dominated the match against the lowly Mtarfa, however their hope in gaining three points came to an end in the last few seconds of the match.

Mtarfa played well throughout the 90 minutes and fought for at least one point till the very end.

On the 10th minute, Milan Polonec’s corner for Xghajra was saved by Mtarfa’s goalkeeper Dunken Galea. On the 17th, Paul Azzopardi’s cross in the direction of Omar Smier for Mtarfa was intercepted by the Tornados’ goalkeeper Roderick Camilleri.

Xghajra took the lead on the 48th minute when Lizio Grech, from the edge of the penalty area blasted a rising shot in the corner of the net. On the 65th minute, an Mtarfa’s corner was cleared by Xghajra’s France Mizzi.

Mtarfa achieved the draw in the last few seconds of extra time when George Curmi fired at the back of the net from a notable distance. Xghajra Tordnados are now placing seventh with 32 points and Mtarfa have only gained eight points so far.

Mtarfa: D. Galea, C. Calleja, E. Falzon, J. Azzopardi, L. Portelli, S. Peplow, A. Wingfield, P. Azzopardi (G.Curmi), O. Smier, L. Vella (F. Azzopardi), J. Munjao Mwema (G. Caruana)

Xghajra T.: R. Camilleri, G. Saliba, N. Attard (A.Pendry), F. Mizzi, A. Muscat, D. Axisa, C. Magro, A. Vella (N. Portelli), A. Manaf, M. Polonec, L. Grech

Referee: Etienne Mangion

Marsascala 2

Mdina K. 3

Mdina achieved another win this season in the match against Marsascala and are now placed third on the table together with Mgarr United and Ghaxaq, all having 31 points.

The game was balanced during the first half while Mdina were more insidious during the final 45 minutes. In a seven minute time frame during the second half, Marsascala had two players which got badly injured.

Marsascala opened the score on the 20th minute when Adrian Dominicus beat Mdina’s goalkeeper Mark Aquilina with a low angled shot.

Adrian Gatt’s free kick for Mdina on the 36th minute was punched away by Marsascala’s goalkeeper Clinton Camilleri. Mdina equalised on the 45th minute following an action commencing from a corner where the ball hit the corner of the crossbar, found Lium Mercieca’s feet who concluded with a low angled shot.

Mdina further attacked their opponents during the second half. On the 54th minute, Robert Southward’s central free kick ended high over the crossbar.

On the 60th, Mdina took the lead when Peter Grima shot past Clinton Camilleri with an excellent central shot.

Adrian Gatt then beat Marsascala’s goalkeeper and made them three on the 66th minute.

On the 80th minute, the southern seasiders reduced the gap when Christopher Zammit successfully scored from a notable distance although this was not enough for Marsascala and the match ended with a score of 2-3 in favour of the Knights.

Marsascala: C. Camilleri, J. Galdes (M. Pace), E. Desira, C. Bordieri, C. Schembri, F. Peplow, C. Zammit, A. Dominicus (D. Iounut Christian), N. Abela, J. Scicluna

Mdina K.: M. Aquilina, A. Spiteri, K. Formosa, L. Mercieca, A. Catania, A. Gatt, R. Southward, Y. Grech, J. Ferriggi (A. Buhagiar), N. Micallef, P. Grima.

Referee: Keith Buhagiar