Mtarfa 4

Xghajra T 1

Mtarfa had an easy win against bottom-placed Xghajra who are still without any points from 10 games, while Mtarfa are third from bottom on nine points from nine games. The strong wind at Rabat Ground rendered ball control very difficult.

After only two minutes Mtarfa opened the score when Silvan Tonna served Andre’ Galea with a square pass inside the area and he scored with a hard grounder past Xghajra keeper Kilian Piscopo.

In the 5th minute they doubled the score when Galea pounced on a faulty clearance and scored with a low shot.

After this early setback, Xghajra forced three actions. Matthew Fenech served Justin Fiteni with a cross from the right flank who, after entering the area, saw Mtarfa keeper Matthew Borg foiling him with a timely sortie.

Liealmark Bonnici served Fenech in the area with a through ball and Borg foiled him with a timely sortie and was injured in the action but resumed play after he was attended by the nurse on duty.

Gilbert Scicluna then entered the area after dribbling past three opponents and the ball was cleared to a corner from his shot.

Just before the half time whistle Mtarfa scored a third goal when Galea served Tonna with a cross from the left flank and he scored with a hard grounder from inside the area.

Very few were the actions worthy of note after the resumption and the first was created by Mtarfa when Galea dribbled past an opponent on the right flank but his cross-shot finished out.

In the 48th minute Xghajra reduced the gap. Scicluna served Fenech with a through ball and he was fouled just outside the area. From the resultant free kick Matthew Farrugia scored with a hard low shot.

Mtarfa regained the initiative and created three actions. Andrea’ Calleja was fouled outside the area and Tonna drove over the bar from the free kick.

Calleja then dribbled past a defender outside the area and Borg saved his long-range effort turning the ball to a corner.

Triston Aquilina was then fouled on the right edge of the area and the ball missed the far post from the free kick by the same player.

Four minutes before the end, the score became 4-1 when Aquilina crossed the ball in the area from the right flank and Xghajra substitute David Magro, in an attempt to clear the ball, had the misfortune to deflect it into his own net.

Referee: Andre’ Pisani

Player of the match: Gilbert Scicluna (Xghajra T)