Mtarfa 2

Sirens 0

Mtarfa beat Sirens with a goal in each half to gain three precious points to move to third from bottom in the table, two points above Marsa.

Mtarfa fully deserved their victory and went near on 12 minutes when Pisani crossed towards Omar Smeir whose header went slightly off target.

On 25 minutes Sirens went close with a Stephen Pisani dipper going inches wide.

Just before the break Mtarfa took the lead when Sirens goalkeeper Sammut tripped Shaun Peplow inside the box, and Omar Smeir converted in style the resultant penalty.

Nine minutes into the second half ,Mtarfa were two up when George Curmi dribbled past a couple of defenders before beating goalkeeper Sammut. Sirens went close a third goal two minutes past the hour when Smeir passed towards Larkin Vella whose shot went inches wide.

Mtarfa: K. Sammut, J. Fenech, E. Falzon, R. Sammut, L. Portelli, J. Munjao Mwema, L. Vella (A. Micallef), G. Cumbo, S. Peplow, G. Curmi, O. Smeir

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

Referee: Pierre Azzopardi

Pembroke 2

Ghaxaq 1

League leaders Pembroke chalked up another victory to keep marching towards promotion. They are still unbeaten in this category. They beat Ghaxaq with the odd goal in three with all goals scored in the second half.

Pembroke broke the deadlock on the hour when Carlo Leonardi dribbled his way inside the area to beat Verbina for the opener. Two minutes later Pembroke won a penalty when a penalty for a foul on Cilia, but from the penalty spot Leonardi’s shot was saved by Verbina.

On 77 minutes Pembroke went close again with a Leonardi shot slightly missing the target. Four minutes later Ghaxaq drew level when Bjorn Dalli beat a couple of defenders before beating Calleja Cremona in the Pembroke goal.

But Ghaxaq’s joy was shortlived as two minutes later they were awarded a second penalty for another foul on Cilia. This time Carlos Leonardi made no mistake from the spot to snatch the winner.

Ghaxaq finished the match with ten players as Bjorn Dalli was sent off for dissent. 

Pembroke: M. Calleja Cremona, N. Gatt Colerio, M. Mamo, D. Mifsud, A. Galea, L. Cilia, V. Martinovic (D. Calleja Cremona), C. Leonardi, J. Mifsud, D. Cremona (L. Grech), G. Spiteri

Ghaxaq: J. Verbina, C. Xuereb (F. Schembri), M. Vassallo, M. Axiaq, L. Alla, M. Ellul, J. Caruana (F. Galea), M.Grech (R. D’Amato), A. Caruana, B. Dalli

Referee: Mario Apap

Qrendi 1

Mdina 3

Mdina registered a very important win over Qrendi, thus lifting themselves to third place on the standings with 37 points, tied with Ghaxaq, where Mdina have a game in hand.

This was the third consecutive win for Mdina, who are now closely chasing Fgura for second place with hopes for promotion.

Mdina opened the scoring 18 minutes into the match, when Gilbert Camilleri’s header on a Francalanza cross found the net. Three minutes later, Mdina doubled their lead, when after fleeing Qrendi’s defence with a splendid run, Matthew Francalanza went past goalkeeper Zammit and tapped the ball at the back of the net with a low shot.

On 82 minutes, unmarked Gilbert Camilleri received from Micallef, who after a bad outing by goalkeeper Zammit, tapped the ball home.

Four minutes before time, Qrendi surprised Mdina’s defence, and after some confusion in the area, Cain Azzopardi put the ball at the back of the net for Qrendi’s sole goal.

Qrendi: B. Zammit, L. Schembri, M. Farrugia, J. Camilleri, P. Bezzina C. Aopardi, A. Formosa, P. Muscat, R. Darmanin, S. Galea, G. Micallef

Mdina: M. Aquilina, A. Spiteri, K. Formosa, G. Camilleri, A. Catania, A. Gatt, Y. Grech, N. Micallef, A. Buhagiar (J. Buhagiar), P. Grima (C. Scerri), M. Francalanza (M. Prujancio)

Referee: Daryl Agius

Xghajra 1

Mgarr 0

Xghajra surprised Mgarr when they came out at the winning end of the stick from the encounter between the two, with the marginal score of 1-0.

This was the second consecutive win for Xghajra and the first defeat for Mgarr after two consecutive wins, now totalling 29 and 34 points respectively.

The only goal of the match was scored on 53 minutes, when after a good run, Neil Attard beat Mgarr’s goalie with a powerful long-distance drive from an acute angle.

Ten minutes from time, Mgarr missed a sitter when Abela displayed some good ball-control, but his shot skimmed the woodwork.

Xghajra: R. Camilleri, G. Saliba, N. Attard (K. Caruana), A. Muscat, D. Axisa, C. Magro, M. Polenec (K. Tonna), B. Magro (S. Camilleri), A. Pendry, M. Magro, M. Mosko

Mgarr: J. Borg, A. Aquilina, K. Pace, M. Deguara, A. Zahra, R. Marmara, P. Fenech (C. Abela), J. Ebejer, C. Tabone, K. Vella (V. Petrovic), J. Gauci (M. Mifsud)

Referee: Emmanuel Grech

Swieqi Utd 1

Marsa 0

Swieqi won an important match when they beat Marsa 1-0. This match was a quiet one where the shots on target were few. Both teams didn’t play their best game as they were both erratic and there were parts of the game where there was no action towards the posts.

The first action arrived on the 7th minute when Marsa striker Abdullahi Yusif had a shot from that fininshed a bit wide. Swieqi went close on the 19th minute when Christopher Micallef provided a good through-pass to Fabien Debono but after he advanced he shot over the bar.

On the 63rd minute a low shot from Timothy Hampton was saved without problems by Damilov.

Swieqi scored the decisive goal on the 69th minute when Fabien Debono lobbed over Damilov and completed the ball in the net.

Marsa went close to equalise on the 74th minute when a shot from outside the box by Dylan Agius finished over the bar.

On the 89th minute another shot from Dylan Agius finished off target.

Swieqi: G. Edwards, J. Pace, C. Micallef, B. Buhagiar, K. Calleja, N. Zammit, S. Sammut, I. Scicluna (T. Kurtulush), F. Debono, E. Scibberas (P. Spiteri), E. Grima (T. Hampton)

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

Referee: Keith Buhagiar

St Lucia 5

Kalkara 0

St Lucia returned to winning ways after five matches when they beat lowly Kalkara 5-0.

This win raised the moral of St Lucia after a negative run to keep their slim hopes of promotion alive. This was the second consecutive defeat for Kalkara.

St Lucia opened the score on the 20th minute when Hubert Friggieri headed past Bajada after a good corner by Marlon Farrugia.

Two minutes later a cross-shot from Corito was turned into a corner by Bajada. Kalkara went close to equalise in first half stoppage time when a shot from Jacob Camilleri was turned bravely into a corner by Duane Carabott.

On the 56th minute St Lucia doubled the score. A drop kick by Duane Carabott found Chibueze with the latter turning and passing to Nico Corito who scored in an empty net.

Two minutes later the Saints scored the third goal when Marlon Farrugia recieved a good ball and after beating goalkeeper Bajada shot in an empty net.

On the 63rd minute St Lucia scored the fourth goal when it was again Hubert Friggieri who netted after a low cross.

On the 70th minute Basil Chibueze missed a good chance when his shot was cleared off the line.

Five minutes later the same Chibueze was sent off by referee Paul Caruana.

On the 89th minute Nico Corito added another goal with a good shot.

St Lucia: D. Carabott, C. Camilleri, M. Agius (M. Spiteri), J. Galea, C. Bugeja, J. Bugeja, M .Farrugia (J. Micallef), H. Friggieri, N. Corito, A. Sapiano (G. D’Amato), B. Chibueze

Kalkara: C. Bajada, J. Camilleri, A. Musha, D. Gauci, C. Caruana, D. Zammit, C. Tabone, C. Zammit, J. Zahra, J. Farrugia (J. Caruana), D. Balzia (J. Galea)

Referee: Paul Caruana

Fgura 4

Marsascala 0

Fgura registered an easy and well-deserved win over Marsascala, keeping hold of their second place on the standings with 41 points, and continuing their battle for promotion.

Fgura are going through a very good patch at the moment, having won seven of their last eight outings, defeated only by leaders Pembroke.

Fgura went close 13 minutes into the match, when Bonnett’s header on a Scerri cross skimmed the woodwork. They opened the lead two minutes later, when Leeroy Bonett’s shot from an acute angle hit the upright and ended at the back of the net.

Barely another three minutes later, goalkeeper Camilleri was seen catching Congalves Severino’s foot in the area with the referee awarding a penalty, which as scored by the same Ricardo Congalves Everino.

One minute before the break, Gilbert Scerri added his name to the list of scorers with a lovely shot from a direct freekick from outside the area.

Marsascala tried to react in the second half and went close to pulling one back on 57 minutes, when Galdes saw his effort from the short distance go inches wide.

Yet their efforts were cut short, when a couple of minutes later, goalkeeper Clinton Camilleri committed his second bookable offence and was sent off, reducing Marsascala‘s workforce to 10 men.

Ten minutes from time, Fgura sealed the match when after a good run by Scerri, who went past the player-converted-to-goalkeeper, chipped towards Ricardo Congalves Everino who tapped the ball home.

Fgura: R. Attard, R. Adami, S. Aquilina, L. Bonnett (N. Fenech), M. Portelli, R. Concalves Severino, M. Spiteri, N. Zerafa, K. Scerri, G. Scerri, V. Testaferrata (V. Camilleri)

Marsascala: C. Camilleri, J. Debono, J. Galdes, S. Saliba, C. Bordieri, C. Schembri (S. Callus), F. Peplow (E. Desira), C. Zammit, M. Said, A. Dominicus, N. Abela

Referee: Matthew Degabriele