Rabat A 1

Lija A 0

Adam Smeir scored the winner on 91 minutes with Rabat’s first and only shot at goal of the match.

It was a flattering result for a disappointing Rabat side which consolidated its position on top of the standings, moving closer to Premiership football next season.

Lowly Lija dominated the first half with the league leaders Rabat never putting a foot right. Lija deserved the take the lead in the first part of the match as they went near with a Sacco header and were unlucky when a Renato Conceicao freekick smashed against the upright.

The Lija goalkeeper was never called into action as Rabat striker Ryan Micallef was completely blotted out of the game, while Adam Smeir and Vilson Caushi never came to grips with Lija’s superiority in midfield.

In the dying minutes of the first half Erjon Beu tested Mintoff, and just before the break Sacco passed towards Abdullahi Ige whose shot on the turn from an acute angle, slightly missed the base of the upright.

Lija made one substitution at the interval with Timothy Fleri Soler coming in for the injured Clayton Giordemaina. Rabat coach Silvio Vella tried to shake up the team with the disappointing Vilson Caushi substituted by David Azzopardi, and Arlindo Rustemi was romped in for Yan Cauchi. On the hour Benoir Fenech had a good run on the left flank with his shot well saved by Mintoff.

On 68 minutes confusion reigned supreme inside the Rabat penalty area with Beu’s final deflected shot going straight in Mintoff’s waiting hands. The match dragged on till the 91st minute when Rabat scored an incredible winner.

David Azzopardi crossed from the left flank towards the unmarked Adam Smeir who tapped the ball home from close range for an unexpected winner.

Rabat A: S. Mintoff, S. Gauci, C. Muscat, D. Falzon, J. Cornforth, C. Gauci, J. Caruana, Y. Cauchi (A. Rustemi), V. Caushi (D. Azzopardi), A. Smeir, R. Micallef (J. Felice).

Lija A: E. Ini, C. Giordemaina (T. Fleri Soler), R. Conceicao, D. Scerri, E. Beu (G. Camilleri), E. Briffa, B. Fenech, A. Scicluna, M. Fleri Soler, A. Ige, A. Sacco (T. Caruana).

Referee: Karl Frendo Cumbo

Melita 4

St Andrew’s 2

Melita beat neighbours St Andrew’s to join Rabat on top of the standings and move closer to a promotion berth. It was an exciting match especially in the first half with Melita taking a double lead and with St Andrew’s coming back strongly, obtaining the equaliser.

But in the second half the match was less intense with Melita again taking the lead through George Gribbon, with Matthew Borg sealing the issue in stoppage time with the fourth goal. The Saints were not capable to crawl back in the game and were hindered by the martching orders given to Nicky Vella Petroni for dissent.

Melita controlled the rest of the match with to grab three precious points in their quest for promotion in the top flight.

Melita had an impressive opening, building a two-goal lead inside the first ten minutes of the match. But the Saints recovered from this early double setback and came back strong to score twice before the break.

Melita forged ahead on eight minutes when in a melee in front of goalkeeper Balzan, Jovan Vukanic managed to squeeze the ball home.

Sixty seconds later St Andrew’s received the second blow when Julian Galea was put through by Micallef to beat Balzan with a precise grounder.

St Andrew’s tried to crawl back in the game and Arafa Nakuaa almost pulled one back when his shot direct from the corner flag deceived goalkeeper Sapiano, but Karl Vella Petroni cleared the ball off the goal line.

Nakuaa was again dangerous some minutes later when his cross shot landed on the crossbar. On 24 minutes, Melita goalkeeper Sapiano dived to turn into a corner a fierce freekick by Amato and from the resultant corner, taken by Nicky Vella Petroni, Nakuaa rose above the rest to head home.

The Saints were now showing the better stuff and three minutes from the interval they obtained a deserved equaliser when Andrew Amato first timed a beauty from the edge of the area with the ball finishing at the back of the net.

Melita started the second half on the attack and on 64 minutes they re-took the lead when Matthew Borg did all the running on the left flank before passing towards George Gribbon who easily tapped the ball home from close range. The Saints hit back with a Nakuaa shot on the turn that was easily saved by Sapiano.

The Saints were reduced to ten players in the 72nd minute when Nicky Vella Petroni was sent off for dissent, and Melita took full control of the match securing the three points in stoppage time when Matthew Borg scored the fourth and final goal for Melita.

Melita: M. Sapiano, M. Sierra Camacho, G. Gribbon, M. Martin, M. Borg (A. Caruana Scicluna), N. Baldacchino (T. Terpougoff), J. Galea, L. Micallef, K. Vella Petroni, S. Galea (M. Valenzia), J. Vukanic.

St Andrew’s: D. Balzan, R. Previ, B. Diacono (V. Alhinho), J. Bugeja, B. Said, A. Camilleri Kamsky (W. Camilleri), A. Nakua, A. Attard, N. Vella Petroni, F. Alkanua, M. Grima (M. Hyzler)

Referee: Alan Mario Sant