Ghaxaq 0

Fgura 2

Promoted side Fgura held on to their second place on the grid when they defeated Ghaxaq 2-0, with both goals being scored in the second half, thus going to a total of 59 points on the standings. With this loss, Ghaxaq’s hopes for promotion suffered a severe blow, with their aim becoming now seemingly impossible.

The only action worthy of note in the first half came Fgura’s way after 15 minutes of play, when from an Adami freekick, Zammit’s header skimemed the crossbar.

A few moments into the second half, Ghaxaq had a good chance when Dalli fled the opposing defence and chipped above goalkeeper Attard, but the ball went slightly wide.

Fgura opened the scoring on 63 minutes, when from a freekick by Camilleri from outside the area, captain MATTHEW SPITERI rose above everyone to direct a looping header past goalkeeper Verbina.

They went close to increasing their lead ten minutes from time, when from a personal action, Zammit fled Ghaxaq’s defence from the centre of the pitch and tried his luck, with the shot being converted in style into a corner by Verbina. 

Fgura sealed the three points on 83 minutes, when Zammit crossed towards Bonett who saw his first timer being blocked by Verbina, but from the rebound LEEROY BONETT finally tapped the ball home.

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

Fgura: R. Attard, S. Aquilina, K. Scerri, N. Zerafa, R. Adami, L. Vella (L. Bonett), R. Goncalves Severino (R. Galea), M. Spiteri, G. Scerri, M. Zammit (V. Testaferrata), V. Camilleri

Referee: Paul Caruana

Xghajra 2

Pembroke 2

Leaders Pembroke, already promoted to Division Two, were held to a two-all draw by Xghajra, who have 40 points and sit comfortably in the middle of the grid.

Pembroke have gone up to 60 points, closely followed by Fgura who now have 59 points after beating Ghaxaq. The match was well balanced, with the result being a just one.

Pembroke opened the scoring 22 minutes into the match, when in a fast counter-attack between Borg and Cremona, MATTHEW BORG tapped the ball at the back of the net.

Xghajra equalised five minutes later, when the referee awarded a penalty, with MILAN POLENEC hit home from the spot.

Pembroke had a good chance on 38 minutes, when after a good run by Cilia, Borg’s header skimmed the woodwork.

A minute later, they took the lead again, when Micallef was seen fouling Leonardi in the area, with the referee awarding the second penalty of the match. From the spot, MATTHEW BORG saw his shot being slightly deflected by the goalkeeper, but still going into the net.

Xghajra saved the point on 75 minutes, when ALI MANAF tried his luck from outside the area, taking the opposing defence completely by surprise with a powerful drive.

Five minutes from time, Pembroke were down to ten men, when Matthew Borg committed his second bookable offence.

Xghajra: P. P. Camilleri, G. Saliba (L. Grech), C. Micallef, M. Leonardi, S. Camilleri, D. Axisa (T. Abela), B. Magro, M. Nosko, M. Polenec, A. Manaf, C. Magro

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

Referee: Emmanuel Grech

Marsa 2

Mtarfa 2

Marsa and Mtarfa gained a point each from the encounter between the two which ended in a two-all draw, in a splendid match filled with action on both sides. Mtarfa have now gone to 22 points and remain distant from relegation zone, whileMarsa with 15 points seem still destined for elimination from the Maltese league.

Marsa opened the scoring after 22 minutes of play, when after a good run along the left, YUSIF ABDULLAHI took goalkeeper Galea by surprise. Mtarfa equalised less than two minutes later, when after fleeing the opposing defence, Smier crossed central towards DODA HARUNA who chipped the ball past goalkeeper Grima and at the back of the net.

Mtarfa took the lead for the first time in the match 55 minutes into the game, when from a freekick, EDSON FALZON rose above everyone to direct a looping header past Grima.

Yet, as in the first half, Marsa equalised a couple of minutes later, when from a corner by Cioffi, SEAN CUTAJAR’s first timer seemed to cross the line, with defender Sammut trying in vain to clear the ball.

Marsa had another good chance on 70 minutes, when from a personal action by Brincat who crossed centrally to the unmarked Abdullahi, his shot on target went incredibly wide. Five minutes from time, Mtarfa missed a sitter, when from another personal action by Smier, his shot from an acute angle went inches wide.

Marsa: D. Grima, C. Cremona, D. Chircop, E. Camilleri, S. Cutajar, B. Zammit, J. P. Zammit, C. Cioffi, D. Agius, K. Brincat, Y. Abdullahi

Mtarfa: D. Galea, J. Azzopardi, J. Fenech, R. Sammut, J. Muema Munjao (P. Azzopardi), R. Zammit, O. Smier, G. Curmi, K. Micallef (S. Peplow), D. Haruna, E. Falzon

Referee: Daryl Agius

Kalkara 2

Marsascala 4

Marsascala won their eight seasonal match as they beat Kalkara convincingly 4-2.

Marsascala surely deserved the three points because they were the better team and in the second half they took advantage of their opportunities.

Marsascala took the lead on their first real action when on the 8th minute a shot from outside the box by Jesmond Scicluna hit the woodwork but finished beyond the fatal line.

Kalkara made a reaction and equalised when Musha passed to Jacob Camilleri and after he controlled the ball buried past Bajada with a powerful low shot. On the 23rd minute a shot from Christopher Zammit finished wide.

Marsascala went in front on the 57th minute from Christian Schembri. Marsascala made sure of the three points on the 69th minute from Nazzareno Abela.

The prolific scorer added another one five minutes to score his eight seasonal goal. Kalkara scored a consolation goal on the 82nd minute from Abduljawed Musha.

The same player was sent off on the 92nd minute for two yellow cards

Kalkara: C. Bajada, M. Cassar, J. Camilleri, S. Camilleri, D. Zammit, J. Zahra (C. Caruana), S. Cucciardi, C. Bilocca (J. Galea), D. Gauci, C. Zammit (K. Agius), A. Musha

Marsascala: J. Peplow, N. Slavchev, C. Bordieri, J. Scicluna, S. Callus (A. Yeomans), F. Peplow, M. Said, C. Schembri (M. Pace), A. Dominicus, N. Abela (D. Grima), C. Zammit

Referee: Gordon Barbara

St Lucia 1

Sirens 0

St Lucia won three important points when the beat Sirens 1-0 to keep hoping for a promotion. This was a quiet match with few actions towards the posts.

The goal that decided the encounter came on the 61st minute when prolific striker Basil Chibueze scored goal number 17 in the season and put his team in-front. I

n the last minutes, Sirens tried to score the equaliser but St Lucia controlled well to claim three precious points.

St Lucia: D. Carabott, C. Goodrum, H. Friggieri, M. Agius, J. Galea, M. Spiteri, C. Camilleri (J. Vella), J. Bugeja, M. Farrugia (B. Chetcuti), N. Corito (J. Micallef), B. Chibueze

Sirens: N. Attard, D. Sant, J. Grech, A. Gheongho Nada, N. Scerri, G. Vella, C. Vella, G. Falzon, A. Xuereb, R. Scibberas (G. Gauci), G. Grant (A. Alken)

Referee: Trustin Farrugia Cann