Rabat A                1

Pembroke A       4

Pembroke registered another win, over bottom of the table side Rabat Ajax, to move to safer waters. It was a one way traffic affair with Pembroke showing superiority throught the whole match, with Rabat having nothing to offer.

After a quite start Pembroke took the lead on 19 minutes when Mifsud Triganza was floored by Kurt Muscat and from the penalty spot Doding priso scored sending the goalkeeper the wrong way. Six minutes later Pembroke doubled the score when Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza fired home a beauty direct from a freekick.

But two minutes later Rabat were back in business when Larens Vella was floored by Neil Grech and from the penalty spot Joseph Caruana fired home with the ball finishing against the crossbar before finishing at the back of the net.

On 36 minutes Yanis Tonna missed a golden opportunity when freed by Mifsud Triganza, but five minutes later Tonna made no mistake from close range when he fired home the rebound off the goalkeeper who partially saved Triganza’s effort from the edge of the area.

In the second half after a Wayne Borg shot missed the target, Pembroke made it four on 70 minutes when goalkeeper Vella mistimed his sortie from a Triganza freekick and defender Caio Alves De Souza nipped to score from close range.

Rabat A: J.M. Vella, L. Cauchi, J. Caruana, S. Gauci, S. Abela, N. Ciantar (L. Farrugia 89 min), W. Borg, A. Brincat (I. Abela 78 min), K. Muscat (M. Scicluna 83 min), L. Vella, Z. Tanti.

Pembroke A: K. Gerada, Z. Grech, D. Cachia, N. Grech, J.P. Mifsud Triganza, I. Misan, M.A. Borg (J. Vella Critien 85 min), D. Priso (W. Chircop 74 min), C. Alves De Souza, T. Fenech, Y. Tonna (A. Giloga 79 min)

Referee: Darko Stankovic

Hili freekick enough for San Gwann

Marsa                   0         

San Gwann         1

A freekick scored by Sergio Hili was enogh for San Gwann to grab the three points at stake and push Marsa in further trouble. For San Gwann this was the third successive victory and al in all it was a deserved victory as Marsa disappointed especially in the second half.

Marsa had the first opportunity after only two minutes when Paul Lapira’s grounder went slightly off target. On fiteen minutes San Gwann forged ahead when Henshaw was tripped just outside the area and from the resultant freekick Sergio Hili left Galea standing.

Four minutes later San Gwann mnissed a sitter when Kyle Gatt served Henshaw who all alone in front of goal failed to hit on target. On 20 minutes Marsa went close an equaliser when De Fex Marriaga’s freekick missed the upright by a whisker.

San Gwann however were always menacing with their fast breaks and the Marsa goalkeeper Wallace Galea denied Henshaw on two occassions with two daring saves that kept his side in the reckoning.

On the resumption Marsa failed to react and were rarely effective in front of goal with San Gwann controlling the match with relative ease. San Gwann on their part were not dangerous in their breaks even though Marsa left some open spaces at the back.

Marsa’s best chances came in the dying minutes when Dylan Pirotta’s header from close range went wide and in a melee in front of goal Mijic failed to connect. Just before the final whistle Marsa were reduced to ten men when Adrian Caruana received a second booking.

Marsa: W. Galea, E. Grech (D. Pirotta 73 min), N. Micallef, M. Busuttil, A. Caruana, M. Gauci, M. Camilleri, P. Lapira, R. De Fex Marriaga, M. Platisa (V. Stanic 79 min), L. Mijic.

San Gwann: E. Bartolo, A. Cachia, G. Henshaw, J. Azzopardi, S. Hili (J. Bowman 84 min), R. Zammit, K. Gatt (D. Fenech 57 min), A. Borg, T. Lopes De Souza, C. Gauci, M. Arieta Suarez (S. Ogundare 50 min).

Referee: Daniel Portelli

Late equaliser saves Qormi in top of the table clash

Mqabba        1

Qormi          1

Qormi snatched a point in the top of the table clash against Mqabba to maintain its six-point advantage over the same Mqabba and Pieta. Qormi can consider themselves lucky to earn a point from a match that was dominated for long stretches by Mqabba.

Mqabba made a strong start and took an earle lead but they failed to kill off their opponents with a second goal and in the end they were made to pay when Qormi obtained the equaliser who even went close to snatch a dramatic winner.

Mqabba were the better team in the first half especially in the opening stages with Gaetano Gesualdi heading wide from a Rennie Tanti cross. Sixty seconds later a Gianfranco Micallef attempt was well saved by the Qormi goalkeeper and on ten minutes Mqabba deservedly took the lead.

Paul Chimezie passed towards Gianfranco Micallef who fired home from close range with a low drive. Mqabba continued to dictate matters and Paul Chimezie was denied by a timed sortie by the Qormi goalkeeper.

On 15 minutes Qormi’s first attempt at goal with an overhead kick from Caetano da Silva that was blocked by Debono. The match slowed down for the rest of the first half with Mqabba in full control of the match.

In the second half Mqabba continued with a Trebovac effort going wide. Qormi’s first real attempt came as late as 79 minutes when Caetano Da Silva passed towards Alessio Cassar who was anticipated in the nick of time.

Four minutes from time Qormi drew level when ex Rabat striker Chris Vella beat Debono with a shot on the turn. In the remaining minutes Qormi almost scored a dramatic winner but Alessio Cassar’s header went inches wide.

Mqabba: J. Debono, B. Muscat, R. Tanti, G. Gesualdi, K. Cutajar, M. Borg, G. Micallef, M.Del Negro, P. Chimezie, T. Trebovac, N. Ojuola.

Qormi: M. Falzon, J.L. Gaetano da Silva (J. Salaroli 82 min), L. Busuttil, Y. Yankam, T. Guzman (M. Camilleri 60 min), L. Adamec, A. Abela, A. Cassar, D. Vukovic, C. Vella, B. Grech (C. Matombo 46 min).

Referee: Philip Farrugia

Zejtun stun Zebbug with two injury time goals

Zejtun                   3

Zebbug R             1

Zejtun scored two goals in stoppage time to claim victory over high flying Zebbug Rangers to open up new hopes of at least making it a play-off berth. However Zejtun still have some hurdles to succeed as the top clubs are still going strong.

The match was destined for a balanced and deserved draw, but Zejtun kept believing in their qualities to score two late goals to stun their opponents.

After a tame start Zebbug took the lead in their first real attempt when Francesco Guzman scored with a free header following a corner action. Zejtun took some time to settle down and were back on level terms six minutes from the break when Adam Smeir was floored inside the penalty area anf from the resultant penalty Andrea Scozzese made no mistake.

The second half did not change much with Zebbug having a slight edge over their opponents going near with shots from Leighton Grech. On 70 minutes Adam Smeir had another run but his shot was well saved by Farrugia.

On 87 minutes Obaje’s cross shot was parried by the Zejtun goalkeeper and from the rebound Ryan Micallef missed a good opportunity blasting over the bar. On 90 minutes Zejtun took the lead when an Adrian Carabott freekick was partially saved by farrugia and Junky Sato was on hand to tap in the rebound.

Sixty seconds later with Zebbug still under shock, Zejtun sealed with a third goal when ex-Rabat captain Adam Smeir finished off a good move from close range.

Żejtun C: J. Tabone, C. Giordemaina, A. Scozzese, S. Nanapere (J.A. Castano 66 min), N. Tabone, Elland Vella (A. Carabott 74 min), G. Sultana, B. Farrugia, J. Sato, A. Smeir, Emerson Vella.

Żebbuġ R: J. Farrugia, G. Camilleri, A. Curmi (A. Mello Da Silva 87 min), F. Guzman, L. Mallia (K. Zammit 71 min), R. Da Silva Gomes, C. Gauci, A. James Obaje, R. Micallef, S. Schembri, L. Grech.

Referee: Clayton Pisani