Qormi    2
Qrendi  0

After gaining promotion to the top division last week, Qormi yesterday clinched the First Division title beating Qrendi with a goal in each half. Qormi fully deserved their victory yesterday as they attacked for long stretches, even though they had to wait till the 90 th minute to put their minds at rest.

Qormi thus crowned a memorable season to become worthy champions after a good run and some impressive performances. Qormi were always on top of the standings and only showed some signs of weakness in the second round, but they still held their ground to finally clinch the promotion and the title.

Qormi stormed forward from the initial whistle pushing Qrendi inside their own penalty area. Qormi had several scoring chances with the best chance coming on twenty minutes when Caetano Da Silva's shot was cleared off the goal line by Martini.

Six minutes later the Qrendi goalkeeper made a daring sortie to block Caetano Da Silva. On 40 minutes Michael Camilleri headed over the bar and seconds later the Qrendi goalkeeper made another outstanding save off Luke Busuttil.

On 44 minutes Qormi finally broke the deadlock when a Lubos Adamec freekick smashed against the crossbar and from the rebound, Michael Camilleri was on hand to tap the ball home.

Qormi continued where they left on the resumption with Borg making another brilliant saev off an Adamec header on 64 minutes. Qrendi introduced Santo Da Hora and Martins Da Silva to add punch upfront where they were practically ineffective throughout the match.

Three minutes from time Qrendi almost surprised their opponents when Martins Da Silva dribbled past three Qormi defenders but failed to score with only Azzopardi to beat with the ball missing the target by a whisker.

Sixty seconds later Qormi sealed the game and the title when Luke Busuttil finished off in style after a fast Qormi break caught the Qrendi defence napping.

Qormi: J. Azzopardi, C. Vella (B. Grech 57 min), L. Adamec, Y. Yankam, L. Busuttil, J. Caetano Da Silva (T. Gusman 82 min), A. Abela (N. Ghio 77 min), A. Cassar, D. Vukovic, C. Matombo, M. Camilleri.

Qrendi:  J. Borg, B. Bondin (A. Formosa 46 min), P. Mrvic, Z. Bowman, E. Amaira, D. Zarb, T. D'Amato, S. Nakamura (J. Sousa Martins Da Silva 72 min), K. Abela, A. Agius, D. Martini (D. Santos Da Hora 72 min).

Referee:  Warwick Herbert (Gibraltar)

Zejtun earn play-off spot

Zejtun C 6
Vittoriosa S 0

Zejtun made sure of third spot in the standings by easily beating Vittoriosa 6-0, making sure in the first half by building a five-goal lead.Now Zejtun eagerly await the outcome of the last round of the Premier League to know their opponents in the play-off.

Zejtun took the lead after 90 seconds when Adam Smeir shot home from an ideal position.

Adam Smeir hit the crossbar minutes later and on 17 minutes Adrian Carabott doubled the score.

Sixty seconds later Johan Castano made it three and the same player scored a fourth goal on 37 minutes with a header from an Adam Smeir corner.

Five minutes from the break Zejtun scored their fifth goal with another header, this time from defender Yessous Camilleri who finished off a Saturday Nanapere corner.

The second half was far less emotional with Zejtun enjoying a training spin, and just before the final whistle they scored their sixth and final goal thanks to ex-Hamrun Spartans player Saturday Nanapere.

Żejtun C: D. Zarb, A. Carabott, N. Tabone (E. Vella 62 min), C. Giordemaina, J. Castano, D. Albanese (A. Scozzese 46 min), G. Sultana (K. Spagnol 51 min), S. Nanapere, A. Smeir, B. Farrugia, Y. Camilleri.

Vittoriosa S: K. Magri, T. Abela Wilson, A. Farrugia, D. Fava, J.C. Galea, J. Pace (K. Attard 75 min), C. Spiteri, K. Degiorgio, T. Arakawa, E. Mbong (A. Leilis 72 min), F. Arriagada Mella (O. Obiefule 58 min).

Referee: Stefan Pace 

Late winner puts Pieta back in the Premier

Pieta H                  2
Mqabba                 1

Pieta Hotspur are back in the Premier after a three-year absence as they beat Mqabba with a late winner in a decisve match yesterday. Pieta needed the three points at stake but were made to suffer by a spirited Mqabba side who didi not deserve to leave the pitch empty handed. Lawrence Chiedozie was Pieta’s hero scoring both goals to put his tally to 13 so far this season.

Pieta started on the offensive with Chiedozie testing Debono who made a great save. But on eight minutes Pieta took the lead when Chiedozie scored with a low drive from the edge of the area.

Mqabba hit back with an Ojuola header, and on 23 minutes went close with a Paul Chimezie drive that hit the base of the upright. On 35 minutes the Mqabba custodian made a string of incredible saves on shots from Chiedozie, Busuttil and Mensah. A minute from the break Mqabba were again unlucky when a majestic Michael Borg freekick smashed against the upright.

On the resumption Mqabba dictated matters and obtained a deserved equaliser on 64 minutes when Paul Chimezie hit home from close range after a melee in front of goal following a Trebovac shot.

Mqabba continued to attack in search of a winner but were dealt a killer blow five minutes from time when Lawrence Chiedozie score the winner after a fast break and a good Busuttil pass.

Pieta H: J. Chircop, T. Bartolo, C. Degabriele, J. Ishaya Irimiya, G. Mensah (J.M. Artiaga 90 min), N. Pace Cocks, D. Agius, A. White, C. Grech, J. Busuttil (N. Pisani 89 min), L. Chiedozie.

Mqabba: J. Debono, R. Mandic, R. Tantie (S. Darmanin 52 min), N. Ojuola (T. Trebovac 31 min), G. Gesualdi, M. Del Negro (L. Micallef 46 min), M. Borg, B. Muscat, G. Micallef, K. Cutajar, P. Chimezie.

Referee: Glenn Tonna

Easy for Zebbug

Zebbug R 5
Sirens 2

Zebbug obtained an easy 5-2 victory over Sirens in a typical end of season match.

Arilson Mello Da Silva scored a hat trick for Zebbug, with the other goals coming from Larson Mallia and Ryan Micallef.

Larson Mallia also missed a penalty for Zebbug in the first half. Sirens scored their goals through Michael Micallef and Ethan Goodman.

Żebbuġ R: J. Farrugia, G. Camilleri, S. Schembri (R. Micallef 44 min), M. Bonnici, F. Gusman, C. Gauci, A. Curmi, L. Mallia (D. Grima 86 min), A. Mello Da Silva, L. Grech (T. Hili 74 min), A. Obaje.

Sirens: R. Marmara, D. Sant, K. Etim (L. Sant 50 min), B. Kremenovic, L. Zammit, I. Curmi, J. Zammit, E. Goodman, L. Galea, D. Agius (K. Chircop 76 min), M. Micallef (L. Cutajar 83 min).Referee: Fyodor Zammit 

Melita join Rabat in Division Two

Melita                    0
San Gwann         3

Melita suffered three first half goals against San Gwann to join Rabat Ajax in Division Two next season. Melita’s residual hopes faded away after the first period in which they suffered three goals and never recovered in the second part.

It was a sad and obvious ending of a dismal season for Melita who were always struggling and rarely gave the impression they could make it.

The match had a very tame start with the first attempt at goal created by Melita on 32 minutes when a Lydon Micallef shot was saved by Camilleri. Sixty seconds later San Gwann took the lead Kanzurov and Borg combined well with the ball coming towards Sergio Hili who shot low into the net.

Melita tried to hit back but suffered a second goal five minutes from the break when David Fenech beat Grima with a shot from the edge of the area. Two minutes later San Gwann made it three when Petar Kunzarov headed home from close range a Henshaw cross.

The second half had nothing or little to offer as San Gwann easily controlled their three goal advantage with Melita practically throwing in the towel and resigning to playing second division football next season.

Melita: N. Grima, F. Lufi (K. Mohnani 46 min), J. Abela, M. Galea, M. Cassar, E. Cornago, N. Bradshaw, M. Russo (L. Micallef 70 min), A. Borg Olivier, L. Micallef (T. Singleton 46 min), R. Parrado.

San Gwann: A. Camilleri, S. Hili (A. Abela 54 min), A. Borg, T. Lopes de Souza, K. Gatt (G. Pace 65 min), R. Zammit, J. Bowman, G. Blessing, P. Kanzurov (K. Grech 85 min), D. Fenech, A. Cachia.

Referee: Ishamel Barbara

Kurt Borg scores five in Zabbar’s massive win

Rabat A                0
Zabbar SP            6

Zabbar secured at least a relegation play-off when they easily disposed of already doomed side Rabat Ajax in a one way traffic affair. Kurt Borg was Zabbar’s hero scoring five goals to bring his tally so far this season to an impressive seventeen goals. Zabbar were too good for their opponents, playing some great football in the process.

Zabbar went out on the offensive and after three minutes a Dylan Micallef grounder slightly missed the base of the upright. Five minutes later the same Dylan Micallef was tripped inside the area by Zachary Tanti and from the resultant penalty Kurt Borg sent Vella the wrong way.

Zabbar continued to dictate with Stewart missing a sitter in front of goal. On 15 minutes Zabbar doubled the score with a breath taking move with Diacono passing towards Kurt Borg who finished in style.

Zabbar were a delight to watch and on 20 minutes Dylan Micallef’s shot smashed against the crossbar. Two minutes later Kurt Borg notched his hat trick beating a couple of defenders before putting at the back of the net.

Goals kept coming for the young Zabbar and Kurt Borg was on the mark again five minutes from the break when he finished off a Stewart-Diacono move.

Eight minutes into the second half Kurt Borg scored his fifth personal goal when he tapped in from close range after a good run by Shalon Diacono. Fifteen minutes from time Dylan Micallef scored the sixth goal after a good cross from Diacono.

Rabat A: J.M. Vella, N. Attard, J. Caruana (M. Calleja 67 min), L. Vella (M. Calleja 62 min), W. Borg, G. Bugeja, A. Azzopardi, Z. Tanti, S. Abela, K. Saliba, K. Camilleri.

Zabbar SP: J. Grech, K. Borg (A. Agius 64 min), K. Cutajar, S. Diacono, D. Micallef (G. Tabone 76 min), C. Stewart (A. Azzopardi 54 min), K. Sacco, S. Pace Briffa, S. Cesare, D. Pace, C. Camilleri.

Referee: Matthew Degabriele