The Amateur League I competition is hotting up with Birzebbuga St Peters Montekristo, Attard, Vittoriosa Stars Orsini and Luqa St Andrew’s just within a few points of each other in the table.
Vittoriosa Stars D’Orsini FC 4-1 Xghajra Tornados FC
Vittoriosa Stars D’Orsini FC got an excellent win over Xghajra Tornados FC in a top-half clash, allowing them to leapfrog their opponents up into fifth place.
The game started with Xghajra kicking it off. Vittoriosa had a good chance in the opening minutes as Godwin Emmanuel was played down the line, before crossing a ball to Calvin Camilleri who was alone in the box, yet he was denied a goal by a good save from goalkeeper Levi Saliba.
The first goal came in the 13th minute as a ball was played over the top by Camilleri to Emmanuel, who beat his man for pace, cut inside and scored. His second came shortly after as a cross from the right by Jeremy Busuttil was taken down excellently by Emmanuel, taking the goalkeeper out of the play before tapping the ball into an empty net in the 21st minute.
The firing forward could have had a first-half hat-trick as a cross from the right found him free in the box, yet he unluckily hit the post with his header in the 28th minute.
Vittoriosa had more of the ball in the game, yet Xghajra still kept pushing up. The away side’s relentlessness paid off in the 75th minute as captain Francesco Gusman scored thanks to a flick at the back post after the ball was played into the penalty area after a cleared corner.
However, Vittoriosa responded as Emmanuel was played down the line and beat his man for pace again to cut inside, beat the goalkeeper, and slot the ball home in the 82nd minute. He got his fourth goal of the match two minutes later after catching the goalkeeper off his line, striking the ball from outside of the box to beat the goalkeeper.
Zejtun Corinthians FC 1-5 Qrendi FC
Qrendi FC continued to climb up the league table with another impressive win against a struggling Zejtun Corinthians FC side, leaving the away side with just two points after eight matches.
Qrendi got off to a roaring start after just a minute when Isaac Abela smashed home from close range to put Zejtun in even further trouble. Two minutes later, it could have been 2-0 with Abela missing a sitter just in front of goal as the Corinthians were reeling.
Qrendi doubled their lead on 19 minutes when a fine personal move by Andrade Fernandes ended with a low shot into the net. Another chance went begging for Qrendi on the half-hour mark when Ryan Spiteri saw his low shot saved for a corner by Saliba.
The third goal came midway through the second half when Ayesller Carvalho carved through the Zejtun defence with a fine effort. The points were secured for Qrendi by that point with Zejtun giving up the ghost and never looking like they were getting back into the match.
The fourth goal came on 73 minutes courtesy of Brandon Bray who smashed a brilliant shot past a hapless Saliba. Two minutes later it was five with Bray getting his brace as the Corinthians were being completely routed.
Zejtun grabbed a consolation goal six minutes from time through a penalty converted by Stefi Cale, but by that time the result was academic.
Rabat Ajax FC 0-5 San Gwann FC
San Gwann FC produced a first-half display to remember against a Rabat Ajax FC team that is struggling to get going this season, being the only side in the division to still be without a point.
On 13 minutes, San Gwann took the lead after an excellent shot by Ricardo Nahuel Velasquez which left Rabat goalkeeper Jean Vella with no chance. San Gwann were completely superior in the opening stages and doubled their advantage on the 28-minute mark when a scorcher by Mattia Zarb cannoned into the roof of the net.
On the half-hour, San Gwann practically sewed up the points with their third goal scored courtesy of Matteo Vella, who calmly finished into the net after an excellent pass from Velasquez. The same Vealsquez could have made it four just before half-time but his shot from a couple of yards was brilliantly blocked by Vella.
The fourth goal came right at the start of the second half through an excellent header by Matteo Vella who tucked it away to make it a brace. On 66 minutes it was 5-0 with Velasquez notching his second with a fine low shot as the game had merely become a statistic.
Msida St Joseph FC 0-4 Birzebbuga St Peter’s Montekristo FC
Birzebbuga St Peter’s Montekristo FC maintained their hold on top spot with a comfortable victory against an out-of-form Msida St Joseph FC team, with the league leaders remaining unbeaten after eight matchdays.
The game started with Birzebbuga kicking it off. The first goal came in the 30th minute as Msida’s Domenico Marsala misjudged a ball from a goal-kick, bouncing over him into the path of Birzebbuga’s Samuel Saidanha who chipped the goalkeeper to give his team the lead.
Saidanha almost doubled his tally a minute later as he received the ball from Jamie Magri Overend outside the box, before taking a shot, yet it smacked the crossbar.
Saidanha found his second goal in the 47th minute as Magri Overend won the ball in the middle, before playing the forward down the line, who then beat his defender for pace and slot the ball past the goalkeeper. Birzebbuga found their third a few minutes later as Thomas Vassallo Mintoff was played in behind thanks to a good ball from Magri Overend who split two Msida defenders, but is denied by goalkeeper Nathan Steve Mangion, who unfortunately couldn’t keep out Ryan Sammut’s shot in the 51st minute who scored to make it 3-0.
Saidanha then completed his hat-trick in the 88th minute after receiving the ball outside of the box, taking a shot on his left foot and finding the top right corner to seal the win and a brilliant performance from his side.
Kirkop United 3-2 Qormi FC
Kirkop United left it late to get a stunning win and all three points against Qormi FC, in a match that could be vital for the league positions towards the middle of the table.
Qormi were looking to get a win to keep up the pace with those at the top, including the likes of Birzebbuga.
In fact, the Canaries were not messing about, and they went ahead after just six minutes, when a fine free-kick found Steven Schembri, who headed into the net with ease.
Kirkop were unlucky not to equalise on 18 minutes when a superb shot by Ryan Dalli from just outside the penalty area slammed against the crossbar. Qormi also had a chance to go 2-0 up on the 20-minute mark, but Jamie Lee Micallef steered his shot just wide from an excellent position.
However, Kirkop turned the game around in the space of two minutes right at the start of the second half. 51 minutes into the game, Ryan Dalli converted a penalty, and just a minute later, Misael Tabone had a fine effort that gave Qormi goalkeeper Miguel Montfort no chance.
Qormi were keen to react, and they almost equalised on 67 minutes when Jayden Borg headed just wide from a corner. The pressure eventually paid off as Qormi won a penalty two minutes from time, which was cooly converted by Borg.
However, it was Kirkop who got the win at the very end, after a free-kick by Matthew Borg deep in stoppage time beat Montfort, much to the jubilation of the Kirkop support and staff. The win helped narrow the gap between Kirkop in 10th and the top half of the table.
Pembroke Athleta FC 1-2 Attard FC
Attard FC got their third win on the trot as Ivan Zammit’s side beat Pembroke Athleta FC 2-1.
Attard started off on the front foot as in the seventh minute, Josmar Galea latched onto Camilo Del Castillo Escobar’s free-kick from the right side with a header, but Galea’s attempt at goal was smartly turned away for a corner by Dean Sciberras.
In the 18th minute, Attard took the lead as a left-sided corner by Kieran Xuereb was misjudged by Sciberras, and the ball fell perfectly for a header for Nicholas Schembri who headed off the post and into the empty net.
In the 35th minute, following a freekick, Bledi Alla had an opportunity to double his side’s lead, but his half-volley was saved well by Sciberras. In the 42nd minute, Pembroke found the equaliser as Kyle Sciberras Balbi did well to recover the ball for his side at the far end of the pitch in his own half, put a long ball towards Weverton Gomes, who controlled the ball, took on two defenders and finished with his left foot across the keeper into the bottom-right corner.
In the first half, both teams had a very clear way of playing, with Pembroke looking to play the long ball to Gomes from the back and Attard playing good passing football and looking to capitalise on set-pieces.
In the second half, in the 50th minute, Schembri’s overhead kick went just wide following a Nick Ghio long throw. In the 77th minute, Lydon Cuschieri put in a left-footed cross from the left side of the pitch, which was half cleared to the edge of the box, where there was Jed Valletta to attempt a left-footed shot which went just over the bar.
On the 78-minute mark, Roderick Taliana’s right-footed freekick from the left side was parried by Attard goalkeeper and skipper Zach Valletta. A minute later, Pembroke went down to 10 men as John Sebastian Montano Rodriguez was sent off for a second yellow card, two minutes after he had received his first booking.
In the 82nd minute, Attard took the lead when the ball was put up the field by the defence towards the right flank where there was Valletta, who shifted the ball to Schembri in the middle, who continued to the left side towards Cuschieri who finished with a left-footed shot into the back of the net, with the goalkeeper unable to reach the ball in time.
For the rest of the game, Attard controlled the tempo of the game and managed to hold on and obtain an important three points for their title hopes.
Marsaskala FC 2-2 Mellieha SC
Marsaskala FC got their second point of the season which could prove to be a very important one in their fight against relegation.
As expected given their superior league position, Mellieha SC were the ones who got going first in the game, and quickly went into the lead when in the eighth minute, Marc Bolane Kakou Adonis won a penalty and converted it himself into the bottom left. Five minutes later, however, Marsaskala got their equaliser when Paolo Zammit put in a cross into the box and after a bit of confusion, the ball came to James Oghenekewaro who tapped the ball in to level the scoring.
Three minutes later and Marsaskala had another attempt at goal when Christopher Galea put in a corner towards the back post where there was a rising Mikele Vella, who headed just over the bar. In the 26th minute, Mikele Vella had another opportunity with a header at the back post as a cross was flung in from the left side, this time his attempt being saved by Anthony Curmi in goal.
In the first half, it first looked like Mellieha were going to be the dominant side, but the game evened out after Marsaskala’s equaliser. In the second half however, it was Mellieha who retook the lead as in the 62nd minute, Alexander Akl laid the ball off to Adonis who finished the ball from inside the penalty area into the bottom right.
Shortly after again, Marsaskala equalised, as in the 64th minute, Nobukatsu Tsuchiya was sent through on goal and finished on the stretch with his left foot into the bottom right.
In the 76th minute, Malcolm Vella Vidal’s shot from inside the penalty area went just wide. A couple of minutes later, Marsaskala went down to 10 men as James Oghenekewaro was sent off with a straight red. In stoppage time, the game opened up for both sides as Mellieha were trying to capitalise on having an extra man and tried to go for the win, and Marsaskala utilised Tsuchiya’s pace to attack on the counter.
In the fourth minute of stoppage time, Tsuchiya went on a run a passed to Liam Bugeja whose shot from outside the box was powerful but off target. Immediately after, at the other end, Mellieha also missed a good chance from a Michael Camilleri cross, where the shot went just wide. In the sixth minute of stoppage time, Wayne Chetcuti’s half-volley from just outside the penalty went wide, and the game finished in a draw.
Gharghur FC 0-1 Luqa St Andrew’s FC
Luqa St Andrew’s FC cemented their spot in second place in the table after a win against Gharghur FC, who are finding it difficult to leave the bottom part of the standings.
Despite the stark difference in league positions, Gharghur were the ones to create the first chance of the match with a fine effort from Miguel Simiana that was well saved by Aidan Portelli.
Luqa replied on 36 minutes with a shot by Sherif Mhammed Iddrisu that was well stopped by James Abela. The rest of the half was a staid affair with Luqa struggling to find opportunities up front.
The second half started in similar fashion, with Gharghur coming close with another shot by Simiana that went just over. On 70 minutes, Gharghur missed a glorious chance when Samuel Agius was put clear on goal, but Portelli saved well.
Luqa finally took the lead on 77 minutes through an excellent header by Iddrisu that left Abela with no chance. The Saints controlled the game with ease after that important goal, rising to second place in the table, just behind Birzebbuga.
