Leagues C and D of the BNF U17 Leagues returned this weekend, presenting a number of tight encounters and stunning upsets. There were no U15 matches during the weekend, and none from Leagues A and B of the U17 section.
U17 League C – Matchday 5
Mellieħa SC continued their title charge over the weekend thanks to the brilliance of Layth Saeb Kuwafi, who scored a brace to guide them to a 2-0 win over Żurrieq FC.
The match was one contested between teams at opposite ends of the table, as league leaders Mellieħa took on Żurrieq, who were second from bottom. The difference in league positions showed in the early stages, with the home side controlling most of the play, yet underdogs Żurrieq were putting up a good fight.
However, the breakthrough eventually came in the 33rd minute through Kuwafi, the league’s top scorer, who put Mellieħa a goal in front. From that point onwards, Mellieħa took even greater control of the match, and while they failed to find the net again in the first-half, they were stringing a couple of neat passes together.
The second-half continued as the first ended, and midway through the half, Kuwafi was once again on target to double Mellieħa’s lead and ensure the win. Kuwafi has now scored 11 goals in five games, being the outright top scorer of the division, and a threat to any defence in the league.
While Mellieħa maintained their hold on top spot with 13 points, they are being closely followed by Luqa St Andrew’s FC and Marsaskala FC, who are both a point behind.
Luqa ensured they kept up the pace with a resounding 4-0 victory over Sirens FC.
The Reds made a quick start to the match, going in front within the opening minute of the encounter thanks to Damian Brincat. This set the tone for what was to follow later in the match, but for the rest of the first-half, Sirens stood firm and denied Luqa a second goal.
It was in the second-half that Luqa really came into their own, particularly going forward. Luqa were awarded a penalty in the 54th minute, and Jake Cappello, the club’s top scorer this season, made no mistake to double their lead. Brincat followed this up with another goal in the 59th minute, before Cappello rounded off the win with his second and Luqa’s fourth in the 74th minute. Cappello and Brincat are proving to be one of the most in-form duos in the division, with the former having seven goals and the latter having five goals, so far this season.
Marsaskala were also on the winning end of a comfortable victory, beating Lija Athletic FC 5-0 over the weekend.
Karl Mallia fired Marsaskala in front in the seventh minute, and his goal was then quickly followed up by another from Diego Zammit just five minutes later, scoring from the penalty spot. With the game already at 2-0 after 12 minutes, Marsaskala were in the ascendancy and were dominant throughout most of the first-half. Their excellent start to the match was capped off with a third goal in the first-half, as Shemizon Mifsud made it 3-0 in the 34th minute.
The goals dried up after the break, with both sides making a number of changes. However, Marsaskala seemed to regain their confidence going forward towards the latter stages of the match, particularly Nick Caruana, who came on in the 64th minute. The forward found the net twice in the in the final 10 minutes, completing an excellent 5-0 win for the home side.
U17 League D – Matchday 5
Swieqi United had to rely on a late goal to earn all three points against Attard FC, maintaining their hold on top spot in League D.
Swieqi United 1-0 Attard FC at Siġġiewi Ground – Photo by Timmy Cutugno
With the two sides obtaining maximum points from their previous three games, the game was always going to be a tight encounter. This was evident in the first-half, as both Swieqi and Attard went end to end in search of a breakthrough.
After 80 minutes of tight midfield battles, the deadlock was eventually broken, and the Owls were the ones to go ahead. Kaidon Cuschieri D’Agostino, who had come on just five minutes earlier, scored the decisive goal that won Swieqi all three points, taking them up to top of the league despite having a game less than most of the surrounding teams.
One of the most interesting games of the weekend came between Marsaxlokk FC and Msida St Joseph FC at Marsaxlokk Ground, with both sides making impressive starts to their respective seasons.
Marsaxlokk were the ones to come out on top on the day, beating the Saints 3-0.
The match was a very close contest in the opening stages, with the two sides struggling to work an opening. Marsaxlokk’s opening goal came right on the stroke of half-time through Jancarlos Attard, ensuring Marsaxlokk went into the break with a one-goal lead.
Marsaxlokk used that goal to their advantage in the second-half, and they seemed to be more free going forward, mounting more and more attacks as Msida looked for an equaliser. In the 52nd minute, Marasaxlokk were awarded a penalty, and while captain Torsten Grech failed to put away the chance from the spot, he scored from the subsequent rebound to double their lead.
Grech was also on target in the latter stages of the match, scoring Marsaxlokk’s third to seal a 3-0 win and three vital points. With the victory, Marsaxlokk are now level on points with Msida, and are only narrowly behind on goal difference.
In an encounter further down the table, Siġġiewi FC secured a crucial win over Għargħur FC to overtake their opponents in the standings.
Prior to the match, the two sides were sitting in seventh and eighth, having only accumulated three points in their previous four games.
Siġġiewi FC 4-1 Għargħur FC at Siġġiewi Ground – Photo by Timmy Cutugno
Both teams have struggled defensively this season, and it was no different during the weekend. It took Siġġiewi just 19 minutes to open the scoring thanks to Michael Sciberras, extending his run to four consecutive games on the scoresheet, one of the few shining lights of Siġġiewi’s season so far. He was then quick to double their lead scoring again in the 35th minute to make it 2-0, and the home side seemed to be in complete control of the encounter.
Following the break, Siġġiewi continued to look like the better of the two teams, and it became increasingly clear through the scoreline, as Kayden Zammit found their third in the 60-minute mark. Għargħur would get a goal of their own in the 89th minute through Yan Aquilina, but any hopes of a comeback were already dim, and they were then completely wiped out by Sciberras, who completed his hat-trick in the second minute of stoppage time, sealing a sensational 4-1 win for the Stripes.
Sciberras is now among the top scorers of the division, having scored six goals this season, a tally that is only bettered by Marsaxlokk’s Grech, who has seven.
