Front runners set up decider after clear victories

The 2008/09 HAM National League reached a climax this season with champions Rabat and strong contenders Qormi both finishing their commitments on equal points and now a decider will have to be played on Sunday to determine a winner.

Qormi will be looking to break Rabat's monopoly in the championship. If they beat Qormi in the play-off, it will be Rabat's eighth league title in a row.

Young Stars 0
Pasta Poiatti Qormi 2

With little pressure on their shoulders, Young Stars settled down nicely to seize early control of this match. Marvin Vella could have scored for them but his reverse hit flashed just wide.

Young Stars kept up the pressure but in their first real foray inside the opponents' zone on 16 minutes Jonathan Borg's hard push from a free hit was deflected by Phillip Magri to beat James Mizzi in goal.

Young Stars again went on the attack and Ramon Chircop saved a fierce hit from Silvano Vassallo and yet another one from a Mark Camilleri effort.

However, from another counter-attack Borg and Magri combined well for Qormi to double their team's lead.

In the second half, Qormi were more menacing and could have scored a couple of more goals had it not been for some good goalkeeping by Mizzi.

On 28 minutes, Young Stars almost pulled one back when from a short corner, Borg denied them by clearing off the line with Chircop beaten.

Rabat Depiro 3
White Hart 1

Rabat knew that only a victory was good enough for them from this match so they went all out in attack and after a series of short corners they went ahead when Jonathan Micallef beat Vassallo Agius from a rebound.

White Hart were not lying back though and Luke Borg Costanzi hit home an equaliser on 11 minutes.

Now the game became a ding-dong affair and White Hart could have doubled through a fine move between David Agius and Paul Torpiano with Carl Tua just missing the ball to conclude.

White Hart paid dearly for that miss as on 29 minutes Rabat went 2-1 up with Micallef, once more, beating Vassallo Agius with a deflection from a short corner action.

At the change of ends, Rabat were all over their opponents and scored the 'killer' through Josef Antonelli.