Żurrieq hold leaders St Andrew's as Lija win

St Andrew's 0
Żurrieq 0

Żurrieq fully deserve the point gained against league leaders St Andrew's in a match during which the Saints attacked for long stretches but lacked punch upfront.

The Saints were close after just five minutes through a shot by Michael Calleja which just missed the target. They continued to push forward and on 24 minutes Julian Azzopardi did well to keep out Neil Chetcuti's shot.

Four minutes later, the Żurrieq custodian brought off a difficult save on a point-blank shot by Michael Grima and on 40 minutes Calleja shot just wide from close-range.

After the break the Saints increased the pressure and a dangerous cross by Nicky Vella Petroni was saved by Azzopardi and on other occasions attempts by Grima and Jonathan Bugeja were well saved by the Żurrieq keeper.

In a swift break on 76 minutes, St Andrew's striker Calleja dribbled past two Żurrieq defenders but shot just wide.

Four minutes from time, Żurrieq almost grabbed a shock winner through Darren Bellizzi from a Johan Briffa corner.

St Andrew's: R. Gauci, N. Chetcuti, A. Camilleri Kamsky, J. Briscoe White, J. Bugeja, M. Calleja, W. Camilleri, M. Valenzia (J.P. Calleja), A. Debono, N. Vella Petroni, M. Grima (E. Grima).

Żurrieq: J. Azzopardi, D. Bellizzi, A. Barbara, C. Gatt, J. Camilleri (D. Mula), M. Spiteri (M. Abdilla), J. Saliba, D. Bonnici, Joh. Briffa, Jos. Briffa, D. Zammit (S. Azzopardi).

Referee: Duncan Sultana.

Gżira United 1
Sta Venera L. 1

Sta Venera produced one of their best performances of the season to take a point from promotion favourites Gżira United. The Lightnings also missed a second-half penalty while Gżira had Malcolm Sultana sent off.

Gżira played the better football early on with Thane Micallef's low shot saved with difficulty by goalkeeper John Agius.

The Maroons forged ahead on 19 minutes with a fine shot from Keith Bonello while at the other end Andrew Hili's shot finished just over.

In the 25th minute Gżira were unlucky as a shot by Richard Attard hit the foot of the post.

Just before the break the Lightnings messed up two clear opportunities through Ismael Zammit and George Falzon.

After the interval, Sta Venera were the better team and on 50 minutes a Gareth Magri free-kick was stopped by Camilleri.

Gżira wasted two clear opportunities through Richard Attard and Alessandro Pirrone.

Seventeen minutes from time, Sta Venera were awarded a penalty when Sultana blocked with his hand Mark Grech's shot on the goalline. Sultana was dismissed and Stefan Farrugia's shot from the spot was saved by the Gżira custodian.

However, in the 86th minute Sta Venera deservedly drew level when Redeemer Borg's shot was partially saved by Camilleri but from the rebound Nenad Veselji pushed the ball into the net.

Gżira: K. Camilleri, A. White, H. Gatt Bonello, J. Tabone, M. Sultana, K. Bonello, J. Felice, T. Micallef, A. Galea (N. Gatt Coleiro), A. Pirrone (N. Corito), R. Attard (S. Gatt).

Sta Venera: J. Agius, A. Cachia (R. Borg), G. Magri, M. Muscat, S. Farrugia, G. Falzon (N. Veselji), A. Hili (G. Micallef), R. Carbonaro, A. Camilleri, M. Grech, I. Zammit.

Referee: Andrew James Sammut.

Lija Athletic 4
Rabat Ajax 3

Lija Athletic bounced back from their defeat to St Andrew's after battling past relegation-threatened Rabat Ajax. Lija are now just three points behind the leaders while the Ajax remained third from bottom.

Rabat took the lead in the 15th minute when a through-pass by Justin Felice was finished off by Alan Zahra.

Lija drew level in the 23rd minute when Heathcliffe Schembri headed in from a cross by Lydon Cilia.

Darmanin was unlucky not to put Lija ahead when he hit the post from a corner. But it was just a temporary reprieve for Rabat as two minutes later Schembri fired home from a Darmanin corner.

Two minutes later Lija made it 3-1 when Andre Scicluna headed the ball home from another Darmanin corner.

After the break, Rabat shared the exchanges with their opponents and pulled one back on 64 minutes with a fine shot from Carmel Tonna.

But Lija restored their two-goal lead three minutes later with a close-range shot by Antoine Sacco.

Rabat soon responded and pulled a goal back nine minutes from time through Kevin Cassar.

Lija: L. Bonnici, A. Saliba, A. Sacco (L. Desira Buttigieg), L. Cilia (B. Antignolo), K. Darmanin, J.P. Scerri, M. Schembri (A. Spiteri), M. Mangion, A. Scicluna, C. Ciantar, H. Schembri.

Rabat: J. Cilia, J. Caruana, S. Gauci (N. Caruana), J. Felice, A. Zahra (S. Cortis), A. Smeir, D. Falzon, K. Cassar, E. Muscat (K. Said), C. Tonna, D. Azzopardi.

Referee: Gordon Barbara.

Mellieħa 5
Gozo FC 0

Mellieħa chalked up their fourth win of the season after they eased past bottom-placed Gozo FC.

The Northerners were dominant in the early stages and Gozo keeper Darren Pace blocked efforts from Rueben Vella and Alex Portelli.

At the other end, Gozo's John Camilleri saw his shot cleared off the line by Matthew Vella. Mellieħa took the lead on 24 minutes when William Borg headed in from a Luke Cauchi free-kick.

On 31 minutes, a Borg free-kick was well saved by Pace while at the other end Abdul Moutalib's close-range shot was saved by Abela.

Mellieħa were in control on the restart and Ibrahim Tarek made it 2-0 after Wayne Borg St John's shot hit the upright.

Rio Micallef added a third on 53 minutes and Borg St John further increased Mellieħa's lead on 71 minutes.

Tarek wrapped up Mellieħa's victory with a fifth goal three minutes later.

Mellieħa: J. Abela, Mat. Vella, A. Portelli, H. Vella (I. Tarek), L. Cauchi, W. Borg (J. Vella), K. Gauci, P. Camilleri, W. Borg St John, R. Vella (Mar. Vella), R. Micallef.

Gozo FC: D. Pace, M. Azzopardi, A. Moutalib, N. Micallef, P. Spiteri, J. Camilleri, C. Sciortino, S. Muscat (M. Muscat), M. Mifsud, F. Debono, A. Debono.

Referee: Philip Farrugia.