Żejtun Corinthians 6
Żebbuġ Rangers 1

Second Division champions Żejtun celebrated their success in great style last weekend as they rounded up their league calendar with a 16th win, hitting Żebbuġ for six in the process.

A minute’s silence was observed before the match in respect of Loreto Abela, a long-time Rangers official who passed away recently. At the end of the match, Żejtun captain Charlò Magro was presented with the cup by Malta FA vice-president Carmelo Bartolo.

Roared on by a huge crowd at the Centenary Stadium, Żejtun forged ahead after just three minutes from a penalty awarded for a foul on Oldi Majtara and converted by Silvio Sciberras.

Rangers did their best to soak up the pressure but on 13 minutes the score became 2-0 following a Majtara shot from an angle.

Żejtun continued to push forward, going close through Majtara before Żebbuġ reduced the arrears from a penalty, Timmy Thomas making no mistake from the spot.

On resumption, Thomas wasted a good chance to draw the teams level and Żebbuġ paid dearly for that miss as four minutes later Magro made it 3-1 with a fierce shot from the edge of the penalty area.

Amadeo Mercieca rocked the Rangers woodwork before two quick goals through Carmel Formosa put the game beyond Żebbuġ’s reach. Majtara added more shine to his team’s victory with another goal in stoppage time.

Żejtun: R. Farrugia, C. Magro, H. Schembri (D. Cosaitis), S. Sciberras (C. Formosa), E. Azzopardi, R. Cauchi (A. Mercieca), A. Carabott, J. Cachia, D. Vella, V. Camilleri, O. Majtara.

Żebbuġ: J. Vella, G. Mallia, J. Mercieca, C. Caruana, H. Doda, J. Agius (C. Cini), M. Deguara (D. Farrugia), T. Thomas, R. Spiteri, M. Farrugia, E. Cachia (B. Chetcuti).

Referee: Sammy Attard.

Birżebbuġa 1
Mellieħa 0

A late Ronnie Celeste goal earned Birżebbuġa promotion as Mellieħa were made to pay for adopting a rather cautious approach and they must now figure in a play-off for a slot in Division One next season.

Birżebbuġa went close first through Celeste and Carlos Camenzuli with the northerners, who only required a point from this match to seal promotion, coming back through efforts by Fabiano Bassi and Nikolay Filipov, that were stopped by goalkeeper Gabriel Mansueto.

Mellieħa were closing all avenues to their goal and in a quick break they almost took the lead but Bassi was again denied by Mansueto.

No result other than victory suited Birżebbuġa who doubled their efforts in the second half only to find keeper Simon Gauci in fine form for Mellieħa.

He stopped a shot by Camenzuli before Celeste hit wide with an open goal at his mercy.

Then, seven minutes from time, Gauci turned to corner another Camenzuli shot but from the flag-kick Celeste was on the right spot to beat the Mellieħa keeper for the goal that decided the issue.

Birżebbuġa: G. Mansueto, M. Pullicino, D. Baldacchino, B. Farrugia (M. Borg), N. Galea, A. Florin, F. Peplow (N. Tabone), C. Formosa, P. Camilleri, C. Camenzuli (K. Muscat), R. Celeste.

Mellieħa: S. Gauci, M. Vella, A. Portelli, H. Vella, M. Borg, R. Filipov (C. Muchmore), K. Gauci, N. Filipov, M. Vella, P. Camilleri (K. Simiana), F. Bassi (P. Taylor).

Referee: Glenn Tonna.

Mġarr United 0
St Patrick 4

St Patrick won by a convincing margin to win three precious points and force a decider for promotion with Mellieħa.

The Saints were the only team on the field of play but had to wait until the 26th minute to open the score from a penalty scored by Alex Ellul.

On the half-hour, Glen Barry made it 2-0 and Ellul added another goal before half-time.

The Saints held the initiative after the break and efforts by David Mamo and Simon Zerafa were both cleared off the goal line.

St Patrick were guilty of a series of missed chances before sealing the issue late on with a fourth goal scored by David Mamo.

Mġarr: C. Carbonaro, W. Camilleri, M. Bugeja (J. Said), W. Buttigieg, G. Said, J. Ebejer, C. Tabone, J. Borg (C. Bartolo), R. Marmara, E. Grech, M. Muscat.

St Patrick: J. Galea, S. Dimech, D. Gauci, S. Zerafa (R. Ellul), G. Barry, D. Mamo, A. Ellul (D. Micallef), J. Farrugia (C. Massa), R. Vella, M. Xerri, A. Portelli.

Referee: Mario Apap.

Żurrieq 0
Naxxar Lions 0

Ten-man Naxxar wrapped up their season with a goalless draw against Żurrieq.

The match was balanced until Gilbert Camilleri was shown a straight red card for foul language on 28 minutes. But before the break, Darren Falzon almost put Naxxar in front from a free-kick which was neutralised by keeper Reuben Debono.

Debono did well to keep out a Falzon shot in the second half and at the other end Żurrieq could have taken the lead when Warren Kiomall’s shot from a loose ball hit the bar.

Naxxar then won a free-kick which was taken by Gabriel Zanini Buys Duarte with the ball finishing just wide and late on Żurrieq’s Bellizzi wasted a clear opportunity when hitting badly from a good position.

Żurrieq: R. Debono, A. Barbara, D. Bellizzi, J. Lia, K. Sacco, M. Genuis, D. Bonnici, S. Azzopardi (K. Grech), C. Sumba (W. Kiomall), Jos. Briffa, A. Camilleri.

Naxxar: J. Azzopardi, J. Agius (K. Farrugia), K. Drago, M. Spiteri Gonzi, A. Fenech, G. Camilleri, J. Zammit (G. Zanini Buys Duarte), M. Del Negro (A. Del Negro), D. Falzon, D. Cauchi, G. Magri.

Referee: Mohammed Khalil.

Rabat Ajax 7
Gżira United 2

Promoted Rabat Ajax rounded up their league season with a superb performance and an emphatic win over Gżira United to continue with their build-up for the KO final against Żejtun on Sunday.

It was the Maroons who opened the score after five minutes through Richard Attard but the Magpies drew level 10 minutes later with a Dylan Falzon goal.

It stayed like that until half-time but the floodgates opened after the break when Rabat scored three goals in quick succession through Justin Felice, a Hubert Gatt Bonello own goal and Emeka Basil Onuta.

Keith Bonello pulled one back for Gżira but Felice and veteran Adrian Mifsud were again on the mark for Rabat. Felice notched his hat-trick in stoppage time for an emphatic 7-2 win for Rabat.

Rabat: J. Azzopardi (R. Camilleri), C. Schembri, J. Tonna, J. Caruana, Y. Camilleri, J. Felice, D. Falzon, C. Muscat, Y. Cauchi (E. Muscat), D. Azzopardi, E. Basil Onuta (A. Mifsud).

Gżira: R. Grech, H. Gatt Bonello, K. Bonello, T. Micallef, N. Gatt Coleiro (N. Zahra), D. Vella (S. Bonello), M. Cocks, J. Felice, Y. Tonna, R. Attard, A. Pirrone (D. Ciantar).

Referee: Andrew James Sammut.

San Ġwann 6
Senglea Athletic 3

Shaun Vella scored three times for San Ġwann in an entertaining end-of-season match against Senglea late Monday.

Miguel Francica and Vella (2) gave the Saints an early 3-0 lead. Senglea were nowhere to be seen and San Ġwann added a fourth goal through Joseph Chidi Achokwu on 21 minutes.

Senglea did manage to hit back and scored twice before half-time following goals by Ricardo Severino and Royter Degiorgio.

The Saints regained the upperhand after the break and Vella was again on the mark on 62 minutes following a fine solo move.

Six minutes later Francica finished off a good move by Vella and Severino scored another goal for Senglea for a more respectable scoreline.

San Ġwann: J. Spiteri (L. Camilleri), G. Agius, F. Cauchi (D. Galea), M. Mercieca, M. Francica, K. Vella, S. Vella, P. Xuereb, J. Chidi Achokwu (B. Fenech), A. Borg, M. Busuttil.

Senglea: E. Attard, E. Azzopardi, G. Tanti, G. Magri, T. Thomas (A. Spiteri), B. Zerafa (C. Borg), K. Galea, R. Severino, S. Aquilina, R. Adami, G. Brincat (R. Degiorgio).

Referee: Malcolm Spiteri.