Rabat Ajax 0
St George’S 0

Rabat did not start the second round the way they finished the first, when they hammered fellow promotion hopefuls Melita, as they were held to a goalless draw by a solid St George’s side.
The Cottonera outfit looked happy with the point won even though they played an ultra-defensive game from start to finish. The Magpies, who beat St George’s 2-0 in the corresponding first round fixture, have joined Pietà Hotspurs at the top of the standings albeit they have played a game more.
Both sides had important players missing. Rabat had Arlindo Rustemi injured while Chris Muscat and Joseph Caruana were suspended as was coach Silvio Vella.
On their part St George’s had Heatcliff Schembri, Anthony Bonello and Emmanuel Sevasta suspended but at least following several games without a mentor they had new coach Ramon Zammit on the bench.
The first half was dominated by Rabat. Despite not setting any houses on fire they managed to create four goal-scoring opportunities. After 12 minutes a Vilson Caushi free-kick landed on to the crossbar.
Rabat continued to press forward and ten minutes later Yan Cauchi and Caushi combined well with the latter seeing his half volley saved well by Ryan Marmara.
The Magpies continued to attack and on 29 minutes it was Caushi again who played a good ball inside the Saints box with Dylan Falzon shooting straight at the goalkeeper.
Four minutes before the break it was Caushi who saw his volley finishing just wide.
The second half was a drab affair with scoring chances a rarity with the first scoring opportunity coming on the stroke of time when Caushi’s rising drive was cleared off the line by Zarb.
Two minutes into stoppage time a Gary Inguanez free-kick missed the target by a whisker.

Rabat Ajax: S. Mintoff; N. Caruana (W. Borg), C. Schembri, J. Cornforth, N. Farrugia, A. Smeir, D. Falzon, W. Causchi, Y. Cauchi, R. Micallef (J. Felice), D. Azzopardi.

St George’s: R. Marmara; A. Abela, D. Zahra, L. Rocha Dos Santos, R. Boutahir, E. Amaira, D. Zarb, G. Inguanez, K. Grech (C. Schiavone), C. Cesare, W. De Azevedo.

Referee: Sandro Spiteri.

Man of the Match: Vilson Caushi (Rabat Ajax).

St Andrew’s 1
Dingli Swallows 1

St Andrew’s and Dingli Swallows shared the spoils in a hard-fought encounter which could have gone either way.
Chances were far and few for both sides who filled their respective midfield to thwart the other in stamping their authority.
With this draw the Saints have now joined Melita and Żejtun Corinthians on the 20-point mark.
Dingli started the game on the attack and after six minutes Carlos Porcari controlled the ball in the area but his grounder just missed the base of the upright.
St Andrew’s replied four minutes later when Kurt Formosa almost committed an own goal when he tried to clear a Ryan Previ cross. Dingli managed to forge ahead on 16 minutes when Porcari was picked by Leontiv Konda to drive the ball home.
The Saints tried to hit back and on 35 minutes Arafa Nakuaa saw his drive well saved by the goalkeeper.
St Andrews kept possession and it was Nakuaa again a minute later whose first-time effort beat the goalkeeper but Porcari was on hand to clear the ball off the line.
On 58 minutes Nakuaa almost equalised for the Saints but his shot flew wide.
The Saints managed to draw level on 79 minutes when Gustavo Riberio outpaced the Dingli rearguard to slot the ball home from close range.
In the final moments it was St Andrew’s who risked more in their bid to try and win the match but the Dingli rearguard held on.

St Andrews: D. Balzan; N. Chetcuti, A. Camilleri Kamsky, B. Said, K. Galea, A. Nakuaa, R. Previ (W. Camilleri), M. Ellul, M. Calleja (M. Grima), V. Alinho Concalves, G. Ribeiro.

Dingli Swallows: J. Farrugia; K. Pace, A. Portelli, P. Ciantar, L. Konda, M. Brincat, K. Formosa, J. Sapiano (V. Sapiano), E. Farrugia, C. Porcari, C. Azzopardi.

Referee: Trustan Farrugia Cann.

Man of the match: Carlos Porcari (Dingli Swallows).

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