Naxxar Lions 2
Lija Athletic 0

Anthony Ewurum spent many a game on the substitutes bench this season but yesterday he was included in Naxxar’s starting formation and played a starring role as he scored two goals that propelled his team to the Premier League.

Naxxar coach Winston Muscat surprised a few when he omitted Anderson Mendes Ribeiro and Darren Falzon from his line-up to deploy Ewurum and Marlon Briffa upfront.

However, the coach’s tactical ploy worked wonders as from the outset it was clear that Lija were only interested in getting the point they needed to secure them a top-two finish.

Naxxar will now face Vittoriosa in a decider for the Division One championship after both sides finished on the same number of points at the top of the standings.

The Lions went on the offensive right from the word go and Andre Rocha da Silva’s header looked destined to hit the back of the net but Dejan Vukovic was well placed to clear off the line.

A Pablo Doffo corner was headed goalwards by Rocha Da Silva but Bonnici saved.

Naxxar took the lead on 28 minutes when a Doffo free-kick deceived Bonnici with the ball hitting the bar and from the rebound Ewurum slotted the ball home.

A few minutes later another opportunity cropped up for Naxxar but Bonnici dived at the feet of Rocha Da Silva to save his goal.

Lija tried to react and Abdullahi Ige dribbled past two players before he was brought down just outside the box. Leontiev Konda drove the ball high from a free-kick and four minutes before the break an Erjon Beu shot was stopped by Azzopardi.

Naxxar started the second half on a cautious note as Lija finally came out of their shell, looking more determined in their play. However, it was Naxxar who created the first scoring opportunity from a Doffo free-kick which Bonnici saved.

Lions keeper Azzopardi made a fine save off Beu on 64 minutes after Ige had found him with a telling pass.

Azzopardi, again, was alert to stop a Beu volley and eight minutes from time Evano Briffa had a free-kick that graced the Naxxar crossbar.

The Lions were looking to find openings from quick breaks and five minutes from time Ewurum ran strongly to reach a Falzon pass before beating the goalkeeper to make sure of the Lions’ victory.

Naxxar: J. Azzopardi, L. Micallef, J. Vella, K. Drago, S. Eboh, V. Bellia, A. Rocha Da Silva (G. Camilleri), M. Briffa (D. Falzon), P. Doffo, A. Buhagiar, A. Ewurum (M. Del Negro).

Lija: L. Bonnici, C. Giordmaina, M. Fleri Soler, D. Scerri, E. Beu, D. Vukovic (T. Fleri Soler), L. Konda, E. Briffa, A. Scicluna, B. Antignolo (A. Sacco), A. Ige.

Referee: Marco Borg.

Man of the match: Anthony Ewurum (Naxxar Lions).

Pietà Hotspurs 4
Vittoriosa Stars 1

Pietà staged a superb second-half comeback to beat Vittoriosa Stars after going a goal down but their efforts proved futile as Naxxar beat Lija in the other top-of-the-table clash to secure promotion.

Pietà had Senior David and Raphael Kooh Sohna very much in the picture but it was Vittoriosa who had the last laugh as they will play Premier League football next season while the Hotspurs will have to wait another year.

Vittoriosa played a good first half but came a cropper after the break and now they will have to contest a decider against Naxxar to determine the section winners.

Pietà pressed for an early goal but Vittoriosa soon started to dictate matters and went in front on 16 minutes. They won a free-kick just outside the area and Gary Muir left keeper Miguel Montfort helpless with a well-placed grounder.

Siraj Arab almost made it 2-0 four minutes later but this time Montfort produced a fine save to keep the Hotspurs in the match.

At the other end, following a melee inside the Vittoriosa area, the ball fell to Kooh Sohna but he dallied his conclusion allowing the Stars’ rearguard to clear.

Cleaven Frendo tried his luck from well outside the Vittoriosa area on 39 minutes with the ball finishing just over the crossbar.

Pietà went close to making the score 1-1 in stoppage time but Kooh Sohna, after rounding keeper Jean Matthias Vella, lost possession and the chance was lost.

Pietà started the second half on attack with David and Kooh Sohna posing all kinds of problems to the Vittoriosa defence.

Samir Arab hit wide following a quick counter-break on 62 minutes and Vittoriosa were made to pay for that miss as Pietà equalised soon after, Kooh Sohna blasting home from close range after an inviting ball from David.

The Stars lost their plot and Pietà forged ahead on 67 minutes thanks to a Larson Mallia goal after David had sprinted strongly down the right flank before sending an inviting ball inside the opponents’ box.

Kooh Sohna’s effort was stopped by Vella but the Cameroon striker was not to be denied on 80 minutes when he exchanged passes with David before slipping the ball past the keeper.

Pietà added gloss to their win with a fourth goal late in the match, David beating Vella with a shot that went in via the crossbar.

Pietà: M. Montfort, M. Borg, R. Kooh Sohna, L. Mallia, S. David, C. Grech, A. Spiteri, C. Frendo, J. Pisani, K. Cesare (K. Attard), J. Zarate.

Vittoriosa: J.M. Vella, M. Barbara (S. Grech), M. Pereira, L. Vella Critien (L. Lagana), G. Muir, R. Dos Santos, M. Tabone, Siraj Arab, A. Spiteri, Samir Arab, R. Brincat (J. Camilleri).

Referee: Kevin Azzopardi.

Man of the match: Senior David (Pietà Hotspurs).

Mqabba 1
Birżebbuġa SP 4

Birżebbuġa found no difficulty in hammering bottom team Mqabba with Thiago Dos Santos Mazzitelli hitting a hat-trick against his former team in a one-sided match.

Mazzitelli opened the score early on from a free-kick that left Brandon Debono stranded on his goal-line and doubled their lead on 27 minutes from a Martin Deanov penalty.

On resumption, Mazzitelli drove home from close range from a Deanov corner to make it 3-0.

Mqabba reduced the arrears after a Paul Celeste howler who failed to hold a David Azzopardi free-kick.

However, a minute from time Mazzittelli drove the ball home from close range when left unmarked to pick a Periera Dos Santos cross.

Mqabba: B. Debono (C. Callus), A. Scicluna, C. Cutajar, A. Abdilla, J. Anegbe, C. Micallef, D. Bonnici, C. Calleja (R. Schembri), D. Azzopardi, R. Vella, J.P. Muscat

Birżebbuġa: P. Celeste (G. Farrugia), R. Micallef, J. Farrugia, M. Hrubsa (V. Dos Santos Periera), R. Mintoff, F. Peplow (R. Duca), P. Camilleri, M. Rizzolo Brisolla, M. Deanov, T. Mazzitelli, M. Camilleri.

Referee: Malcolm Spiteri.

Man of the match: Thiago Dos Santos Mazzittelli (Birżebbuġa).

Gżira United 2
Żejtun Corinthians 1

Gżira United completed their league commitments in winning fashion after having the better of Żejtun Corinthians.

The Maroons deserved their win in a match played in a slow tempo.

Gżira forged ahead on the half hour when they were awarded a penalty after Matthew Pisani floored Yanis Tonna in the area. Aaron Xuereb duly converted from the spot.

The Corinthians almost drew level when Adrian Carabott lobbed the ball over Gerada but White was on hand to clear off the line.

Very late in the match, Gżira doubled their lead when Sunny Ogbemudia hit a low shot that rattled the net.

The Corinthians reduced the arrears a minute later when Carabott hit home after receiving a pass from Kenneth Abela.

Gżira: K. Gerada, J.P. Vella (S. Shead), A. White, A. Xuereb, P. Grima, A. Shennowo, S. Meilaq, L. Camilleri, S. Ogbemudia, J.B. Gatt (J. Mangano), Y. Tonna (M. Tabone).

Żejtun: J. Tabone, E. Azzopardi, C. Magro, M. Pisani (K. Zahra), D. Zahra, Z. Vukovic, A. Farrugia, J. Spiteri, K. Abela, A. Carabott, J. Galea (K. Vassallo).

Referee: Philip Farrugia.

Man of the match: Aaron Xuereb (Gżira United).

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