Senglea scored a goal in each half to see off Mqabba, yesterday.

Senglea Athletic 2
Mqabba 0

A Miguel Ciantar brace gave promotion favourites Senglea a fine start to the season in an evenly balanced match against Mqabba at the Centenary Stadium yesterday.

Although Ciantar scored both goals it was James Obaje Aud who took centre stage for the Cottonera outfit as he was a constant threat for the Mqabba defence.

Mqabba were the better side in the first 30 minutes, but as time went by Senglea started to gel well together showing their true mettle.

It was Mqabba who created the first opportunity when Junior Elijah latched onto a Rodney Caruana pass and after dribbling past Vella, he hit a firm drive from just inside the area but Jeffrey Farrugia was alert to block.

Mqabba threatened again on the half hour when a good one-two between Claudio Calleja and player coach Bojan Mamic finished with the former missing the target by a whisker.

Three minutes later, Senglea came close when a Dylan Sammut free-kick was tipped for a corner by Debono while a minute a later Pablo Doffo’s shot finished just wide.

Senglea continued to pile the pressure on the Mqabba rearguard and on 34 minutes an Obaje Aud cross-shot finished just over.

Two minutes later Hubert Vella just missed the target.

Senglea found the breakthrough following a well-worked move.

Obaje Aud picked Aboubakar Bello Osagie, who pulled the ball back into the path of Ciantar who hit a first-time shot that gave no chance to Debono.

On the restart Mqabba came out on the offensive and almost drew level when Mamic sped into the area but his deflected drive was well saved by Farrugia.

The Reds threatened again on 53 minutes when Calleja was put clear by Caruana but his shot was cleared off the line by Doffo.

Mqabba were made to pay for these missed chances as in a quick break, Ciantar dashed into the box and slid the ball past Debono.

Two goals to the good, Senglea now were easily administering their advantage as Mqabba had a tough task to get back into the match.

It was Senglea who were unlucky not to add a third goal on 78 minutes, Christian Cassar’s shot from a free-kick finishing just over.

Senglea: J. Farrugia, R. Vella, J. Farrugia, P. Doffo, K. Tanti, D. Sammut (F. Gusman), C. Cassar, J. Obaje Aud, A. Bello Osagie (B. Zerafa), H. Vella, M. Ciantar (C. Buttigieg).

Mqabba: J. Debono, J. Borg, D. Azzopardi (C. Farrugia), J. Elijah Obagbemiro, C. Calleja, K. Cutajar, R. Caruana (D. Aquilina), K. Farrugia, M. Spiteri (R. Sell), B. Mamic, G. Adamovic.

Referee: Adrian Azzopardi.

Man of the match: James Obaje Aud (Senglea).