Ħamrun Spartans 1
San Ġwann 0

Ħamrun Spartans have joined Gżira United at the top of Division One after an own goal gave them a narrow win over strugglers San Ġwann.

The game was off to a quiet start with San Ġwann playing a defensive game.

Spartans striker Haruna Garba had an early effort turned away for a corner by Matthew Towns.

On the half-hour mark, Saturday Nanapare’s fine effort was kept out by Towns. From the corner, the English goalkeeper stopped a dangerous Martin Hrubsa drive.

San Ġwann were unlucky not to take the lead. On 33 minutes, Tanti’s free-kick sailed towards Bruno Alain Abehanga but his shot was saved by Frederick Tabone.

Abehanga then found Glen Agius whose effort from an acute angle rattled the post.

A minute into first-half stoppage time, Hrubsa missed a sitter after the Czech defender got on the end of Trevor Cilia’s mishit effort.

On the hour, Garba was freed by Rodney Refalo following a good move by Jake Grech but Towns saved again.

The game’s defining moment came on 73 minutes. Grech’s free-kick was partially cleared by the on-rushing Towns but San Ġwann’s Agius turned the ball into his own net as he tried to clear.

As the Spartans celebrated, Hrubsa was shown a straight red for hitting an opponent who was trying to retrieve the ball from the net.

San Ġwann tried their best to force an equaliser but it was not to be as the Spartans defended well to hold on to the win.

Ħamrun: F. Tabone, P. Chircop, G. Azzopardi, M.A. Borg, M. Hrubsa, J. Grech, O. Anonam, E. Briffa (R. Refalo), S. Nanapere, T. Cilia (M. Bartolo), H. Garba.

San Ġwann: M. Towns, R. Zammit, S. Vella (A. Cachia) J. Briffa, M. Attard, J. Azzopardi, N. Muscat, G. Agius (N. Abouhaisa), B. Abehanga Bati, D. Henry (F. Udoh Okon), J. Tanti

Referee: Emmanuel Grech.

Man of the match: Bruno Alain Abehanga Bati (San Ġwann).

Fgura United 1
St George’s 0

Andrè Farrugia’s early goal handed Fgura United a 1-0 win over neighbours St George’s who slipped to their fourth consecutive defeat.

Ramon Zammit’s team thus made amends for their first-round defeat to the Cottonera side who remain in deep relegation trouble.

Fgura were off to a strong start and after two minutes, Farrugia’s effort from the edge of the area was pushed away for a corner by Sean Cini, the St George’s goalkeeper.

Four minutes later, Fgura forged ahead when, from a melee inside the area, Farrugia’s half-volley had the better of Cini.

St George’s thought they had equalised on 15 minutes when Dylan Sammut’s free-kick was bundled into the net by Kenneth Abela but the referee stopped play for an infringement.

Fgura threatened again on 18 minutes. Sandoval Escobar sprinted through the middle but his lob from just outside the area dropped wide.

On the half-hour, Lucky Omeruo, who joined the Saints after being released by Tarxien, hit wide.

Eight minutes later, the Saints should have equalised. Japanese midfielder Ren Mizugashira, who also started the season with Tarxien, jinked his way into the Fgura box and passed to Omeruo but the latter hesitated and was closed down by defender Jonathan Bugeja.

On the hour, the Saints suffered a setback when Carmelo Farrugia was sent off after receiving a second yellow card for a foul on Arriagada.

On 69 minutes, Fgura substitute Quincy Bregman produced a shot from 30 metres out with the ball hitting the upright.

St George’s came close to levelling matters with seven minutes to go but substitute Abdul Razak Mendy’s acrobatic volley was saved by Ryan Marmara in the Fgura goal.

Bregman had two good chances to seal the issue for Fgura but his attempts were off target.

Fgura: R. Marmara, K. Pace, D. Vukovic, J. Bugeja, S. Sandoval Escobar (R. Costa) J. Farrugia (D. Attard), F. Arriagada, A. Farrugia, J.M. Ruiz Perez, L.Vella Critien, S. Shead (Q. Bregman).

St. George’s: S. Cini, I. Uwadia (A. Mendy), M. Brincat, K. Abela, R. Mizugashira, C. Farrugia, G. Gesualdi (S. Aquilina), L. Grech, L. Omeruo, D. Sammut (K. Tabone), C. Conti

Referee: Matthew Degabriele.

Man of the match: Kurt Pace (Fgura United).