Qormi Poiatti 2
Floriana Young Stars 1

Matches between these two teams are always intriguing and produce different results, also including some high-scoring ones.

On Sunday, Qormi started on the gallop, forcing several penalty corners but despite exerting pressure on their opponents’ rearguard, the league leaders were unable to open their tally.

At the end of the first half, just when the Stars started applying some pressure of their own, Qormi went ahead, when as a result of their eighth penalty corner on 34 minutes, Zachary Degiovanni hit a volley high into the top corner of the net.

The second half saw the Stars becoming more adventurous in their forays into the Qormi half but they fell further behind on 43 minutes when Juan Sarcia’s hit took a slight deflection before entering the net to send Qormi into a 2-0 lead.

Then, four minutes later, Mark Camilleri hit a screamer into the Qormi net to reduce the arrears – game on.

The encounter developed into a ding-dong battle with play flowing from end to end. The Stars held the upperhand but did not avail themselves of seven penalty corners awarded to them, the final whistle sounding with Qormi holding on to their slender lead.

Umpires: Luke Busuttil Leaver, Robert Aquilina.

Sliema Lightshop Hotsticks 1
Laferla White Hart 0

As early as the second minute Julian Zahra shot the Hotsticks ahead after a flowing move which started in midfield.

White Hart reacted immediately and forced three penalty corners by the seventh minute, missing a goal-scoring chance in between.

Hotsticks were dominating midfield but White Hart were always dangerous on the break and kept testing their opponents’ defence with counter attacks.

White Hart spurned three penalty corners early in the second half as the game developed into a hard-fought encounter with no quarter asked or given.

Defences were very alert and on top of their game with midfield play the dominating tactical feature.

Both teams missed a couple of chances around the 60-minute mark, the game drawing to a finish with Sliema playing out time and maintaining their one-goal lead to stay second in the standings.

Umpires: Shawn Mifsud, Glen Bonello.

Standings
Qormi 10; Sliema Hotsticks 7; Young Stars 4; White Hart 3; Rabat 0.