Melita 0
Naxxar Lions 2
Naxxar Lions scored two second half goals to see off 10-man Melita and clinch their third victory of the season.
Vince Carbonaro’s side dominated after the break with Melita finding life difficult with a man less.
On 14 minutes, Yuri De Jesus Messias should have put the Lions ahead but fired wide with only the Melita goalkeeper to beat.
Alan Borg Olivier missed the target for Melita.
Melita suffered a setback on 34 minutes when defender Aidan Mizzi was shown a straight red after tripping Messias outside the area.
The Lions forged ahead on 49 minutes. Duane Bonnici crossed for Jurgen Debono who hit home from close range.
On 57 minutes, the Lions made it 2-0. Messias’s drive was somehow kept out by Nicholas Grima with the aid of the crossbar but in came Bonnici to stab home.
Melita responded on 64 minutes when Groves and Borg Olivier played a neat one-two, with the latter shooting just wide.
Melita: N. Grima, J. Abela, A. Mizzi, I. Tufegdzic, K. Pace, E. Cornago, T. Naudi (M. Russo), M. Groves (R. Parrado), L. Micallef (L. Mifsud), A. Borg Olivier, J.P. Attard.
Naxxar: O. Borg, A. Buhagiar, N. Spiteri, D. Bonnici (M. Fenech), R.G. Cassar, J. Debono, R. Grech, S.J. Guevara Munoz, J. Debono (A. Azzopardi), A. Lubos, Y. Messias (A. Darbo).
Referee: Trustin Farrugia Cann.
Best player: Yuri De Jesus Messias (Naxxar Lions).
Marsa 5
Għargħur 3
Kento Sakurai and Steve Meilak came off the bench to propel Marsa to their first win of the season at the expense of Għargħur yesterday.
The Red-Blues took the lead after only 34 seconds when Luis De Melo squared the ball to Lucky Omeruo who scored with a low drive.
Għargħur fought back on 18 minutes. Luke Busuttil beat the offside trap, rounded Ryan Caruana before pushing the ball into an empty net.
Għargħur were awarded a penalty on 49 minutes when Busuttil was upended in the area by goalkeeper Caruana. Muda Fagbeja converted.
The scores were level again on 58 minutes when Meilak was fouled by William Barbosa inside the area and Sakurai scored from the spot.
Marsa took a 3-2 lead when Sakurai set up Gilbert Martin who volleyed the ball into the net.
On 67 minutes, Meilak broke free and squared the ball to Omeruo to make it 4-2.
Marsa were reduced to 10 men when keeper Caruana was shown a second yellow card. Barbosa suffered the same fate on 80 minutes.
Three minutes later, Għargħur reduced the arrears when Fagbeja’s scorcher flew into the net.
Marsa put the game to bed in stoppage time when Sakurai completed a swift counter-attack by hitting home from close in.
Marsa: R. Caruana, L. Scorfna (S. Meilak, L. Mifsud), Y. Camilleri, B. Essel, A. Sicali, C. Cutajar, J. Farrugia, R. Mifsud. L. Omeruo, G. Martin, L. De Melo (K. Sakurai).
Għargħur: Z. Valletta, L. Galea, J. Briffa, J. Azzopardi, I. Chircop, R. Brincat (D. Sciberras), L. Busuttil, M. Fagbeja, E. De Lima Nicolau, W. Barbosa, L. Vella (G. Saliba).
Referee: Glenn Tonna.
Best player: Kento Sakurai (Marsa).