Fgura United 3
Mqabba 4
Mqabba scored four times in the opening half to practically make sure of three precious points in their fight for promotion. Fgura tried hard to get back into the game after the break but ran out of time.
Mqabba had Paul Chimezie missing but with Arilson Mello Da Silva in fine form they raced ahead when he headed in from a free-kick.
Fgura drew level, through Cleaven Frendo, but the stalemate only last a couple of minutes as Mqabba regained the lead when Joey Vella freed Lyden Micallef who drove home from close in.
Mello da Silva showed his class midway through the half when hitting a dipper into the top corner of the net to make it 3-1.
Mqabba held the initiative and on 33 minutes Karl Cutajar crossed from the left for Luca Casha who placed his shot beyond the keeper’s reach.
Mqabba slowed the rhythm after the break and Fgura pulled one back from a penalty after a foul on Rafael De Fex Marriaga. Ebube Okpokwu scored from the spot.
Fgura were now the more enterprising side but unable to breach the Mqabba defence again. Deep into stoppage time, Fgura had Keith Vella sent off but still managed to make the scoreline more respectable when Okpokwu was on the right spot to beat Debono.
Fgura: B. Bartolo (J. Cilia), M. Barbosa Da Silveira, C. Fenech, K. Vella, J. Barbara (M. Vella), M. Caruana, W. Chircop, R. De Fex Marriaga, E. Okpokwu, C. Frendo (C. Ciantar), M. Gauci.
Mqabba: J. Debono, G. Gesualdi, J. Vella, K. Cutajar, L. Vella Critien, B. Muscat, M. Borg, A. Mello Da Silva (K. Azzopardi), L. Micallef, G. Adamovic, L. Casha (C. Cutajar).
Referee: Darryl Agius.
Best player: Arilson Mello Da Silva (Mqabba).
Sirens 2
Marsa 2
Marsa and Sirens shared four goals in a lively game with the two teams showing their best play in the second half.
With the half-time break looming large, two goals were scored in the space of a few minutes.
Marsa won a penalty when Gilbert Martin was floored by Daniel Bonnici and Rodney Refalo beat the keeper from the spot-kick. At the other end, Christian Caruana sped through and Charles Newuche completed the formalities to even the scores.
Marsa regained the lead soon after the restart thanks to Elland Vella who hit home from the edge of the area.
Marsa held the edge and Ryan Mifsud saw his effort finishing wide. However, Sirens drew level seven minutes from time when a Jean Noel Azzopardi effort was half parried by Ryan Caruana and from the rebound Daniel Agius scored with a crisp grounder that beat the keeper hands down.
Marsa were unlucky a minute from time when a Mark Gauci effort from inside the box hit the foot of a post.
Then, in stoppage time, Marsa had Rodney Refalo shown a second yellow card following a simulation inside the opponents’ penalty area.
Sirens: G. Romano, D. Zampa, C. Caruana, L. Gabrieli (C. McLaren), D. Sant, I. Curmi, J.N. Azzopardi, D. Agius, R. Sciberras (K. Etim), D. Bonnici, C. Newuche.
Marsa: R. Caruana, M. Busuttil, G. Sultana (C. Cutajar), B. Essiel, R. Mifsud, J. Farrugia, E. Vella, S. Meilak (K. Sakurai), L.A. De Melo Lima, R. Refalo, G. Martin (M. Gauci).
Referee: Eman Grech.
Best player: Gilbert Martin (Marsa).