San Ġwann 1
Żebbuġ Rangers 1

The top-of-the-table clash between long-time leaders Żebbug Rangers and promotion contenders San Ġwann finished in a 1-1 draw with Mauricio Rodrigues Britto scoring a last-gasp equaliser to deny the Saints.

St George’s are now Rangers’ nearest pursuers as they leap-frog-ged San Ġwann into second place with a 1-0 win over Siġġiewi.

Żurrieq and Msida St Joseph maintained their promotion chances with victories over Mellieħa (2-1) and St Patrick (3-0) respectively.

San Ġwann were the better team at first and deserved the lead they enjoyed by the end of the first half as they made wise use of the wind blowing behind their backs.

The second half was a different story with Rangers taking command and San Ġwann holding desperately to their lead. In the end, the leaders were rewarded with a late equaliser to stretch their unbeaten run to seven matches.

Despite the two teams’ en-deavours, the first attempt at goal came after 24 minutes when William Camenzuli fired a shot from the distance that sailed over the Saints’ bar. Six minutes later San Ġwann had a Bernard Sciberras free-kick going slightly over.

The Saints looked the more composed team and took the lead on 34 minutes when Żebbuġ goalkeeper Verbina punched the ball into the path of Marco Mercieca who fired home from routine distance.

Rangers were a different proposition in the second half as they immediately stormed forward in search of an equaliser.

On 51 minutes they went close when Omar Rababah released Sergio Hili whose dipper slammed against the woodwork. Another Camenzuli scorcher was slightly off target and then it was Hili’s turn to try his luck but with scant award.

San Ġwann hit back with a fine solo move by James Borg with his shot missing the target by a whisker.

Two minutes later the Saints fluffed a good chance to double their lead when Shawn Vella failed to capitalise from a defensive blunder inside the opponents’ box.

Miguel Francica had two successive attempts at Carbonaro’s goal going wide. However, when all seemed lost for Rangers, substitute Rodrigues Britto headed home from a John Nwoba centre to deny the Saints from a confidence-boosting victory.

San Ġwann: C. Carbonaro, R. Briffa, D. Cosaitis, M. Mercieca, S. Vella (M. Asciak), A. Borg, B. Ferraz Do Amaral (M. Vassallo), J. Borg (J. Cutajar), R. Zammit, B. Sciberrras, P. Xuereb.

Żebbuġ: I. Verbina (J. Camilleri), L. Galea, M. Francica, J. Xerri (R. Spiteri), M. Farrugia, W. Camenzuli, L.J. Agius, J. Nwoba, S. Hili, A. Tabone, O. Rababah (M. Rodrigues Britto).

Referee: Sebastiano Gambuzza.

Summaries

Mġarr United 2
Fgura United 2

Mġarr: K. Ellul, I. Darmanin (G. Vella), D. Axiaq, C. Bugeja, A. Aquilina, D. Thompson (S. Licari), B. Galea, S. Camilleri, C. Tabone (R. Marmara), C. Abela, I. Cutajar.

Fgura: B. Bartolo, N. Zerafa, J. Debattista, N. Curmi, R. Adami, M. Spiteri, P. Chircop, E. Cornago San Pedro, K. Darmanin (C. Camenzuli), J. Dalli, G. Martin.

Referee: Etienne Mangion.

Scorers: Abela (M) 18, Darmanin (F) 34, Martin 36 (F), Cutajar 82 (M).

Kirkop United 3
Għargħur 2

Kirkop United: C. Caruana, R. Galea, A. Formosa (C. Vella), A. Busuttil, B. Falzon, D. Baldacchino, D. Grech (B. Bugeja), M. Pisani (M. Abdilla), V. Ohaka, D. Agius, C. Farrugia.

Għargħur: C. Francica, A. Calleja (M. Busuttil), K. Fedele, N. Scerri, A. Camilleri, D. Camillleri, M. Agius, I. Todorov, D. Sammut, D. Mamo (C. Caruana), V. Chidi Obidimalor.

Referee: Daryl Agius.

Scorers: Todorov 33 (GĦ), Agius 40, 90 (GĦ), Busuttil 44 (K), Vella 88 (K).

Red card: Francica 52 (GĦ).

Msida St Joseph 3
St Patrick 0

Msida: J. Agius, L. Cassar, S. Vella (R. Galea), M. Borda (G. Farrugia), L. Baldacchino, M. Caruana, F. de Andrade, M. Grioli (D. Attard), R. Celeste, R. Attard, S. Magro.

St Patrick: J. Borg, D. Pace, R. Ellul (J.C. Cesare), L. Scerri, A. Lagana, J.R. Vella, N. Filipov, A. Guazzo (S. Diacono), R. Cassar (G. Failla), A. Ellul, M. Xerri.

Referee: Matthew Degabriele.

Scorers: Grioli 30, Celeste 41,49.

Red card: Attard 53 (M).

Żurrieq 2
Mellieħa 1

Żurrieq: J. Alden, K. Sacco, K. Magro, D. Stojanovic, J. Lia, D. Darmanin, M. Cocks (S. Azzopardi), M. Schembri (C. Farrugia), J. Briffa , G. Bonello, D. Zammit (T. Borg).

Mellieħa: J. Vella, M. Vella, D. Cauchi, L. Cauchi, P. Taylor, J. Zammit, K. Fenech, D. Saliba, W. Borg St John (J. Cutajar), G. Galea, D. Borg (M. Trapani).

Referee: Gordon Barbara.

Scorers: Briffa (Ż) 44, Galea (M) 60, Magro (Ż) 67.

Siġġiewi​ 0
St George’s​ 1

Siġġiewi: J. Cilia, J. Mercieca, N. Galea (M. Deguara), E. Calleja, K. Mizzi, M. Camilleri, K. Buhagiar, R. Farrugia, R. Ceka, E. Ciappara (S. Delia), I. Curmi (E. Bugeja).

St George’s: T. Galea, M. Jerasla, R. Previ, Q. Bregman, C. Grech, J. Bugeja, G. Inguanez, J. Farrugia, E. Amaira (J.L. Vella), S. Agius (S. Debono), O.L. Agboebina.

Referee: Keith Buhagiar.

Scorer: Inguanez 66.

Red card: Calleja (SIĠ) 88.

Standings

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Żebbuġ	18	12	5	1	46	16	41
St George’s	18	9	7	2	32	18	34
San Gwann	18	8	8	2	36	21	32
Żurrieq	18	8	7	3	29	20	31
Msida SJ	18	8	6	4	33	26	30
Pembroke	18	7	6	5	31	20	27
Fgura United	18	7	5	6	30	30	26
Siġġiewi	18	7	3	8	30	28	24
St Patrick	18	7	2	9	22	26	23
Mellieħa	18	5	7	6	18	29	22
Kirkop United	18	5	4	9	18	27	19
Għargħur	18	2	5	11	19	32	11
Mġarr United	18	2	5	11	19	41	11
Sta Venera	18	2	4	12	23	52	10