Rabat Ajax 0
Naxxar Lions 2

Rabat Ajax’s aspirations of securing promotion to the Premier League with something to spare were dashed as they crashed to a surprising defeat to Naxxar Lions yesterday.

A win would have sealed Rabat’s return to the top flight but it was not to be as the Lions scored a goal in each half to move up to fourth while Rabat remain second.

The Lions were off to a strong start, taking an early lead when Darren Falzon controlled a long clearance, turned past a defender and slotted past Sean Mintoff.

Rabat came close to an equaliser three minutes later but Ryan Micallef’s shot was blocked.

Silvio Vella’s side continued to attack and on 35 minutes Julian Azzopardi misjudged Yan Cauchi’s cross with Joseph Caruana heading wide. Two minutes later the ball fell to Ryan Micallef who shot straight at Azzopardi.

On 43 minutes, the Lions had a good chance to double their lead when Falzon latched onto an Osi Agboebina pass but drove wide.

Rabat nearly levelled on 50 minutes but Adam Smeir hit wide from close range. On 62 minutes, Smeir beat Azzopardi with a low drive but in came Andrea Farrugia to clear the ball off the line.

The Lions put the game to bed 10 minutes from time when Farrugia drove the ball home from close in from a Falzon pass.

Rabat: S. Mintoff, C. Schembri (D. Falzon), J. Cornforth, J. Caruana, A. Smeir, A. Rustemi, C. Muscat, V. Caushi, Y. Cauchi (D. Azzopardi), R. Micallef (J. Felice), C. Gauci.

Naxxar: J. Azzopardi, A. Farrugia (A. Del Negro), L. Micallef, K. Drago, R. Schembri, H. Siqueira De Lima, V. Bellia, M. Del Negro (K. Farrugia), M. Maccari, D. Falzon, O. Agboebina.

Referee: Marco Borg.

Best player: Andrea Farrugia (Naxxar Lions).

Pietà Hotspurs 2
St Andrew’s 0

Pietà Hotspurs kept their slim promotion hopes alive thanks to a merited victory over St Andrew’s.

A Quelin Refalo brace lifted the Hotspurs just four points behind second-placed Rabat in the table.

Pietà went close after 11 minutes when Vinicius Pereira Dos Santos just failed to make contact with the ball from a Jurgen Pisani cross.

St Andrew’s responded seven minutes later when Faisal Alnakua’s effort was saved by Carlos Dimech.

Pietà opened the scoring on 27 minutes when Refalo hit home from inside the box.

On 37 minutes, Gustavo Riberio should have done better when he was set free by Mark Hyzler but his shot was too weak to beat Dimech.

Three minutes later, Saints goalkeeper Daniel Balzan effected a fine save from a Dos Santos header.

Pietà sealed the points on 48 minutes. Jonathan Zarate played a magnificent one-two with Refalo who stayed on side and tapped the ball home.

On 64 minutes Riberio tried his luck for the Saints but his long-range shot finished just over.

Pietà: C. Dimech, C. Spiteri, E. Giaccaglia, Q. Refalo (Z. Muscat), T. Agius, V.P. Dos Santos, L. Mallia, C. Cassar, J. Bilbao Zarate, J. Pisani (A. Spiteri, K. Cutajar), I. Grech.

St Andrew’s: D. Balzan, R. Previ (G. Fenech), J. Bugeja, B. Said, B. Diacono, A. Camilleri Kamsky, W. Camilleri, M. Hyzler, G. Riberio, M. Grima (M. Desira Buttigieg), F. Alnakua (C. Mifsud Bonnici).

Referee: Clayton Pisani.

Best player: Quelin Refalo (Pietà).

Standings