Żurrieq 2
Lija Athletic 2
Keith Darmanin came to Lija's rescue as his last-gasp goal earned his team a point in a 2-2 draw with Żurrieq.
Żurrieq seized the early initiative. After just seven minutes, a Johan Briffa corner was not cleared by the Lija goalkeeper but Żurrieq duo Darren Bellizzi and Stephen Azzopardi failed to conclude at goal.
A minute later, Żurrieq went in front when Azzopardi fired home from a Daniel Zammit cross.
Lija responded with efforts from Michael Mangion and Darmanin which were off target.
Three minutes past the half hour, Lija defender Andrea Spiteri almost committed an own goal as he tried to clear a cross by Briffa.
Parity was restored on 37 minutes when Luke Desira Buttigieg fired home the equaliser despite Żurrieq's protests that the Lija player was in an offside position.
Two minutes after the restart, Lija were denied by Azzopardi off a shot by Desira Buttigieg with Żurrieq going close with efforts from Bellizzi and Briffa.
Żurrieq regained the lead on the hour when Clive Shumba headed in a cross by Jason Saliba.
Fifteen minutes from time, Lija were awarded a penalty for a foul on Desira Buttigieg. The same player took the penalty but his shot was saved by Azzopardi.
However, Lija managed to save the match at the death when Darmanin curled the ball home from a free-kick.
Lija ended the match with 10 men after Elton Azzopardi was dismissed for a second bookable offence.
Żurrieq: J. Azzopardi, K. Sacco (D. Bonnici), A. Barbara, D. Bellizzi, C. Gatt, J. Saliba, M. Spiteri, D. Zammit (C. Shumba), J. Briffa, S. Azzopardi (C. Farrugia), L. Vella.
Lija: L. Bonnici, A. Spiteri, M. Mangion, E. Degabriele (E. Azzopardi), D. Scerri, D. Cremona (A. Scicluna), L. Desira Buttigieg, K. Darmanin, T. Saliba, H. Schembri, B. Antignolo.
Referee: Fyodor Zammit.
Birżebbuġa St Peter's 3
Żebbuġ Rangers 2
Birżebbuġa St Peter's opened their league commitments with a hard-earned win over Żebbuġ Rangers.
Birżebbuġa took just three minutes to grab the lead, Denis Baldacchino heading home from a Robert Adami corner.
Rangers drew level on 16 minutes when Vella's corner was met by Stephen Calleja who scored with a firm header.
However, Żebbuġ's joy was shortlived as six minutes later, the Saints restored their lead when Baldacchino netted his second of the match.
Just past the hour, a Mark Ellul shot was blocked by Żebbuġ keeper Brandon Bartolo and at the other end, Anthony Lagana went close for the Rangers.
After the change of ends, Żebbuġ tried to take the game to their opponents but on 57 minutes, Ronnie Celeste put Birżebbuġa 3-1 up after concluding a swift break.
Żebbuġ did manage to pull a goal back through Calleja and just minutes later, Mark Ciantar could have made it 3-3 but failed to hit the target.
Rangers intensified their pressure during the final minutes but the Saints defence held on.
Birżebbuġa: G. Mansueto, E. Bugeja, E. Saliba, B. Farrugia, D. Baldacchino, R. Adami, N. Tabone (E. Desira), A. Mangion, M. Ellul, R. Celeste (M. Ciappara), C. Camenzuli (J.P. Barbara).
Zebbuġ: B. Bartolo, G. Saliba, E. Calleja, J. Saliba, J. Cilia (M. Ciantar), S. Privitelli (J. Galea), S. Calleja, A. Lagana, M. Vella (O. Rababah), J. Mercieca, M. Deguara.
Referee: Kevin Azzopardi.
St Andrews 3
Mellieħa 1
St Andrews' young team, led by new coach Wayne Attard, started their league campaign with an emphatic win over a disappointing Mellieħa side.
The Saints took the lead after just three minutes thanks to a close-range shot by Michael Grima after some good work on the right flank by Michael Calleja.
A shot from Kevin Gauci for Mellieħa finished wide but on 20 minutes, St Andrews doubled their lead with an excellent drive by Michael Ellul who had been teed up by Anatole Debono from a free-kick.
Rio Micallef hit over for the Northerners who reduced the arrears just past the half hour. Mellieħa were awarded a penalty after a foul by Jonathan Bugeja on Ibrahim Tarek who got back on his feet to fire home from the spot.
On the resumption, Mellieħa pushed forward, going close early on through Tarek and Micallef.
The Saints were denied by Simon Gauci from attempts by Debono and Kurt Coleiro but midway into the second half, they sealed the points when Andrew Amato scored with a well-hit drive from the edge of the penalty area.
In the final stages, Mellieħa's Jeffrey Gauci was denied by Reuben Gauci, the Saints goalkeeper, and on another occasion Tarek headed just wide.
St Andrews: R. Gauci, P. Briscoe White, A. Camilleri Kamsky, N. Chetcuti, J. Bugeja, A. Amato (G. Fenech), A. Debono, M. Ellul (K. Galea), M. Calleja (N. Vella Petroni), M. Grima, K. Coleiro.
Mellieħa: S. Gauci, M. Vella, R. Micallef, K. Cassar (C. Gauci (J. Vella), L. Cauchi, A. Portelli, W. Borg (J. Gauci), K. Gauci, W. Borg St John, R. Vella, I. Tarek.
Referee: Sandro Spiteri.
Rabat Ajax 4
Għargħur 2
Rabat Ajax turned in a good performance to gain a 4-2 victory over Għargħur.
Michael Molzahn's team dominated the first half and after just two minutes, a shot by Adam Smeir was saved by Mark Aquilina. Rabat then missed a clear opportunity through Darren Galea but the same player broke the deadlock on 27 minutes after receiving from Kayne Said.
A minute later Rabat increased their lead through a close-range shot by Joseph Caruana after Aquilina had partially saved an attempt by Smeir.
At the other end, Azzopardi thwarted Għargħur when he saved efforts by Alan Spiteri and Robert Southward.
Rabat increased their lead three minutes into the second half when Said finished off a fine move by Jason Cassar.
After Għargħur fluffed two inviting chances through Shawn Vella, Rabat capitalised to pull further clear of their opponents with a goal from substitute Emanuel Muscat on 62 minutes.
Two minutes later, Għargħur scored a consolation goal, Vella finding the net after being set up by Karl Vella Petroni. The latter went close late on with an angled shot that just missed the target.
With 11 minutes left, Għargħur made the score look more respectable when Vella fired home from David Galea's cross.
Rabat: J. Azzopardi, N. Caruana, C. Schembri, J. Caruana, A. Mifsud (A. Zahra), K. Said, A. Smeir, D. Galea, M. Micallef, D. Azzopardi (F. Schembri), J. Cassar (E. Muscat).
Għargħur: M. Aquilina, R. Debattista, D. Galea, M. Decesare (I. Borg), M. Mercieca, E. Lapira, J. Buttigieg, R. Southward (C. Zammit), A. Spiteri (B. Chetcuti), S. Vella, K. Vella Petroni.
Referee: Andrea Sciriha.
Gozo FC 1
Sta Venera Lightnings 1
Gozo FC and Sta Venera Lightings drew 1-1 in their opening match from the Division Two League.
The Lightnings saw more of the ball during the early stages as Gozo looked somewhat shaky in defence.
On 19 minutes, Sta Venera were awarded a penalty when Brian Meilak floored Mark Grech in the box. Stefan Farrugia converted the spot kick to put his side ahead.
Gozo had a good opportunity to level the score late in the first half but Anthony Portelli concluded weakly from a cross by Josef Buttigieg and Sta Venera goalkeeper Agius saved with ease.
Gozo made the better start to the second half. On 64 minutes, Sta Venera goalkeeper Agius deflected Manwel Cordina's shot onto the crossbar.
The home team's efforts were rewarded five minutes from time when Cordina won possession on the edge of the area, dribbled a defender and fired a low shot past substitute goalkeeper Franklin Azzopardi.
In the final stages, Gozo tried to complete their fightback with a winning goal.
They were dangerous through efforts by Josef Buttigieg and substitute Christian Bugeja, while Sta Venera had a good opportunity in stoppage time but substitute Carl Azzopardi shot against the side-netting.
Gozo: S. Sultana, D. Farrugia, M. Mifsud, P. Buttigieg, J. Buttigieg, B. Meilak, A. Portelli (C. Bugeja), J. Cefai, M. Cordina, S. Attard (C. Sciortino), K. Mercieca.
Sta Venera: J. Agius (F. Azzopardi), A. Cachia, G. Magri, M. Muscat, D. Zuccardo, A. Hili (A. Ellul), S. Farrugia, G. Micallef, J. Zammit, M. Grech, G. Falzon (C. Azzopardi).
Referee: Duncan Sultana.
Division Three
Section 'A'
Luqa St Andrews 3
Siġġiewi 1
Luqa: P. Psaila, C. Penza, S. Cauchi (M. Dimech), L. Baldacchino (R. Penza), M. Said, A. Psaila, B. Borg, M. Tirchett (J. Gatt), N. Falzon, C. Caruana, S. Callus.
Siġġiewi: C. Schembri, C. Bezzina, W. Valletta Tabone, K. James, M. Aquilina (M. Deguara), C. Bugeja (A. Farrugia), J. Vassallo, P. Spiteri, M. Camilleri, J. Camilleri, S. Delia (A. Cacciattolo).
Scorers: Tirchett (L) 16, 67; Penza (L) 50; Camilleri (S) 90.
Red card: Psaila (L).
Referee: Mohammed Khalil.
Mdina Knights 3
Pembroke Athleta 2
Mdina: J. Vella, A. Vassallo (T. Nader), I. Sammut (S. Pecorella), J. Debono, M. Francalanza, J. Vella (L. Mercieca), A. Bajada, A. Buhagiar, Ay. Galea, Ad. Galea, C. Caruana.
Pembroke: R. Debattista, R. Caruana, D. Bugeja (J. Taliana), J. Spiteri, S. Buhagiar, J. Portelli (M. Sammut), J. Fenech, J. Zammit, C. Glass, C. Leonardi, A. Grech (A. Scerri).
Scorers: Francalanza (M) 28; Bajada (M) 46; Grech (P) 70; Ad. Galea (M) 87; Leonardi (P) 89.
Referee: Jude Amin Utulu.