Mr Clean Young Stars 3
Ta' Soldi Rabat 4

Young Stars and Rabat came into this match determined to win and stay in contention for the league title.

Rabat were the more aggressive side in the early stages and moved one goal up within two minutes.

Poor defending by Young Stars during a short corner action saw the ball run loose and Kevin Micallef was on the right spot to flick home.

This early setback failed to demoralise the Stars and by the eighth minute they had equalised thanks to the poaching skills of Ivan Magro Dingli.

Young Stars forged ahead on 15 minutes when a flick at goal by David Evans sailed past Azzopardi, only for the ball to be stopped illegitimately on the line by Matthew Buhagiar. Evans took the penalty stroke to make it 2-1.

Rabat, once again, went on the attack and gained a series of short corners, from which a badly-cleared ball allowed Branko Radjovic to beat Mizzi with a high flick from an acute angle.

Rabat kept up the pressure and forced another short corner. Again, Young Stars were found lacking, this time Radjovic struck the ball hard across the goal and with a neat deflection Josef Antonelli put Rabat ahead for the second time.

After the change of ends, it was Rabat who were showing the finer touches with Micallef controlling the midfield. On 42 minutes, they were awarded a free hit from just outside the D, from which the unmarked Antonelli beat goalkeeper Mizzi all ends up.

Young Stars tried to make a reaction and won a number of short corners. However, these were all neutralised by the Rabat defence.

But, on 53 minutes, the team from Floriana did manage to pull one back through Christian Bonello who was set up by Waylin Abdilla.

Young Stars kept insisting but their erratic passing and confused moves proved to be their downfall.

For the first time this season, Rabat are in pole position with one match to go. They play White Hart next, a team which, on paper, should not be too difficult to beat.

On the other hand, Qormi have to win their two remaining matches against Young Stars and Sliema to force a decider.