Rabat Ajax 1
Mqabba 1

Vagner Pereira Costa netted a last-gasp equaliser as Mqabba grabbed their first point of the season when they drew with Rabat Ajax at the Centenary Stadium.

Rabat were the slightly the better side but as the minutes passed Mqabba grew in stature and managed to save the match.

Rabat threatened after five minutes when from an Adam Smeir corner kick Lawrence Chiedozie’s shot finished inches wide.

Mqabba responded on 26 minutes when Joseph Borg’s angled drive was parried away by goalkeeper Jamie Azzopardi.

Three minutes before the break Jamie Azzopardi charged out of his goal to block Bojan Mamic.

A minute into injury Magpies defender Joseph Caruana headed just wide from another Smeir corner-kick.

The Magpies managed to forge ahead on 54 minutes when Chris Vella slotted the ball home from a David Azzopardi corner.

Mqabba almost equalised on 66 minutes but Azzopardi did well to keep out Pereira Costa’s free header.

But Mqabba struck in stoppage time when Paul Farrugia’s shot was blocked but from the rebound Pereira Costa drilled the ball home.

Rabat: J. Azzopardi, N. Caruana, J. Caruana, S. Gauci, Z. Tanti, C. Vella (B. Micallef), A. Smeir, D. Falzon, L. Chiedozie, F. Azzopardi (L. Cauchi), D. Azzopardi.

Mqabba: J. Debono, D. Aquilina (M. Spiteri), C. Farrugia, J. Borg, R. Sell, C. Calleja, K. Cutajar, P. Farrugia, B. Mamic, G. Adamovic, V. Pereira.

Referee: Philip Farrugia.

Man of the match: Jamie Azzopardi (Rabat).

Standings