QORMI-0, RABAT AJAX-0
Needing the three points to improve their lowly position in the standings, Qormi and Rabat Ajax had to settle for a point each after their match ended goalless.
The match was drab for much of the opening 75 minutes but came to life in the final stages with both teams, especially Qormi, missing a string of inviting opportunities.
A generally dull first half produced little goalmouth action. After seven minutes, Qormi's Alfred Effiong tried his luck with a low shot that finished wide of a post.
A fluid Qormi move on 15 minutes broke the boredom. Drifting infield from the left, Effiong passed to the advancing Roderick Bajada who in turn directed the ball to Gianluca Nucera. The Italian curled the ball towards the far post but his effort was wide. Rabat were then awarded a free-kick from a good position after Giuseppe Bellucci's abrasive challenge on Adam Smeir was deemed irregular by referee Marco Borg.
Diegf Carrillo's free-kick was blocked by Qormi's defensive wall. A minute past the half-hour, Rabat had a good chance to take the lead. Diego Carrillo's perfect pass from the right found Avila Perez unmarked in the six-yard box but the Spanish striker was slow to turn and his low effort was too tame to trouble Matthew Farrugia.
Qormi also had a good opportunity to score. Rabat goalkeeper Jonathan Azzopardi, standing in for the injured Pavle Velimirovic, sped out of his goal to try and intercept Effiong but failed to get the ball which fell to Innocenti. The Italian tried to lob the ball into the net but his effort was wide and high.
Triston Caruana went closer as his looping drive from the distance sailed just over the bar. Leighton Grech, who had just replaced Terribile, did well to sprint into the Rabat box but his cross-shot was cut out by Azzopardi, the Rabat goalkeeper. Innocenti then headed over from Bajada's free-kick. Midway into the second half, Farrugia, the Qormi goalkeeper, turned Avila Perez's cross-shot around the near post.
Farrugia was prominent again minutes later as he produced a fine save to keep out Jonathan Bajada's curling cross-shot. Rabat were dangerous 10 minutes from time when Carrillo's set-piece cross dropped into the six-yard box but Smeir's effort was repelled by the Qormi defence. With seven minutes remaining, Qormi had a great chance to break the stalemate as Grech's perfect cross released Effiong who sped into the box but out came Azzopardi who pushed away the Nigerian's effort.
Qormi almost paid a high price for this miss as, in their next foray, Rabat also had a great chance to score but Smeir incredibly headed wide with only Farrugia to beat after receiving from substitute Malcolm Licari.
At the other end, Grech, the Qormi winger, was also guilty of a glaring miss as his chip from an inviting position ended wide and high with only Azzopardi to beat. In stoppage time, Rabat's Shaun Gauci was shown a straight red card by referee Borg for a poor challenge on Duncan Pisani.
Carrillo Pendas was named BOV player of the match.