Lija Athletic 5
Melita 1
A Jorge Garcia Vidal hat-trick and an Erjon Beu brace were enough for Lija Athletic to register a comprehensive victory over Melita, yesterday.
Things looked promising for the Amateurs when they took an early lead but Lija soon hit their stride to get their championship campaign off to a strong start.
Lija regaled an opener to Melita on 16 minutes. McAllister Clinch’s back-pass was intercepted by Alan Borg Olivier who rounded off Luke Bonnici to score.
Melita’s joy was short-lived as 45 seconds later Beu hit home from close range to level matters.
Lija forged ahead just before the break when from a Beu corner Jorge Garcia Vidal headed past Rizzo.
Lija continued were they left off in the first half as Garcia Vidal was released by Beu and drilled the ball home via the upright.
More woes followed for Melita as on 62 minutes, Lee Joe Schembri sped clear on the right but his effort was pushed away by the Melita goalkeeper.
But from the rebound Garcia Vidal was on hand to tap into an empty net.
Lija wrapped up the points on 73 minutes when substitute Aiden Galea released Beu who had little difficulty to seal his team’s 5-1 win.
Lija: L. Bonnici, P. Babic, L. Muscat, P. Borg, D. Scerri, E. Beu (A. Sammut), L. Schembri, J. Garcia Vidal, M. Clinch, B. Jaccarini (C. Cassar), A. Ige (A. Galea).
Melita: K. Rizzo, J. Abela (L. Mifsud), A. Mizzi, I. Tufegdzic, K. Pace, J.P. Attard, N. Bradshaw (I. Curmi), E. Carnago, A. Borg Olivier, K. Micallef, T. Singleton (R. Parrado).
Referee: Eman Grech.
Best Player: Jorge Garcia Vidal (Lija Athletic).
Pietà Hotspurs 2
Naxxar Lions 0
Pietà: M. Montfort, K. Micallef, T. Bartolo, N. Pace Cocks (C. Gauci), D. Agius, M. Mifsud, Y. Dimitrov (C. Degabriele), G. Mensha, J.M. Ruiz Perez, C. Grech, J. Scicluna (C. Stewart).
Naxxar: O. Borg, A. Buhagiar, L. Adamec, R. Mercieca (J. Ellul), R. Gilmour Cassar, L.J. Agius, R. Grech, D. Bonnici, J. Debono, A. Darbo (S.J. Guevara Munoz), Y. de Jesus Messias.
Scorers: Mensha 66, Stewart 78.
Referee: Etienne Mangion.
Red card: Gauci (P) 87.
Best Player: Yordan Dimitrov (Pietà Hotspurs).
Fgura United 1
Rabat Ajax 0
Fgura United: M. Camilleri, D. Aquilina, M. Caruana, D. Agius, E. Uzeh, R. Spiteri, G. Chircop (C. Fenech), D. Cachia, J. Dalli, R. De Fex Marriaga (M. Spiteri), V. Dos Santos (J. Chetcuti).
Rabat Ajax: S. Mintoff, N. Caruana, J. Caruana, S. Gauci, A. Smeir, D. Falzon, E. Goodman, R. Micallef, C. Vella, A. Azzopardi (W. Borg), D. Azzopardi.
Referee: Darryl Agius.
Scorer: Uzeh (F) 68.
Red card: Ryan Micallef (R) 90.
Best player: Edafe Uzeh (Fgura).
Senglea Athletic 4
Qormi 1
Senglea: Jeffrey Farrugia, Jurgen Farrugia (D. Xuereb), R. Vella, J. Pace, K. Tanti, C. Cassar (M. del Negro), P. Doffo, R. Tanti, R. Dalli (H. Vella), J. Cabral, M. Dias.
Qormi: J.M. Vella, C. Farrugia (T. Guzman), Y. Yankam, O. Sidibe, D. Vukovic, M. Camilleri, B. Grech, A. Abela, L. Chiedozie, A. Cassar, N. Ojoula.
Referee: Fyodor Zammit.
Scorers: Chiedozie (Q) 23 pen; Juninho (S) 27, Tanti (S) 60, Xuereb (S) 70, 84.
Best player: Juninho Cabral (Senglea Athletic).
FA Trophy
First Round: Oratory Youths vs Dingli 5-0; Qala vs Xewkija 0-6; Sta Luċija vs Kerċem Ajax 0-3; Sta Venera vs SK Victoria Wanderers 0-3.