Victoria Hotspurs are just one step away from successfully retaining their league title after registering back-to-back wins in the GFA Division One.
The Citizens are currently six points clear of nearest rivals Nadur Youngsters and they will be mathematically declared champions this weekend if Nadur fail to take all points against Xewkija today and the Hotspurs beat SK Victoria Wanderers on Sunday.
The Hotspurs were twice in action this week.
They first had the better of Kerċem Ajax 2-1. The Rabat side dominated proceedings throughout but could not convert their countless scoring chances into goals.
Elton Da Silva put them ahead on 16 minutes before Miguel Montano looked to have wrapped up the win for Victoria with a second goal 11 minutes from time.
Kerċem set up a tense finale for the league leaders when pulling a goal back through Milos Perisic. But the Hotspurs held their nerves to hang on to their win.
Victoria Hotspurs then took on Għarb Rangers and coasted to a 3-0 win that enabled them to strengthen their grip on top spot.
The Hotspurs all but wrapped up their win in the first 45 minutes when they netted all their goals.
Da Silva put them ahead after just four minutes and Henrique Maciel made it 2-0 five minutes later. Da Silva all but wrapped up the points with a third on 23 minutes.
The Rabat side continued to dominate but despite creating a lot chances they failed to increase to their advantage as they were undone by some fine goalkeeping from Għarb’s Daniel Spiteri.
Nadur Youngsters were back to their best when they hammered Munxar Falcons 7-1.
The Youngsters surged into a three-goal lead in the first 45 minutes. Luke Tabone headed them ahead after five minutes before Marcelo Barbosa made it 2-0 with a low drive a minute later. Jefferson added a third on 32 minutes following a personal action.
Nadur kept the pressure on their opponents after the break and scored four more goals through a brace by Barbosa (50, 84) and a goal from Jefferson (51) and substitute Joseph Owen Borg (81).
Munxar’s consolation goal arrived on 88 minutes through Vladimir Tosic who concluded a prolonged action in front of Nadur’s goalmouth.
Xewkija Tigers picked up just one win from their two assignments last week.
The Tigers ended a three-match losing streak when they defeated Għarb Rangers 4-2.
It looked as though Għarb would upset their more-quoted opponents when Junior Elisio Batista Da Conceicao put them ahead after three minutes.
But Xewkija soon responded and turned the result in their favour with a brace from Daniel Bogdanovic and a Claudio Antunes goal.
The Rangers should have pulled a goal back early in the second half when they were awarded a penalty for a foul by Manuel Tabone on Hugo Santa Rosa Cruz. But Batista Da Conceicao saw his shot saved by goalkeeper Mark Grima.
Għarb maintained the upperhand but they were too erratic in front of goal. They were made to pay for their profligacy as Xewkija added a fourth goal six minutes from time through a Milos Stojanovic beauty.
Għarb did manage to pull a second goal back two minutes from time through Santa Rosa Cruz.
Xewkija failed to keep up their momentum later in the week as they slumped to defeat at the hands of SK Victoria Wanderers by the odd goal in three.
This win enabled the Wanderers to remain fifth in the standings, and open a four-point gave over the two teams currently sharing bottom spot in the standings.
The Wanderers opened the score after six minutes through a close-range header by Moussa Bamba.
But Xewkija levelled matters in the first minute of stoppage time through a low shot by Gennaro Hili.
Xewkija retained territorial supremacy after the break but Victoria’s goalie Matthew Towns made some decisive interventions to keep his team in the game.
It was the Wanderers who went on to clinch the winner on 67 minutes when in a swift break Ryan Grech fired home to hand his team three important points.
Kerċem Ajax opened a three-point gap on the bottom two places in the division when they edged past Għajnsielem 2-1.
First half goals from Felipe Augusto De Oliveira put them ahead after 14 minutes before Jean Paul Mizzi equalised just before half-time.
Għajnsielem tried to react after the break but were frustrated by Kerċem’s in-form goalkeeper Vladimir Dizdarevic.
The Blacks did manage to pull a goal back through Antoine Camilleri in stoppage time but that was too little too late.
Sannat, Xagħra lead
Promotion contenders Sannat Lions and Xagħra United picked up maximum points from their respective matches to continue to share their leadership in the GFA Division Two.
The results mean that Sannat and Xagħra will decide who will secure automatic promotion when they face each other on the final day of the season.
Sannat Lions broke little sweat to see off Oratory Youths whent they cruised to a 4-0 win. Ebube Ralph Okpokwu was the protagonist with a hat-trick with the othe goal coming from a penalty scored by Matthew Portelli.
Xagħra United took all points when they beat bottom-placed Żebbuġ Rovers 3-1.
It was the Rovers who took the lead through Elijah Xuereb (13). But Xaghra fought back and turned the result in their favour through a hat-trick by Johnny Camilleri (17, 25, 79).
St Lawrence Spurs made sure of third spot in the table after crushing Qala Saints 5-1.
Qala opened the score through Oliver Farrugia (24) but St Lawrence came back strongly and scored five times without reply through Muda Fagbeja (39), Simon Sultana (41), a brace by Charlon Farrugia (74, 90+3) and Adrian Xiberras (83).
Meanwhile, in the Division Two Knock Out quarter-finals, St Lawrence Spurs and Sannat Lions booked their place in the semis with victories over Qala Saints and Oratory Youths respectively.
The Spurs overcame the challenge of Qala 3-1 with their goals coming from Fagbeja and a brace by Farrugia.
Aleksandar Komljenovic netted the only goal for the Sains.
Sannat obtained a 2-0 win over Oratory Youths.
The Lions could have opened the score on 37 minutes but a penalty by Matthew Portelli was saved by Oratory’s keeper Richard Sammut.
That failed to derail Sannat who wrapped up their qualification with a well-taken brack from Okpokwu in the second half.