BOV Amateur League II MD16 Review: Kalkara secure impressive win to continue title charge, Msida ease past Ghaxaq

Kalkara United 2-0 Dingli Swallows FC - 22.02.2026 - Photos by Malta FA

BOV AMATEUR LEAGUE II 2025/26
MATCHDAY 16

Kalkara United 2-0 Dingli Swallows
There is no stopping Kalkara United this season, who recorded their 14th victory of the campaign out of a possible 16, this time against Dingli Swallows on Sunday afternoon at the Centenary Stadium, whom they beat 2-0. With six matches left and a healthy 10-point lead on runners-up Msida, the Grand Harbour side only need a few more victories to seal their return into the third tier of the Maltese football pyramid.

Kalkara were ahead after just five minutes when a superb free kick by Ryan Dalli sailed into the top corner leaving Andrew Zammit rooted. Dalli had another effort on 17 minutes but his curling shot was easily saved by Zammit. Mario Jude Domenicus had a strong shot that was also saved by Zammit on 34 minutes.

The second half was a quiet affair for the first 20 minutes with Dingli foraging forward but unable to make a breakthrough. Kalkara sealed the points on 72 minutes when again Dalli slammed a fine low shot past Zammit for a two-goal lead. After that, the match was easily controlled by the Greens who continued their inexorable run towards the BOV Amateur League II championship.

Kalkara United 2-0 Dingli Swallows FC - 22.02.2026 - Photo by Malta FA

Ghaxaq 0-5 Msida St Joseph
On Sunday morning at the same venue, Msida St Joseph emphatically beat lowly Ghaxaq with a 5-0 score-line in a one-sided game. With Dingli being defeated by Kalkara, the Saints therefore reclaimed second spot in the standings, albeit still on ten points from run-away leaders Kalkara. Stand-in centre-forward Matthew Schembri scored a hat-trick for Msida, who have found a solution for their temporary shortage of strikers with Thomas Grima and David Akindele injured, although the latter came from the bench, even scoring the last goal.

Msida wasted no time in taking the lead and after 12 minutes they were ahead with a fine header by the lanky Schembri that gave Luke Attard no chance. Msida were totally on top with several opportunities to increase the score with several corners right after the goal. On 22 minutes it was 2-0 thanks to Schembri who again found the net from a goalmouth melee’.

Matters turned from bad to worse for Ghaxaq when two minutes later, captain Emmanuel Cutajar shot into his own net after trying to clear a dangerous cross by Japanese speedster Nobukatsu Tsuchiya.  Schembri came close again on 34 minutes when he went on a rampaging run but his strong low shot was saved for a corner by Attard who was working overtime and kept the score respectable.

Right at the start of the second half, Msida made it a poker and Schembri notched his hat trick with a brilliant effort from outside the box. The match was played with Msida creating a few more opportunities to increase the score. On 90 minutes, Msida put the icing on the cake with a fine solo goal by Akindele, who entered the fray on 72 minutes. An easy victory for Msida, who look the main contenders to challenge Dingli, Ta’ Xbiex and perhaps even Mdina for the runners-up spot in April.

Ta’ Xbiex 1-0 Santa Venera Lightnings
At the Sirens Stadium on Sunday afternoon, Ta’ Xbiex record a narrow, yet crucial 1-0 win over Santa Venera Lightnings FC to continue their push for promotion. Another valuable three points for the seasiders who, for the very first time in their short history, challenge for the honours in the lowest tier of Maltese football.

The Blacks started strong, and just a couple of minutes from kick-off, they almost took the lead when a pass found Timmy Thomas, who carved an opening for himself inside the penalty area, but his shot was saved by goalkeeper Samuele Duzzi Nulli. Ta’ Xbiex came close to breaking the deadlock on 27 minutes, when some neat play down the right led to Nathan Belhadj crossing towards Thomas, but the effort of the much-travelled veteran striker went narrowly wide.

Santa Venera produced a neat move in the 36th minute, which ended with Zak Francica hitting a powerful strike that was saved by Brandon Debono. However, moments later, Ta’ Xbiex opened the scoring when a cross from the left was not cleared by the Santa Venera backline, with Belhadj being on hand to tuck the ball into the net, in what proved to be the winning goal.

Goalmouth action at a premium after the change of ends, with Ta’ Xbiex once more controlling most of the possession, as the game’s tempo slowed down, also thanks to the excellent Santa Venera defensive organisation. While Ta’ Xbiex pushed in search of a second, they could not find a way through with the seasiders however still bagging the important three points.

Gharghur 0-3 Mdina Knights
In the late Sunday afternoon kick-off at the Mosta Ground, Mdina Knights registered a much-deserved comfortable 3-0 win against Gharghur. Thanks to this victory, the Knights remain in the race for promotion, four points adrift from a promotion slot and with just six games left to play, things are heating up.

The Knights opened the score on their first scoring opportunity when, after receiving from an inviting cross, Ivan Bojovic fired home from close-range. Mdina continued on the offensive and on the 42nd minute, veteran Giovanni Galea had a low shot from an ideal position ending just wide.

Seven minutes after the break, Gharghur replied when Shamison Farrugia had his shot from distance ending high. But it was Mdina who doubled the score on the 64th minute when Galea advanced into the area and with a stint for goal, fired home. They sealed the issue with a third goal on the 85th minute when substitute Nichail Muscat beat Leon Seisun for the third time, his first senior goal in MFA competitions.

Siggiewi 4-2 Rabat Ajax
In last Sunday’s second Sirens Stadium kick-off of the day, Siggiewi claimed three important points thanks to a 4-2 win over Rabat Ajax to register a double over the Magpies this season. The six goals were nicely divided over both halves with veteran brothers Jason and Mark Camilleri on the score sheet. The loss for Rabat meant they can now consider themselves out of the running for a promotion slot.

Rabat were the better side in the early stages, going close with a Jamie Camilleri angled shot from the left which was deflected into a corner on 15 minutes. Three minutes later, Rabat took the lead. Jamie Camilleri exchanged the ball with Victor Mbata before having a shot blocked by Matthew Borg into a corner and from the resulting corner by Nigel Borg, Mbata headed the ball over the goalkeeper. Siggiewi, however, equalised on 28 minutes courtesy of Michael Sciberras who beat goalkeeper Jean Matthias Vella when served by Tyrone Grech.

Just past the half-hour, Clyde Borg headed the ball just over the bar following a corner and six minutes later, a free kick by Mbata was turned into a corner and Aidan Azzopardi’s corner was followed by a header by young Andrija Carapic and Zachary Tanti hit high with a scissor kick. Two minutes in added time, Siggiewi went 2-1 ahead when a cross created havoc inside the area and Jason Camilleri slotted the ball past Vella.

However, on 85 minutes, Siggiewi made it 4-2 thanks to substitute Roderick Taliana after receiving an assist from the left. In stoppage time, debutant Jerome Ciangura went close to reducing the gap for Rabat with a powerful shot ending just over the bar but Siggiewi had two consecutive shots by Artiaga blocked by defenders.

St George’s 0-1 Marsaskala
It is all over for the Pioneers this season, as lowly Marsaskala managed to beat the Blues 1-0 in the early Sunday afternoon kick-off at the Mosta Ground. After engaging Jamie Pace as new coach and two wins on the throt against Rabat and Santa Venera, the Cottonera side looked to get their promotion bid back on track. However, this defeat and the one of last week against Mdina means that the Bormlizi will remain for another season in the lowest tier of Maltese football. St George’s missed an incredible number of chances throughout the match.

Marsaskala opened the score precisely on their first scoring opportunity on four minutes when from corner kick, Byron Madu had his precise header ending at the back of the net. The Saints made a strong reaction and on the 10th minute, Nigerian Victor Olowoyo, after receiving from an inviting cross, had his header ending high. Two minutes later, Sean Ellul had his close-range first-timer ending high. The dominance of St George’s continued and on the 17th minute veteran Aaron Agius had his low shot from the edge of the area parried well by Marsaskala goalie, Craig Sultana. 

On the 63rd minute Ryan Agius for St George’s had a freekick ending high while three minutes later, Aaron Agius, had another good freekick parried well by Sultana. The Blues wasted a few other chances towards the end with Marsaskala managing to keep their minimal advantage towards the very end, an unexpected but most welcome victory for the young team of Roger Mifsud.