BOV Amateur League II MD20 Review: Kalkara clinch title, Ta' Xbiex secure win over Ghaxaq

Ta' Xbiex FC 3-1 Ghaxaq FC - 22.03.2026 - Photos by Malta FA

BOV AMATEUR LEAGUE II 2025/26
MATCHDAY 20

Kalkara United 2-2 Marsaskala
After sealing promotion to the third tier of Maltese football two weeks ago, Kalkara also clinched the National Amateur League II title last Sunday as the two-all draw with Marsaskala was enough for the Grand Harbour side to get the party going at the Luxol Stadium. With the gap towards Dingli, the number two in the standings, being seven points with two games left to play, no-one can catch-up the Greens anymore in this division. Marsaskala gave a good account of themselves, taking an early lead and scoring the equaliser five minutes from time, another fine display by the boys of coach Roger Mifsud.

The encounter offered great entertainment with Marsaskala starting brilliantly, shocking the Greens with a superb goal scored after just two minutes by Federico Galea. Kalkara reacted immediately and Owen Gauci had a fine effort that was tipped over the bar by Craig Sultana. Marsaskala had a glorious chance to double on 21 minutes when Vivi-Gaetan Mahop had a shot from point blank range that was somehow deflected.

Marsaskala had another dream opportunity on 38 minutes when Galea’ shot from just inside the box was incredibly saved by Lagana. Kalkara finally equalised a minute later when Jean Claude Annati was sharp to nod into the net from close range. And on the stroke of half time Kalkara turned the game around with a goal from Owen Gauci after a goalmouth melee.

Kalkara had an excellent chance to make it 3-1 on the hour but Ryan Dalli somehow could not conclude from close range. However, Marsaskala managed to get back on level terms five minutes from time when substitute Jamiu Hassan kept his cool to stab into the net. In the end it was immaterial as Kalkara got the point they needed to be declared champions, with the party continuing in Kalkara till late.

Santa Venera Lightnings 0-6 Dingli Swallows
At the Centenary Stadium on Sunday, Dingli Swallows had no difficulty to overcome bottom side Santa Venera, beating the Saints 6-0 with the first five goals being scored in the first half. Perhaps apart from the first half hour, it was a no-contest with the Swallows being superior.

In the 14th minute, Matteas Caruana was sent in the clear by Dylan Attard, with Saints goalkeeper Gallen Mifsud doing well to block the attempt of the young Swallows striker. Two minutes later however, it was Jurgen Gerada who kicked Dingli 1-0 ahead with a brilliant top corner finish from just inside the area. The Saints did certainly not hide in the opening 30 minutes with Andrew Zammit saving a Michael Theuma attempt from a Desire Koiba freekick on 28 minutes.

But it was 2-0 four minutes later when Ronaldinho Daley released Mark Cutajar in the middle, rounding off in style with a curling shot, followed by the third Dingli goal on 38 minutes with Daley beating the off-side trap, finishing lowly to put the team of coach Nicolai Caruana on velvet. Three minutes later it was most definitely match over with Daley kicking the fourth goal behind Mifsud from close-range. Daley went from scorer to provider in the last minute of the first half, setting up Gabriel Sant on the edge of the box, who easily added goal number five for Dingli.

Less action after the break as Dingli clearly refused to take risks with a 5-0 score. On 58 minutes, Cutajar nearly capitalised on some hesitant defending by Santa Venera but missed target with an empty net in front of him. Dylan Attard tested Mifsud with a curling attempt on 77 minutes which the Santa Venera custodian turned into a corner. From that corner, Dingli substitute Luke Calleja scored the 6-0 from a goalmouth melee.

Dingli will play Gharghur next and Mdina Knights on the last match day and, should they win both games, will win promotion to the BOV Amateur League II.

Siggiewi 1-3 Msida St Joseph
In this high-stake encounter at the Luxol Stadium on Sunday, Msida St Joseph bagged another three points to remain in the running for the second promotion spot. Man of the match was undoubtedly Thomas Grima, who scored all the Msida goal. Siggiewi, who on the other hand had nothing but academic interest in the game, were simply over-run by the Saints in the first half hour, but recovered well during the remaining 60 minutes.

Msida started strongly and had a good opportunity after just two minutes when a header by Nobukatsu Tsuchiya ended up just wide. Four minutes later, Msida were ahead however when a piledriver by Grima smashed into the bottom corner leaving Clyde Aquilina helpless.

Msida doubled on 18 minutes with Grima grabbing his second with another excellent finish. Six minutes later it was 3-0 and practically game over with Grima notching his hat trick with an excellent conversion from the penalty spot. Siggiewi were unlucky not to reduce the deficit right on the stroke of half time when Juan Manuel Artiaga Roa hit the post in quick succession.

Msida controlled the second half as expected with some ease and could have added a fourth on 71 minutes when Tsuchiya had an excellent shot that was well saved by Aquilina. Siggiewi finally managed to reduce the deficit on 82 minutes with a well taken shot by Artiaga Roa, who scored his 13th league goal.

Msida now play champions Kalkara United next, and Rabat Ajax on the last match day and need to win both games, hoping that Dingli will drop points in any of their last two encounters to seal promotion.

Rabat Ajax 1-3 Mdina Knights
In the Sunday morning kick-off at the Centenary Stadium, Mdina Knights maintained their challenge for promotion with a 3-1 win over neighbours Rabat Ajax. Two of the three goals were scored by Giovanni Galea who, with 19 goals, still leads the Top Scorers ranking in the BOV Amateur League II.

The Knights, most definitely the most in-form side at this level at the moment, made their intentions clear right from the start and Galea hit the crossbar on 11 minutes with Jamie Lee Micallef having a shot blocked off the rebound. Mdina managed to take the lead on 24 minutes when off an Aaron Sammut cross, Galea headed home past goalkeeper Jean Matthias Vella. Five minutes later, Micallef doubled the score as he slotted the ball past the Rabat goalkeeper when served on the right. Rabat replied with an Aidan Azzopardi freekick which was saved by goalkeeper Aiden Farrugia on 45 minutes.

Mdina extended the lead four minutes in the second half when off an assist by Jordan Vella from the left, Galea flicked the ball home past goalkeeper Vella. Galea could have added another on 53 minutes when served inside the area, but steered his diagonal shot from the right wide. Substitute Andre Debattista went close for the Magpies when he concluded a good move with a shot from the edge of the area which was however turned into a corner on 77 minutes.

Two minutes later, Rabat pulled one back through Zachary Tanti who beat Farrugia from an Aidan Azzopardi corner. Kyle Bonnici missed a good opportunity for Mdina on 87 minutes, hitting high off a cross by Ryan Theuma from the right while four minutes in added time, Azzopardi had a free kick for Rabat ending just wide.

Mdina, who recorded their seventh win on the throt, will play Santa Venera next and Dingli on the last match day and need to win both games, hoping that Msida will lose points in any of their last two games to stay within a chance for promotion.

Ta’ Xbiex 3-1 Ghaxaq
In the early Sunday afternoon kick-off at the Centenary, Ta’ Xbiex beat Ghaxaq in a low interest game. The team of coach Thomas Westphal most definitely did not play their best game of the season with a lot of inaccurate passing, but it was still enough to shake off the resistance of lowly Ghaxaq, who were well into the game until deep in the second half. The team of coach Johann Zammit played an excellent first half and should have scored at least twice to pull this encounter towards themselves.

Ta' Xbiex FC 3-1 Ghaxaq FC - 22.03.2026 - Photo by Malta FA

Ta’ Xbiex’s Adam Benjelloun was called into action first when, in the 10th minute, the former Dingli goalkeeper made a splendid top corner save on an Ian Muscat attempt from just outside the box. Two minutes later, the same Muscat hit the crossbar with a similar action. Ghaxaq had Clive Fenech once more in an unusual centre-forward role, who drilled against the woodwork on 22 minutes with the seasiders escaping for a second time. Moments later, Fenech was sent in the clear but found Benjelloun on his way. The Blacks came more into the picture towards the end of the half, and it was Neil Borg, against the run of play, who headed Ta’ Xbiex ahead two minutes before half-time from a Kurt Zahra free kick.

On 58 minutes, Ta’ Xbiex doubled through an unfortunate own goal by Ghaxaq captain Emmanuel Cutajar from a Hugo Alves cross, which sparked heavy protests from the Ghaxaq clan who were convinced that the Brazilian was in an off-side position. But the Greens pulled one back immediately when Fenech rose high to head past substitute goalkeeper Brandon Debono from a corner action. On 64 minutes, Luke Attard performed a great save on a curling Kane Micallef attempt, which the Ghaxaq custodian turned into a corner.

The same Micallef saw his shot end against the crossbar on 82 minutes in a period that the Blacks pushed for a third goal. Three minutes later, Vitor Hugo drilled home a loose ball in the box to seal the outcome of the game. The Brazilian should have made it four one minute into stoppage time, but Luke Attard displayed another excellent reflex on his attempt at the second post to keep the score for his side acceptable.

Gharghur 2-0 St George’s
There was not much at stake in the Sunday night kick-off at the Centenary Stadium, a bottom-half clash between St George’s and Gharghur. Still, plenty of action in an unnecessarily tensed game from the very start, which produced four red cards, the first two for Gharghur while also St George’s ended the game with nine with two late expulsions. The Blues undermined their own performance, appearing more preoccupied with disputing their opponents and referee decisions instead of concentrating on executing their tactical game plan, a common occurrence for the Pioneers this season.

In the eighth minute, St George’s nearly profited from an error in the Gharghur defence with Blues captain Matthew Gauci kicking against the crossbar. Gharghur replied on 22 minutes with a long-distance grounder by Max Kirkbride, turned into a corner by Jake Schiavone. Five minutes later on the other side, a Sean Ellul attempt from just outside the area sailed inches over the bar.

Seven minutes before the end of the half, John Sebastian Montano was awarded a second yellow card for an off-the-ball incident with Kurt Vella, reducing his side to ten. With two minutes left on the clock, Jean Paul Baldacchino served Jaden Camilleri at the second post, but the striker hit the side-netting, perhaps the best chance for the Blues before the change of ends. Just before the half-time whistle, Jake Agius nearly capitalised an error by Schiavone for Gharghur, but produced an off-target attempt.

On 52 minutes, the team of coach Alan Friggieri took a shock lead when the unmarked Mark Bonello-Ghio, who played once more a blinder in defence, headed home a free-kick by Johann Zarb. Five minutes later, Agius nearly doubled in a Gharghur counterattack after some good work by Kirkbride but Schiavone made a great double save to keep the Saints into the match.

But the task for Gharghur became even more complicated however on the hour, when Daniel Quintano received a second yellow for an unnecessary foul on midfield, following Montano into the dressing rooms. But much to their credit, the team worked their socks off in the remaining time left, with also Leon Seisun interfering well on several Bormla opportunities.

The Cottonera side were clearly frustrated by being unable to find a breakthrough and on 73 minutes, Blues’ midfielder Mikael Seychell escaped with just a caution for an assault on Gharghur midfielder Jake Brincat, which should have already been their first sending off. With six minutes left on the clock, Blues defender Jean Luke Polidano denied Kirkbride an obvious goalscoring opportunity in the box, with the referee in charge sending off the Blues defender and awarding a penalty. Kirkbride himself stepped up and coolly sent Schiavone the wrong way to double the advantage.

On the stroke of full-time, also Ryan Agius was given his marching orders for a foul on Kirkbride, taking out a possible quick counterattack for Gharghur, leaving his side to finish the game with nine players as well. An unpleasant game to watch for the few present, with the young Gharghur team however as worthy winners.