Melita crowned Champions, Zejtun relegated

TOP SIX
Melita 5-1 Pieta’ Hotspurs
In their final match of the season, newly crowned Challenge League champions Melita ended their campaign on a high with a 5-1 victory over Pieta’ Hotspurs. It was another fine display by the St Julian’s based club, who celebrated their fourth second tier Championship in history in style and can now prepare themselves for a highly active summer, in which they need to prepare for the 2024/25 Premier League. Michael Cachia and Julian Galea, who played his 329^th and final match, were the only two players of the current team who played an active role in Melita’s last promotion to the top flight during season 2011/12.
The Amateurs got off to a flying start, taking the lead on six minutes when NCL Top Scorer Andre Carlos let fly a beauty from outside the box which gave Reeves Cini no chance. The match settled down for the next half hour with Pieta’ coming close to an equalizer with a Kurt Briffa attempt that hit the side netting. Not much after, Melita had another chance when Andre Carlos’ shot was well saved by Cini. On 42 minutes, the irrepressible Andre Carlos had another shot that went just wide.
Melita, who introduced promising 17-year-old Malta youth international James Sissons between the sticks for the second half, scored their second goal on 56 minutes courtesy of a fine shot by Malta U21 international Matthew Debattista. Ten minutes later, Clive Mizzi’s side scored a third when Jean-Pierre Attard, who played his 247^th match for Melita, smashed a brilliant volley home. Pieta’ grabbed a consolation goal on 71 minutes when Cadu tapped in after a cross from the left. Melita added another on 81 minutes when they were awarded a penalty with 17-year-old Benjamin Cassar stepping up, cooly slotting the ball past Cini. Three minutes from time, the Champions scored their fifth and final goal when a deflected shot by Matthew Portelli beat Cini. The party was well and truly on as MFA General Secretary Dr Angelo Chetcuti handed the Challenge League Trophy to Melita captain Jean-Pierre Attard.

Senglea Athletic 0-0 Zabbar St Patrick
On Sunday morning, Zabbar St Patrick celebrated their back-to-back promotion with a goalless draw with Senglea Athletic, who ended their season commitments on rank five. The ambitious club had a splendid season, involved in a neck-to-neck race with Melita for the title, with eventually these two being much too strong for their direct competitors in the Top Six competition.
The match on itself was a drab affair but the St Patrick supporters were in a festive mood and therefore there was a wonderful atmosphere at the Centenary Stadium. Senglea, with the wind in their backs, saw more of the ball before the break, with Alilu Issaka and Terence Vella tormenting the Zabbar rear-guard with darting runs. However, shots on target were a rarity, with Matthew Grech having to interfere only a few times with some routine saves.
More of the same after the change of ends with very little goalmouth action on either side. Zabbar were now most definitely the better side however, taking over the initiative with Yoan Kirov coming close on 79 minutes when his swirling free-kick was carried by the wind and nearly finished top corner with Glenn Zammit turning his attempt into a corner. One minute into stoppage time, Zabbar nearly scored from a melee in the six-yard box including the ball hitting the woodwork but somehow the Senglea defence managed to clear.
After the game, MFA General Secretary Dr Angelo Chetcuti awarded the Runners-Up medals to the St Patrick players, technical staff, and committee, while a memento was handed over to Dion Fava, one of the club’s longest serving players.

Marsa 0-0 Zurrieq
In Friday nights’ match day opener, Marsa and Zurrieq played out a goalless draw in an entertaining match, with Christopher Farrugia and Nicky Vella between the sticks, two of the best goalkeepers of the Challenge League, who both need to be complimented by keeping their goal in-tact. It was the final match for Marsa captain Alan Abela who, after a career of 16 senior seasons and 286 official appearances, including a few years with Qormi and Senglea Athletic in the Premier Division, called it a day.
Marsa dominated the first half and on 23 minutes, Paul Lapira produced a fine run on the right flank with Vella blocking his attempt and from the rebound, Augusto Caseres hit the crossbar before the ball was cleared by the Zurrieq defence. Two minutes later, Vella did again well to block a close-range Lapira attempt.
The team of coach Saviour Debono-Grech most definitely saw more of the ball after the change of ends, especially in the last half hour. On 62 minutes, young Zurrieq substitute Jordan Ciantar sent Ivan Francisco down the right flank, who returned the favour to Ciantar whose shot from near the six-yard box was splendidly blocked by Farrugia. Caseres, like in the first half, hit the woodwork again, this time from a direct free-kick on 76 minutes. Four minutes later, Kalani Delarole should have broken the deadlock after a fine individual effort set up by Chris Baker, but his close-range attempt failed to find target. With two minutes regular time left, Ciantar let fly an attempt from the edge of the area for Zurrieq which sailed inches wide. In stoppage time, Farrugia blocked another Francisco close-range attempt as both parties simply could not find the net despite the numerous goal scoring opportunities created. Thanks to this point, Marsa safeguarded their third spot in the ranking.


PLAY OUT
Zebbug Rangers 1-0 Zejtun Corinthians
This was a real relegation decider in every sense as the winner of the game would be saved from the drop, in front of a sizeable and noisy crowd in the Centenary Stadium. It was a very entertaining game with both sides not holding back, playing full on attack, with eventually Zebbug as worthy winners. A remarkable feat as the Rangers managed to win their last five league games to therefore did the impossible in the relegation battle, looking down and out one month ago.
The Corinthians played an excellent first half, creating several goalscoring opportunities. On 16 minutes, Zebbug’s Kurt Bondin released a grounder which nearly surprised Fredrick Tabone, who turned his attempt into a corner. Zejtun’s best opportunity arrived eight minutes later when Jairinho was sent through and rounded the goalkeeper but Randall Vella blocked his goal attempt in extremis. On 36 minutes, Zejtun’s Matthew Mifsud connected to Jairinho’s cross in the six-yard box but hit the post with the ball being cleared by the Zebbug defence. Deep into stoppage time of the first time, Fahad Bardiro should have put the Corinthians one nil up but Azzopardi made a splendid save.
Rodney Bugeja’s Zebbug most definitely controlled the match after the change of ends. On the hour, Tabone performed another great save on a Bondin attempt who could pull the trigger from point blank with the Zejtun custodian turning his attempt into a corner. From that corner-kick however, Ayrton Mizzi scored from close-range from a goalmouth melee, much to the joy of the Rangers clan in the stands. On 69 minutes, Tabone made another fine save on a Duvan Mosquera attempt, which could have easily meant another goal for the Rangers. On 76 minutes, substitute Thacysio produced a splendid header for Zejtun, with Azzopardi blocking. Zebbug were reduced to ten when Mizzi received his second yellow card for a reckless tackle. However, despite some tensed moments, Zejtun failed to take advantage of this numerical superiority and play third tier football next season for the first time since season 2016/17.

St Andrews 5-0 Lija Athletic
Also on Sunday afternoon but then at the Sirens Stadium, St Andrews were looking for no less than the three points against Lija Athletic in their attempt to stave off relegation to Amateur League 1. Despite their emphatic 5-0 victory, Vesko Petrovic’ team need to play a Decider with Luqa to determine who will be the fourth club to go down into the third tier. Lija on their part were already safe so this final match was a simple statistical number for them, fielding a few youngsters.
St Andrews got off to a flying start after just four minutes when Brazilian livewire Wagner passed to Nicholas Galea who teased a low cross that was easily put into the net by James England. Luxol doubled on 20 minutes with the same James England notching his brace with another excellent finish. It was 3-0 on 33 minutes when Wagner lobbed the ball into the goal area with Luke-Anthony Borg, on his 100^th game with St Andrews, anticipating Luke Bonnici to practically close off the match. Lija should have reduced the deficit on the stroke of half time but a point-blank header by winger Makalysten was superbly saved by Jake Pisani.
St Andrews continued creating chances and could have had their fourth on 54 minutes when Wagner was in the clear but his effort was superbly saved by Bonnici. Two minutes later, St Andrews fourth did arrive with England notching his hat trick after another fine pass from Wagner who had a hand in all five goals. Borg produced a fine low shot on 69 minutes that was well saved by Bonnici. St Andrews fifth and last goal arrived four minutes from time when they were awarded a penalty, duly dispatched by Lesley Cassar Jackson.

Tarxien Rainbows 3-3 Luqa St Andrew’s
This was another great match to watch with Luqa and Tarxien producing an end of season thriller, sharing six goals in the process. Tarxien had nothing more to gain this season but still, they honoured the fixture producing a gallant display, never throwing in the towel even though reduced to ten players at the end of the first half. On the other hand, Luqa needed desperately the three points at stake to avoid the drop to Amateur football, but in the end, they had to settle for a draw and now will face St Andrews in a much unwanted relegation decider on Sunday.
Luqa had a couple of good opportunities in the opening minutes and on 16 minutes Tarxien were unlucky when, following a melee in front of goal, Rundell Winchester hit the crossbar. Barely two minutes later, the same Winchester was again unlucky when his header rattled the crossbar. Just before the break Bradley Sciberras pulled down Camilo Sanchez who was heading for goal, with the referee awarding the penalty and showing Sciberras the red card. Collins Gyamfi took the penalty kick with Andreas Vella saving his shot but from the rebound Gyamfi made no mistake.
In the second half, Luqa were expected to control the match but Tarxien, with ten men, had other ideas, controlling their opponents and even surging forward on a number of occasions. On 51 minutes Timothy Tabone Desira scored a beauty with a first timer, giving Tarxien a 2-1 lead. Five minutes later Gyamfi scored his second of the game when his deflected shot finished at the back of the net. Luqa's joy was short-lived as sixty seconds later, Tarxien were again on level terms with a Peter Xuereb deflected drive rocketing in the net. There was more to come as on 69 minutes, Luqa regained the lead with an Alan Abdel Rahman header. However, on 78 minutes, the last twist of the saga when substitute Precious Nwankwo was floored by Luqa goalkeeper Miguel Spiteri and from the resultant spot-kick, Jean Carlos made no mistake. Luqa produced a late rally but had to settle down for a point, most definitely not the result they were looking for.

Fgura United 1-1 Swieqi United
The top two teams in the Play-Out battled it out on Friday night at the Centenary Stadium, with Swieqi obtaining the draw it needed to end the Play-Out on top spot. It was a game of two halves, with Swieqi showing the better ideas in the first 45 minutes while Fgura most definitely saw more of the ball after the break. Former Pieta’, Balzan, Hamrun and Birkirkara midfielder Terence Agius, aged just 30, played his last career match by coming on as a substitution halfway the second half in his 300^th official appearance, of which 162 in the Premier Division.
Swieqi were dominating during the initial stages and it was Paulo Vyctor who blasted high from an ideal angle on nine minutes after receiving from Jean Borg who did all the hard work on the right flank. Just before the half hour mark, Swieqi broke the deadlock when Alan Schembri-Wismayer beat Yenz Cini with an angled shot from a Blessing Brafo assist.
Fgura reacted well after the break, with Johan Castano and Michael Gatt coming close to equalise in two separate actions. On 72 minutes it was Andrew Xuereb who blasted home from the edge of the box to level matters up. Five minutes later, Brafo nearly capitalized on a bad Fgura clearance but blasted high from an ideal angle. In the attack on the other side that followed, substitute Ofufu Ibeh set up Castano but Jean-Claude Debattista performed a great save, turning the Colombian’s attempt into a corner. Not much later, the unmarked Matthew Brincat blasted high for Fgura on the edge of the box after receiving from Ibeh, which was the last goalscoring opportunity of the match.

Msida St Joseph 1-1 Attard
Like the Fgura versus Swieqi match, the match between botton two Msida St Joseph and Attard had no importance, as both teams will meet each other again in in Amateur League after knowing their fate earlier on in the season. It was the last match of 35-year-old former Mosta and Floriana defender Tyrone Farrugia, who was applauded by the few supporters present when coming off close to the hour, but very fittingly scored Msida’s only goal on the night.
Attard opened the scoring in the early stages thanks to towering header by the youngster Thomas Howland, his first official goal in senior football. The Saints replied quickly by equalizing on ten minutes thanks with a powerful shot from inside the box by Farrugia thus finishing his final match the best way possible.
In the second half both teams struggled to create any goal scoring opportunities with the only dangerous attacks came from long distance that sailed wide. The final whistle was therefore welcomed by both parties, who need to start afresh next season in the third tier of the Maltese football pyramid.

Images copyright Stefan Abela (Melita) and Joe Borg (Zabbar St Patrick)