Malta FA Jubilee Cup Review: Malta Veterans seal spot in Second Phase, Senglea ease past Qrendi

Malta Veterans National Team 3-1 MAFA - 12.09.25 - Photo: Malta FA

MALTA FA JUBILEE CUP
FIRST PHASE SECOND ROUND

Over the weekend, the Second Round of the First Phase of the Malta FA Jubilee Cup, supported by Enemed, kicked off, with a series of intriguing matches taking place in the Member Associations, North and South Groups, to decide the teams that will be progressing to the Second Phase. The Gozo Group will conclude the First Phase later this month.

Member Associations

Veterans 3-1 MAFA
In what was dubbed as the Final of the Member Association Group, the Malta Veterans and MAFA faced off in a Second Round game from their group which would see one of the teams progress to the next round of the competition.

Both teams had come through on penalties in their previous encounters, the Veterans against SWAN whilst MAFA made it in a thrilling 4-4 match against the IASC selection.

The team representing MAFA lost no time in taking the lead and were ahead after just four minutes courtesy of former Gharb Ranger striker Moses Chijoke Nwankwo who made no mistake with a strong shot that easily beat Justin Spiteri. The Veterans had a good opportunity on nine minutes when Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza saw his close-range effort well saved by Jianiro Camilleri.

Malta Veterans National Team 3-1 MAFA - 12.09.25 - Photo: Malta FA

It was Rabat Ajax club icon Adam Smeir who equalised on 12 minutes with a fine effort from an angled position. A minute later, Ian Zammit had a strong shot that went just over as the Veterans continued increasing the pressure. Justin Grioli kicked his free kick from outside the box on target, but saved by Camilleri in the 25th minute.

The Veterans overturned the result on 43 minutes with a well-executed goal. Mifsud Triganza probed from the right and squared to substitute Thomas Paris who made no mistake with a superb well drilled shot into the corner.

The Veterans, once again coached by Joe Micallef, continued dictating the play in the second half and almost made it 3-1 on 59 minutes when a header by Smeir was cleared off the line. But just a few second later, Andrew Cohen scored from a goalmouth melee to put the Veterans two goals ahead.

The MAFA selection did have a few attempts to reduce the deficit but the Veterans held on for a prestigious victory, qualifying for the second phase of the competition.

Malta Veterans National Team 3-1 MAFA - 12.09.25 - Photo: Malta FA

North Group

Victoria Hotspurs 3-1 Pembroke Athleta
The late Sirens Stadium kick-off on Saturday saw Victoria Hotspurs dominating matters against Pembroke Athleta, beating the team of coach Jeffrey Mifsud with a 3-1 scoreline. The match pitted together two ambitious NAL I teams, with the Gozitans clearly starting the season as the team to beat at this level.

It was therefore no surprise that it was Victoria Hotspurs who scored first, on their first goal-mouth opportunity in the 35th minute through Shaun Attard. Up to that point, Pembroke proved to be more than a match for the Reds, with play being quite balanced.

After the break, the Gozitans controlled the game and six minutes after the re-start, former St Andrews striker Wagner doubled the score, who blasted home from close-range. Pembroke Athleta decreased the margin just after the hour through Weverton, but fellow Brazilian striker Rondinely added the third for the Hotspurs on 80 minutes. Therefore, the Gozitans qualified for the second phase on behalf of the North Group in this competition.

Msida St Joseph 1-3 Attard
Also on Saturday at the Sirens Stadium, Attard registered routine victory against Msida as they beat the Saints 3-1. The team of coach Daniel Agius scored twice before the break and added one immediately after the change of ends before Msida scored a late consolation goal.

Attard made their intentions clear from the start of the match and they opened the score after just five minutes through former Naxxar player Jayden-John Bonanno, who therefore found the net in his debut match for his new club.

Msida could have equalised in the 17th minute when Carlston Cardona had his shot from an ideal position ending wide. As things proceeded, Attard continued dominating, and on the 25th minute they doubled the score through Nicholas Schembri, his 111th career goal.  

Five minutes after the re-start, Attard scored the third goal to seal the issue through Staline Degabriele, another ex-Naxxar recruit, with the same player being subbed only five minutes later.

Msida decreased matters on the 87th minute through substitute Thomas Grima. But Attard continued administering their double lead throughout the end of the match and therefore also qualify for the second phase of the Jubilee Cup.

San Gwann 0-3 Lija Athletic
At the Sirens Stadium in the early kick-off, there was a clash between San Gwann and Lija Athletic, two promotion contenders in the Amateur League I. Lija ran away with the victory by scoring three second half goals, a deserved one looking at the chances created and ascendancy throughout the game, although the Saints played an excellent first half.

On 16 minutes, five minutes after a San Gwann goal was flagged for off-side, Jamie Magri Overend sent Ross McParland through but the English striker’s attempt went wide in what was the first opportunity for Lija. On 27 minutes, Omar Elouni came inches close for the Saints to tap in a precise Kyle Bartolo cross at the second post. Just after the half-hour mark, Ryan Muscat served Francesco Bungo whose attempt from the edge of the box missed target by an inch. On 42 minutes it was again San Gwann who came close to break the deadlock, this time through Adam Falzon who was served well by Muscat from the left wing but failed to conclude from close-range.

Lija took the lead in the 58th minute when McParland produced a powerful run through the middle of the Saints defence, rounding off with an unstoppable scorcher which had the better of goalkeeper Luciano Camilleri. On 79 minutes, Lija doubled when Erjon Beu released a thunderbolt from about 20 meters distance with Aron Hernandez changing the direction of the ball which left Camilleri grounded. With a few minutes regular time left, Bungo came close to reduce the deficit but Bonnici performed a great save which was practically the only on-target attempt of San Gwann during the second 45 minutes. In stoppage time, substitute Juan Alejandro Ruiz added Lija’s third with an intelligent finish to give the team of coach Ivan Zammit a place in the second phase of the competition.

South Group

Qormi 2-1 Zejtun Corinthians
In the first game at the Luxol Stadium after a long absence, Qormi and Zejtun Corinthians faced off in a balanced encounter where both sides were hoping to progress in the competition.

Qormi, again coached by Jesmond Zerafa, started strongly and came close on 11 minutes when a fine cross by John Awori was headed over from a good position by Emerson Camilleri.

Qormi took the lead five minutes later when another excellent cross by Awori found Dale Mifsud who prodded home. But Zejtun equalized on 33 minutes with a well taken effort by their captain, veteran Adrian Carabott.

The second half was a close affair with Zejtun creating another chance on 70 minutes through Matteo Tanti who went off on a probing run but was tackled at the very last second. However, it was Qormi who scored the winner nine minutes from time with a superb effort by Awori which gave Aidan Portelli-Isherwood no chance.

Senglea Athletic 3-0 Qrendi
In the second Luxol Stadium match of the evening, Senglea Athletic faced off against Qrendi in another clash that was expected to be a close one. However, it was Senglea who played an excellent first 45 minutes, scoring three without reply to make the second half a mere formality.

Rodney Bugeja’s team got off to a flying start after just six minutes when Junior Ogechukwi Ohalewe put them ahead with an excellent finish. Ohalewe doubled the scoring on 13 minutes with another excellent strike as the match developed to be a one-sided affair. In fact, the third goal arrived on 23 minutes courtesy of Mario Jude Dominicius who concluded with ease after some fine work from Ohalewe. The rest of the half saw Senglea in complete control with Qrendi offering only token resistance.

The second half was a quiet affair with Senglea controlling proceedings with ease and progressing to the next round. They could have had a fourth on 85 minutes when veteran record goal scorer Timmy Thomas fluffed an excellent chance after being presented on a plate by Ohalewe.

Xghajra Tornados 0-3 Kirkop United
The last First Phase Second Round Jubilee Cup match on Sunday night was the target for Kirkop United, who proved to be the most efficient of the two teams as Xghajra certainly had their fair share ball possession but simply lacked punch up front.

Kirkop took the lead on 19 minutes through former Fgura minor player Miguel Zammit, whose shot from just outside the box gave Xghajra goalkeeper Levi Saliba no chance. In the attack that followed on the other side, Morientes Muscat missed a sitter at the second post with only Kirkop goalie Miguel Falzon to beat but somehow failed to score. On 24 minutes, Jamie Delia illegally halted Zammit’s run in the box with the referee pointing at the spot. James Oghenekewaro stepped up and converted in style to give Kirkop a comfortable early 2-0 lead. At this point, the Tornados were certainly not inferior to Kirkop, creating most of the danger and were unlucky when Larson Mallia hit the crossbar on 28 minutes.

On 53 minutes, Falzon blocked a close-range Richmond Hanson attempt which could have meant a goal for the Tornados, who continued to show the better ideas after the break. On 70 minutes, Mallia wasted another close-range opportunity, once more blocked by Falzon who kept his team in the match at this point. But two minutes before the end of regular time it was substitute Daylen Trakosopoulos who scored the third goal for Kirkop to wrap up the game, giving the team of coach David James Saliba a prestigious place in the main draw of the Jubilee Cup Second Phase.