Luxol and Valletta kept winning and sharing the Elite’s leadership before the Playoffs Final Stage. This will lead both teams to play a decider in order to determine the first and second place to be placed in the respective playoff’s fixture. The decider is set for Tuesday 27/2/18 at the Corradino Sport Pavillion and kicks off at 8pm.

Luxol easily made it 6-3 against Hamrun Tre Angeli, who will also be participating in the Elite Play Offs. Luxol’s Maicon Silva proved an outstanding performance and had a hat-trick. Emil Andrei Raducu, Mark Zammit and Andy Mangion added more goals for Luxol. On the other hand Hamrun reduced the matters through Daniel Mifsud’s goal and Stefan Camilleri’s brace.

In another entertaining and balanced encounter, Valletta proved to be the better side against a tough Mriehel ESS. Mriehel ESS had their positive moments but weren’t enough to beat the Citizens. The Lillywhites won for 5-1, including braces from Denis Di Maio and Camilo Andres Gomez Vanegas, together with Murtaz Kakabadze’s goal. Mriehel ESS’ goal from a powerful direct free kick outside the penalty area, scored by Essa Benatiya.

In Division One, Swieqi United U21 ended their season’s commitment with a narrow defeat of 3-2 against Qormi. James Tabone, Elvis Pajo and Miguel Alcaraz were on the mark for Qormi, while Matthew Micallef Thompson and Robert Stoyanov scored for Swieqi United’s lads.

Tarxien JMI outclassed Junior College as they won 11-3. Tarxien JMI were leading 2-1 before half time but in the second half took full control of the match. Tarxien JMI’s score sheet was made up of five goals by Craig Pickard, Uros Markovic and William Barbosa braces, Denzil Pisani and Chris Muscat’s own goal. Arturo Garcia de Hora, Fabio Miguel Fama Gaspar and Andrè Ciappara scored for Junior College.

The match between the University of Malta and Pietà Nordiska had to be postponed, due to more leakage from the Corradino Pavillion’s roof.

Luxol and Valletta retained their leading position in the Elite Round round by scoring eight goals each.

Luxol’s encounter with Swieqi United turned out to be an easy win for Luxol; the end result being 8-1. The end of the first half left Luxol leading comfortably with four goals in advance through Rogerio Santos Filho, Maicon Silva, Andy Mangion and Gian Carlo Sammut. This continued during the second half, when the team led by coach Frane Despotovic, scored four other goals through Andy Mangion’s goal, a brace from Maicon Silva and the final goal from captain Mark Zammit. On the other hand, Swieqi United’s consolation goal was scored by Zurab Lukava.

Earlier this week Valletta faced Hamrun Tre Angeli, after their match was postponed due to water seepage from the pavillion’s roof resulting from   heavy rain. Valletta started with a strong outcome of 4-1 in the first half through a brace from Camilo Andres Gomez Vanegas; his second one from the penalty spot. Two additional goals came from Mohammed Elamari and Murtaz Kakabadze. As a response Hamrun reduced the arrears through Manuel Jesus Cespedes Gallardo.

During the second half Valletta kept on pushing forward and made the end result 8-2 through goals by Jovica Milijic, Melvin Borg, Gia Nikvashvili and another one from Camilo Andres Gomez Vanegas. Hamrun added their second goal through Daniel Mifsud.

Hamrun Tre Angeli recovered this defeat against Valletta this week, with a win of 8-1 against Mriehel ESS. Hamrun’s score sheet included an autogoal by Marrwan Telisi, braces for Stefan Camilleri and Aleksander Tomin, a goal apiece for Everton Da Silva Santos, Luke Stivala and Frank Paul Azzopardi. Mriehel ESS’ sole goal was scored by Victor Diego Viera Marinho.

Earlier this week Mriehel ESS and Swieqi United also played their postponed match from last week. Mriehel ESS were on the better side as they won 5-0 against Swieqi United. The boys led by coach Eslam Khalifa were on the mark though Marrwan Telisi’s hat-trick and a goal apiece for Ahmed Ayoub and Faisal Alnakua.

In the meantime, despite having to bow to strong opponents Tarxien JMI, the University of Malta still remained leaders in Division One. It turned out to be quite an entertaining and balanced match with the first half ending 3-3. William Barbosa was outstanding for Tarxien JMI as he had a hat-trick, together with a brace from Uros Markovic and Craig Pickard’s goal. The Universitarians were unlucky as they conceded an owngowl by Rodney Debono. Despite the loss of 7-6, Jose Maria Aguilera Castellano continued to excel for the University of Malta by scoring three times. Dusan Rakic, Nermin Hasanbegovic and Shaun Deguara also scored for the Universitarians.

Marsaskala were surpassed by Swieqi United’s Under 21 squad, losing with an end result of 5-3. The Southsiders had a brace from Alessio Restuccia and a fast goal from Khail Drago. Swieqi’s youngsters acquired their merit through Robert Stoyanov’s brace and a goal apiece for Darryl Schembri, Matthew Micallef Thompson and Jamie Mangion.

In their second academic derby of the season, the Universitarians consolidated their Division One’s leadership smashing Junior College for 9-0. The score sheet included a poker by Nermin Hasanbegovic, a brace by Jose Maria Aguilera Castellano and a goal apiece for Neil Cauchi, Paul Scerri and Albert Aquilina.

Ten goals were on the mark between Marsaskala and Tarxien JMI, leaving both teams undecided till 4-4. Tarxien JMI broke the deadlock through Armando Djepali and Marsaskala levelled the matters through Khail Drago. Tarxien were again on the lead through Craig Pickard until John Paul Barabara relevelled the score. Armando Djepali scored again and the Southsiders brought again the equaliser through Antonio Fraschilla. Tarxien JMI went 4-3 as Uros Markovic put the ball at the back of the net. Marsaskala’s Tiwtiw Jr Afifi made it 4-4. Finally Armando Djepali and Radovan Duric sealed the end result of 6-4 for Tarxien JMI.

Despite the positive performance by Swieqi United’s Under 21 squad, Kurt Bartolo’s brace gave a 2-1 win for Pietà Nordiska. Swieqi’s youngsters sole goal was scored by Matthew Micallef Thompson.

Both Elite’s matches scheduled for Friday 9th February were postponed to Tuesday 13th February. The match officials together with representatives from Mriehel ESS, Swieqi United, Valletta and Hamrun Tre Angeli, came to this decision due to heavy rain leaking from the Corradino’s Pavillion roof.

Coming fixtures:

Division One

Monday 12/2/18

8:00 pm Tarxien JMI vs L-Università ta’ Malta

9:15 pm Qormi vs Junior College

Thursday 15/2/18

8:00 pm Marsaskala vs Swieqi United U21

Elite Round

Tuesday 13/2/18

8:00 pm Mriehel ESS vs Swieqi United

9:15 pm Valletta vs Hamrun Tre Angeli

Friday 16/2/18

8:00 pm Hamrun Tre Angeli vs Mriehel ESS

9:15 pm Swieqi United vs Luxol

The ability of both Luxol and Valletta to have winnings on their side led to a joint leadership in the Elite Round. Luxol opened the score after eight minutes of play through Giancarlo Sammut. Three minutes later a goal on each side  decided the final result. Essa Benatiya levelled the matters from the penalty spot, while captain Mark Zammit gave Luxol the 2-1 win over Mriehel ESS.

On the otherhand Valletta did their utmost effort to win 4-2 against Swieqi United. The Citizens were on the mark twice with Murtaz Kakabadze and a goal apiece for Dylan Musu and their new acquisition, Camillo Andres Gomes Vanegas from Colombia. Shota Chanukvadze and Christian Wismayer scored for Swieqi United.

In Division One Pietà Nordiska found no hard bones in making it7-2 against bottom team Junior College. Pietà were already comfortable leaders with the score of 5-0, before the end of the first half. During the second half, Junior College felt they had  to react in some way. In fact they scoredtwice through Gilbert Amato Gauci and Tyrone Pace. From their side though, Pietà assured their victory through Kurt Bartolo’s hat-trick, a brace from Roberto Camargo and a goal apiece for Ryan Mifsud and Leandros Calleja.

William Barbosa through his hat-trick led Tarxien JMI to a  stunning win of 8-2 against Swieqi United U21. Armando Djepali, Craig Pickard, Claudio Venuto and Bennett Schembri also found the net for Tarxien JMI. Tarxien’s sixth goal was an own goal of Jurgen Ciantar. Swieqi United’s youngsters reduced the gap through goals by Owen Fiteni and Jurgen Ciantar.

Qormi returned to the winning ways as they won 6-2 against Marsascala. Qormi moved up six points ahead of Marsascala through Bertram Azzopardi’s hat-trick, a brace from Elvis Pajo and Clayton Borg’s goal. Khail Drago and Tiwtiw Jr Afifi reduced the matters for the southsiders.

Coming fixtures:

Division One

Monday 5/2/18

8:00 pm Marsaskala vs Tarxien JMI

9:15 pm Swieqi United U21 vs Pietà Nordiska

Thursday 8/2/18

8:00 pm Junior College vs University of Malta

Elite Round

Friday 9/2/18

8:00 pm Mriehel ESS vs Swieqi United

9:15 pm Valletta vs Hamrun Tre Angeli