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

The highlight of this week was the starting of the Elite Round with the big match between Luxol and Valletta. In contrast to what happened in the first round, Luxol determinantly won this match with the end result of 5-0.
During the first half Rogerio Dos Santos Filho, Frane Depotovic and Mark Zammit, gave a wide gap in favour of Luxol. In the second half, the Citizens sacrified themselves by pushing forward through Xavier Saliba as the flying keeper. This move paved way to Luxol to score two more goals in an empty net. Frane Depotovic together with their recent acquisition Maicon Da Silva Gaiewski, netted again for Luxol.
In another thrilling match, Hamrun Tre Angeli won against Swieqi United with the end result of 8-6.
Hamrun had braces by Frank Paul Azzopardi and Everton Da Silva Santos, a goal apiece for Manuel Jesus Cespedes Gallardo, Florin Anton and Aleksander Tomin, together with Boicho Marev’s own goal.
Swieqi United reduced the matters through a brace by Anderson Belarmino Da Silva, a goal apiece for Andre Cianco, Chris Cardona and Shota Chanukvadze, together with Jason Mifsud’s own goal.

In Division One, Pietà Nordiska, the University of Malta and Swieqi United U21, came out succesfully aganst Qormi, Marsascala and Junior College respectively.
Pietà Nordiska bagged an important win through a brace by Karl Sciortino and Kurt Bartolo’s goal. Qormi’s only goal was scored by Herbert Spiteri.
The Universitarians were initially on the lead with goals scored by Nermin Hasanbegovic, Jose Maria Aguilera Castellano and Gary Inguanez. Marsaskala ended the match positively as they managed to score twice when the Universitarians opted for the flying keeper. Marsascala’s goalkeeper Jean Paul Bianco scored from the other side and Antonio Fraschilla intercepted a dangerous pass and both scored in an empty net.
Finally, Swieqi United U21 white washed Junior College with the end result of 7-0.

The match between University of Malta and Swieqi United U21, kick started Futsal’s second round with the opening matches from Division One. University of Malta offered a tactically disciplined performance against the very energetic and spirited Swieqi United U21 team.

Nermin Hasanbegovic, Jose Maria Aguilera Castellano from the penalty spot, Gary Inguanez together with Neil Cauchi gave a 4-1 win to the Universitarians. On the other hand Swieqi’s youngsters scored through their captain Dylan Pace.

Following, Pietà Nordiska gave no chance to Marsaskala through a win of 8-3. Tarxien JMI had a tough struggle in order to manage to achieve the three points against Qormi; the end result being 4-3.

On its return from the festive season, futsal resumed this week with the Knock Out Quarter Final. At this stage occured the least unexpected; the elimination of Valletta from this competition by the University of Malta (UOM). Despite holding on to a perfect track record in the league, Valletta had to bow to the Universitarians’ determination which made them victorious with a win of 4-2.

UOM went on the lead through Nermin Hasanbegovic and Shawn Deguara. The Citizens replied through Mohammed Lamari’s brace, giving the momentarily equalizer. The Universitarians returned again on the lead through Gary Inguanez. In the last minute, when Valletta pushed everyting forward by utilizing Murtaz Kakabadze as the flying keeper, UOM’s goalkeeper Dylan Cacciatolo grasped the opportunity to score from the other side of the pitch in a clean net. This magnificent goal sealed UOM’s qualification to the semi final and filled them with joy and satisfaction.

Luxol also made it to the semi final, with an easy win of 11-1 against Marsaskala. Swieqi United also had a stunning outcome and ticketed a place in the semi final, winning 5-1 against Pietà Nordiska. Hamrun also joined the other three semi finalists, beating Tarxien JMI with the end result of 5-2.

Next week the First Division kicks off with the following matches:

Monday 15/1/18

8:00pm University of Malta vs Swieqi United U21

9:15 pm Pietà Nordiska vs Marsaskala

Thursday 18/1/18

8:00pm Tarxien JMI vs Qormi

The First Round of Futsal closed down last Monday with the last two matches. Luxol won easily 24-1 against Junior College, while Tarxien JMI beat Qormi with the end result of 9-1.
Futsal resumes on Thursday 11th January 2018, with the first two matches from the Knock Out Competition’s Quarter Final. On that day Luxol will be facing Marsaskala, while Valletta will play against University of Malta. The following day, the other matches are set between Hamrun Tre Angeli and Tarxien JMI while Swieqi United will play against Pietà Nordiska.
The second round kicks off with three matches from the First Division. The first two being scheduled for Monday 15th January are University of Malta against Swieqi United U21 while Pietà Nordiska will play against Marsaskala. Friday 18th January will see again Tarxien JMI against Qormi.
The Elite Round is set to start on Friday 26th January with two big matches; Valletta against Luxol and Hamrun Tre Angeli against Swieqi United.

Mriehel ESS made it in the Elite, after winning 5-2 in their decisive challenge against the University of Malta. In the 15th minute the Universitarians went on the lead through Leo Muscat. Five minutes later, a brace from Faisal Alnakoo put Mriehel ESS’ mind at rest before half time.
In the opening of the second half, Jose Maria Aguilera Castellano levelled the matters and made them 2-2. From that moment, Mriehel ESS made no return back and ascertained their place in the Elite, through goals from Alan Galea, Marwan Telisi and Ayoub Ahmad.
In the other matches played this week, Swieqi United beat their own youngsters for 5-4. Valletta ended their first round winning all the eleven matches, as they won against Marsaskala 6-0. Hamrun Tre Angeli trashed Junior College for 20-0, while Luxol consolidated their second place as they won against Pietà Nordiska with the end result of 8-2.

Swieqi United are solely at the third place, after a draw of 5-5 against the University of Malta. With this result the Universitarians are at the fourth place with only one point ahead of Hamrun Tre Angeli.
The Universitarians netted their five goals from a hat-trick by Spanish Jose Maria Aguilera Castellano and a goal apiece for Gary Inguanez and Leo Muscat. Swieqi United scored through Chris Cardona, Ryan Xuereb, Zurab Lukava and a brace from Shota Chanukvadze.
In the other matches played this week, Luxol and Hamrun Tre Angeli continued on their winning trends. Luxol confirmed their second place as they won against Tarxien JMI for 8-3. Hamrun continued to impress as they trashed Pietà Nordiska with the end result of 12-1.

Double wins for Luxol and Valletta with the latter retaining maximum points. Luxol made it 8-2 against University of Malta and 11-3 Swieqi United U21. Valletta had the better side beating Pieta Nordiska 6-1 and trashed Junior College for 22-0.
Luxol St. Andrews were initally shocked from the Universitarians as they opened the score through Jose Maria Aguilera Castellano. In the final minutes of the first half Luxol took control of the match and scored through Zvezdan Vukovic, Mark Zammit and Andy Mangion.
In the opening of the second half, Luxol continued to impress as they made them 4-1 by George Frendo. In the following seconds the Universitarians managed to score their second goal through Hermin Hasanbegovic. Luxol sealed the end result through Andy Mangion’s and George Frendo’s second goal and a brace from Frane Despotovic.
More trouble for Marsaskala as they were defeated by Qormi with the end result of 7-2. Mriehel ESS kept their positve track, even thouh they had a close victory of 3-2 against Tarxien JMI.

Hamrun Tre Angeli assured three significant points when they beat Marsaskala for 6-1. Hamrun are momentarily in the third place, a point ahead of Luxol and Pietà Nordiska, who were not in action during this week. The victory against Marsaskala came from an own goal by Robert Zammit and goals from Aleksander Tomin, Florin Anton, Clive Calleja, Manuel Jesus Cespedes Gallardo and Luke Stivala. Marsaskala’s sole goal was scored by Reuben Degabriele.
Mriehel ESS continued to impress as they won 9-3 over Qormi. Tarxien JMI redeemed itself as they beat Swieqi United U21 for 12-2. On the other hand Swieqi United’s major team thrashed bottom team Junior College, with the end result of 12-1.