Qrendi too strong for Mtarfa

Qrendi had no difficulty to beat a very weak Mtarfa side by five goals without reply.

Their keeper Daniel Caruana had a very easy Sunday morning as he only dealt with some backpasses from his colleagues and saved some easy shots.

After this easy win Qrendi lie in eighth position on 5 points from 6 games while Mtarfa are in ninth position having only 3 points from 6 games.

The first action was created by Mtarfa when Damien Ciappara served Michael Caruana with a through ball in the area and Qrendi keeper Daniel Caruana foiled him with a timely sortie.

In the 4th minute Julian Ohaka should have opened the score for Qrendi but he drove out from two metres with only keeper Matthew Aquilina to beat. In another action by Qrendi, Aquilina had to dive and save a free kick by Wayne Aquilina.

Qrendi opened their account in the 13th minute as Jake Busuttil pounced on a loose ball outside the area and scored with a hard rising shot.

Mtarfa retaliated and Isaac Borg released Simon Vassallo in the area but Aquilina had no problem to save his weak shot. From a free kick by Vassallo, the ball was deflected by a defender and was saved by Caruana. Vassallo then served Caruana with a square pass in the area and from a very ideal position, he miscued his shot and a good chance was lost.

Four minutes before the break Qrendi doubled their lead when the hard-working Aquilina served Ohaka who netted with a low drive.

The second period was dominated by Qrendi as they created many actions and between the 40th and 43rd minutes they added two more goals. Ohaka dribbled past an opponent and passed the ball to Aquilina who drilled the ball home from closerange. Ciantar released Ohaka in the area and scored with a lobbed ball.

Qrendi kept pressing and Ciantar missed the bar by inches from outside the area after dribbling past two defenders.

The score became 5-0 in the 47th minute as Aquilina entered the area after dribbling past an opponent and placed the ball in the net with a low drive.

In a rare action by Mtarfa in the 48th minute, Josef Bourquenda dribbled past an opponent on the right flank and after advancing, Caruana neutralised the ball from his cross-shot with a diving save.

The last two actions before the end were created by Qrendi. Ciantar served Max Vassallo Agius with a through ball in the area and after Aquilina partly saved his shot the ball was cleared away by a defender and Vassallo Agius then released substitute Luca Falzon in the area and Aquilina denied him with a diving save. Referee: Daniel Portelli Qrendi: D. Caruana (M. Bajada 63), J. Ohaka (K. Cuschieri 47), M. Vassallo Agius, G. D’Amato, K. Ciantar, K. Cutajar, J.C. Farrugia, W. Aquilina, J. Busuttil (C. Stivala 59), M. Tabone (L. Falzon 50), A. Farrugia (K. Cuschieri 66)

Mtarfa: M. Aquilina (A. Muscat 50), D. Aquilina (G. Ciappara 55), I. Borg, C. Busuttil (K. Saliba 28), J. Bourquenda, M. Caruana (O. Bourquenda 47), D. Ciappara (K. Cachia 65), L. Farrugia, P. Muscat, B. Spiteri, S. Vassallo.

Player of the match: Wayne Aquilina (Qrendi)

Mgarr win low key game

Mgarr were the better outfit in this game which never reached great heights.

They created more chances than Mtarfa who were very unlucky to end up with ten men after only ten minutes of play.

Following this game Mgarr are in joint second spot with Naxxar on 18 points from 7 games but the latter have a game in hand.

The first action was created by Mgarr when Curt Ebejer, after beating a defender, square-- passed the ball in the area to Brandon Bonnici who missed the upright.

At the other end, Tristan Aquilina drove over the bar from outside the area.

In the 10th minute Mgarr opened the score. Ebejer served Cledwyn Zammit with a through ball in the area but the ball was handled by Mtarfa defender Norbert Grech, who was shown the red card. Benjamin Sammut made no mistake from the penalty spot.

Their joy was, however, shortlived as Mtarfa equalised four minutes later in their next attack. Denilson Briffa was fouled on the right flank and after Triston Aquilina floated a perfect high ball in the area and Briffa scored with a header past Mgarr keeper Melvin Muscat.

Mgarr then mounted two actions. Mtarfa defender Jordi Farrugia handled the ball just outside the area and Mtarfa keeper Kyle Calleja saved the free kick by Ebejer to a corner. Bonnici then released Michele Galea on the left flank who then crossed to Ebejer in the area but Calleja saved his header.

Mtarfa then created the last action before the break as they won a corner kick on the right flank which was taken by Aquilina and after the ball was partly cleared outside the area Calleja missed the upright from the rebound.

The numerical disadvantage was felt after the resumption as Mgarr created all the actions and even managed to re-establish their slender lead by scoring a second goal.

Peter Abela dribbled past an opponent on the right flank and Calleja neutralised the ball in two attempts following his cross-shot.

In the 56th minute Mgarr scored their second goal when Jeremy Debono served Galea with a through ball in the area and he netted with a low drive.

Zammit then served Bonnici with a cross-pass from the left flank and Calleja saved his hard drive in two attempts.

In the 65th minute Mgarr scored another goal when Bonnici scored from inside the area following a free kick by Ebejer but the point was disallowed for offside.

In the 71st minute substitute Darren Debono should have wrapped it up for Mgarr but he drove out with only Calleja to beat.

In the last action, Ebejer dribbled past an opponent on the left flank and after crossing the ball to Galea, Calleja saved his longrange effort in two attempts. Referee: Joseph Azzopardi Mgarr: M. Muscat, P. Abela, K. Camilleri, B. Bonnici, B. Sammut, J. Gianino (D. Debono 58), M. Borg, C. Ebejer, C. Zammit. M. Galea, J. Debono

Mtarfa: K. Calleja, L. Ambrose, T. Aquilina, D. Briffa, M. Calleja, K. Conti (J. Mallia 53), N. Grech, A. Muscat, J. Lebrun, T. Zerafa

Player of the match: Brandon Bonnici (Mgarr)