New signings put Lija in fourth place

Rabat A Lija A 1 2

Two January new signings left their mark yesterday for Lija Athletics as they defeated struggling Rabat Ajax by the odd goal in three. Yanis Tonna and Abubakaer Bello scored first half goals to give Lija a comfortable two-goal cushion, a lead which they defended till the final whistle as Rabat tried desperately to save the match.

Lija are now joint-fourth with Senglea as the promotion race is now wide open, but on the other hand the defeat adds more misery on Rabat who are in deeper trouble, especially after Gharghur returned to winning ways on Saturday.

Rabat had the first attempts at goal with Luke Bonnici saving shots from the edge of the area by Ryan Micallef and Joseph Caruana. Lija had a rather slow start but were in full control by the fifteenth minute and had a Lee Joe Schembri shot going inches wide.

On 28 minutes Lija took the lead when Erjon Beu passed to the unmarked Yanis Tonna and the exMaroons made no mistake beating Mintoff. Rabat hit back with a Chris Vella effort going over the bar, but just before the break Lija doubled the score when Lee Joe Schembri passed towards Abubaker Bello-Osagie who drilled home from close range.

Aiden Galea went close a third goal for Lija early in the second half and on the other a Ryan Micallef shot missed the target by a whisker. On 66 minutes Rabat were back in business when Joseph Caruana headed home a David Azzopardi cross.

Four minutes Lija were unlucky when a great effort from lee Joe Schembri from the edge of the area was stopped by the upright. Rabat made a desperate last ditch effort to save the game.

They went close through their captain Adam Smeir but his shot went slightly over the bar and the Magpies had to leave the field empty handed.

S. Mintoff, J. Caruana, S. Gauci, B. Micallef (E. Jay Goodman), A. Smeir, D. Falzon, R. Micallef, C. Vella, A. Azzopardi, D. Azzopardi, Z. Tanti.

L. Bonnici, C. Cassar, P. Babic, P. Borg, D. Scerri, E. Beu, L.J. Schembri (A. Sammut), A. Galea (P. Dandolo), A. Bello-Osagie, Y. Tonna (R. Sammut), A. Borg. Naxxar L Vittoriosa S Qormi Senglea A Lija A Mqabba Pieta H Sirens Zebbug R Marsa Melita Rabat A Fgura U Għargħur Darryl Agius

Standings

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