Żejtun Red Stars and MFPA are the finalists of the VMFA Trophy as they eased past their respective opponents in the semifinals played yesterday.

A rollercoaster of emotions was witnessed in the first match as Żejtun Red Stars edged Birkirkara St Helen’s 10-9.

The Red Stars were leading 10-4 at some time but risked a lot in the last part of the game as the Birkirkara side made a swift reaction and scored five goals in the process although they were still eliminated.

Gilbert Camilleri Lowell netted a poker while George Frendo and Joseph Chetcuti scored a hat-trick with Birkirkara replying through braces by Claudio Calleja, Andy Portelli and Glenn Bonello with Etienne Farrugia, Robert Perkins, Christian Caruana also finding the back of the net.

Referee: Lorry Sammut.

Newly crowned league champions MFPA are still with the chance of obtaining a double after seeing off Luxol St Andrew’s 5-3.

It was a well-balanced encounter with MFPA who always had the edge but with Luxol who always hit back.

Mark Zammit was MFPA’s inspirational player as he netted a hat-trick with Mark Barbara and Alexander Ribic also on target.

Luxol scored their goals through Tim Elis, Michael Galea and Luke Satariano.

Referee: Lorry Sammut.

Luxol St Andrew’s and MFPA have qualified for the VMFA Trophy semifinals after winning their respective quarter-final matches.

MFPA saw off Rabat Veterans 10-6 in a very interesting match played in very bad weather conditions.

The Malta Football Players Association established an initial 5-0 advantage before the interval only to see Rabat scoring four goals to reduce the margin but with the Blues who weren’t so impressed as they netted some vital goals that gave them the final qualification.

Alexander Ribic scored a poker while Mark Barbara netted a hat-trick. Thomas Paris helped himself with a brace while Carlo Mamo added to their tally.

Christian Muscat scored a double for Rabat while Darren Galea, Dylan Falzon, Timothy Zammit and Kevin Loughborough kept their team in the game.

Referee: Reno Galea.

Luxol St Andrew’s also obtained their qualification to the last four of the competition after edging Pieta’ Hotspurs 3-2.

Michael Galea was their inspirational player as he scored a hat-trick with Pieta’ having Roderick Farrugia and Lawrence Vella on target.

Referee: Reno Galea.

The VMFA Trophy semifinals will be played next Monday as Żejtun Red Stars face Birkirkara St Helen’s while Luxol St Andrew’s will cross swords against MFPA.

Żejtun Red Stars and Birkirkara St Helen’s booked a place for the VMFA Trophy semifinals as they ousted their respective opponents.

Żejtun Red Stars saw off Gżira United Veterans 5-4 although they didn’t find the going easy with the Maroons giving their all to make it to the semifinals.

Gilbert Camilleri Lowell was inspirational for his team as he netted a hat-trick while Nikolay Filipov helped himself with a brace.

Gżira stayed in the game as the league’s top scorer Alex Muscat netted a hat-trick with Trevor Cilia also finding the back of the net.

Birkirkara St Helen’s beat Żurrieq Wolves 2-1 to make it for the last four of this competition.

It wasn’t an easy stroll for the Stripes who found the Wolves concentrated and not in the mood of giving any favours.

Despite all this, Birkirkara managed to qualify courtesy of a Clarence John Conger Thompson own goal and Andy Portelli’s goal with Alex Abdilla reducing the score for Żurrieq.

Next week, two other quarter-finals will determine the last two teams to qualify for the semifinals as champions MFPA play against Rabat Veterans while Luxol face Pieta’ Hotspurs.

The new VMFA Hyundai Premier League MFPA champions ended their commitments for this season in the best possible way when they beat Żurrieq Wolves 6-3 .

The Malta Football Players Association did not find it easy to impose their typical style of play for long stretches of the game as Żurrieq kept their pace despite the difference in the standings.
Stephen Wellman scored twice while Jonathan Bondin, Thomas Paris, Alexander Ribic and Roderick Bajada also found the back of the net.

Żurrieq scored thanks to Nicolai D’Amato, Mario Camilleri and Jurgen Mifsud.
At the end of the match, VMFA vice-president Stephen Wellman presented the cup to Branko Nisevic amidst the joy of the MFPA players.

In another game, Birkirkara St Helen’s finished the league in third place although they found it Rabat Veterans as a tough nut to crack. The final scoreline was 6-4.
Claudio Calleja was the protagonist for the Stripes as he scored a poker while Glenn Bonello was had a personal brace.

Rabat stayed in the game as Adam Smeir scored a hat-trick with Christian Muscat adding another for his team.

Meanwhile Alex Muscat of Gżira United finished as the best scorer with 26 goals followed by Adam Smeir of Rabat with 22 goals and Claudio Calleja of Birkirkara St Helen’s with 22.

FINAL STANDINGS – VMFA Hyundai Premier League

MFPA are mathematically champions of the VMFA Hyundai Premier League after their latest 9-8 win against Rabat Veterans.

The Malta Football Players Association dominated the proceedings during this season as they gained 34 points from 13 matches.

The match against Rabat wasn’t an easy stroll with the latter confirming their good form of late as they were unlucky not to get at least a point from this encounter.

Mark Barbara and Jonathan Bondin scored three goals each with Alexandar Ribic netting a double. Stephen Wellman added another one for his team.

Rabat had prolific striker Adam Smeir netting a poker with Darren Galea helping himself with a brace. Christian Muscat also put his name on the score sheet.

Gżira United are now second in the table after seeing off Pieta’ Hotspurs 7-4.

Alex Muscat confirmed his top scorer status as he scored another four goals with Jonathan Pearson having a brace. Beppe Antignolo completed the score for the Maroons.

Meanwhile Pieta’ scored through a Roderick Farrugia’s double with Leandros Calleja and Kevin Agius also on target.

Birkirkara St Helen’s are now third in the table as they saw off Żurrieq Wolves.

David Azzopardi, Andy Portelli and Erin Azzopardi found the back of the net.

Luxol had a 3-0 walk-over against Żejtun Red Stars.

STANDINGS – VMFA Hyundai Premier League

MFPA 34, Gżira United 24, Birkirkara St Helen’s 22, Żejtun Red Stars, Rabat Veterans 20, Pieta Hotspurs 13, Luxol 11, Żurrieq Wolves 6.

Żurrieq Wolves obtained their first win of the season in style after beating Luxol St Andrews 3-1. The latter had a number of players missing from their squad.

Clarence John Conger Thompson scored a double with Mario Camilleri who was also among the scorers for the Wolves.

Luke Satariano scored the only goal for the Luxol Veterans.

Rabat Veterans achieved their fifth consecutive victory in the VMFA Hyundai Premier League as they beat Pieta’ Hotspurs 5-4 in a nail-biting affair.

The White/Blacks continued to confirm their positive patch they in this second round as they continued where they left off with their performances although they found their opponents from Pieta’ who gave them a good run for their money.

Adam Smeir was inspirational for Rabat when he scored three goals with Dylan Falzon also on the score sheet.

Pieta’ stayed in the game with a double by Mario Crupi and goals by Craig Schembri and Malcolm Camilleri.

MFPA strengthened the first place and have a ten point lead in the table after they were given a walk-over of 3-0 against Gzira United.

Birkirkara St Helen’s returned to winning ways after beating Żejtun Red Stars 6-4. The latter continued to disappoint so much that they suffered their fourth seasonal loss.

Malcolm Bugeja was the author of a hat-trick for the Stripes while Christian Caruana scored a double with Andy Portelli also among the scorers.

Tyron Borg scored a hat-trick for Żejtun with Joseph Chetcuti adding another one although not enough to salvage a point.

Żurrieq Wolves obtained their first win of the season in style after beating Luxol St Andrews 3-1. The latter had a number of players missing from their squad.

Clarence John Conger Thompson scored a double with Mario Camilleri who was also among the scorers for the Wolves.

Luke Satariano scored the only goal for the Luxol Veterans.

STANDINGS – VMFA Hyundai Premier League
MFPA 31, Gżira United 21, Żejtun Red Stars, Rabat Veterans 20, Birkirkara St Helen’s 19, Pieta’ Hotspurs 13, Luxol St Andrews 8, Żurrieq Wolves 6.

MFPA are very close to clinch the VMFA Hyundai Premier League as they beat their rivals Żejtun Red Stars 4-3 in the direct challenge for the title.

It was a very balanced and hard-fought game with the Red Stars who, despite everything, played a very good game but found their opponents very motivated to win this game and eventually increase their advantage at the top of the table. Consequently the Malta Football Players Association opened up a lead of seven points in the standings and thus took a step towards winning the final championship.

Former Maltese international, Michael Mifsud was the hero for MFPA as he netted a brace while Branko Nisevic and Stefano De Angelis added more goals for their team.

Żejtun stayed in the game with goals from George Frendo, Gilbert Camilleri Lowell and Tyron Borg.

Referee: Jean Pierre Mifsud.

Gzira United took advantage of this result to leapfrog Żejtun Red Stars and go second as they beat Birkirkara St Helen’s 9-1.

The Maroons dominated the game from start to finish and despite the efforts of the Stripes, their opponents were very strong on the day.

Alex Muscat was the Maroons’ talisman player as he netted six goals with Alistair Dalli, Jonathan Pearson and Trevor Cilia combining the score for their team.

Andy Portelli scored the only goal for Birkirkara St Helen’s.

Referee: Jean Pierre Mifsud.

STANDINGS – VMFA Hyundai Premier League

MFPA 28, Gżira United 21, Żejtun Red Stars 20, Rabat Veterans 17, Birkirkara St Helen’s 16, Pieta’ Hotspurs 13, Luxol St Andrews 8, Żurrieq Wolves 3.

The VMFA Hyundai Premier League match day 11 witnessed a total of 20 goals in Wednesday’s games played at the St Dorothy’s Ground in Żebbuġ.

Rabat Veterans obtained their fourth consecutive win by trouncing Luxol St Andrews Veterans 10-1.

Adam Smeir scored four goals for the Magpies, Darren Galea, Christian Muscat (2), Timothy Zammit, Dylan Falzon and Kevin Loughborough adding the other goals.

Paul Murphy netted Luxol’s only goal.

In the other game Pieta Hotspurs Veterans edged Zurrieq Wolves Veterans 5-4, with Mario Crupi scoring a hat-trick for Pieta and Roderick Caruana getting three for Zurrieq.

Craig Schembri and Jeffrey Chetcuti also found the net for the Hotspurs, while Jurgen Mifsud scored Zurrieq’s other goal.

VMFA Hyundai Premier League standings

MFPA 25, Żejtun Red Stars 20, Gżira United 18, Rabat Veterans 17, Birkirkara St Helens 16, Pieta’ Hotspurs 13, Luxol St Andrews 8, Żurrieq Wolves 3

Gzira United entered again in the fray for the final honours of the season as they beat the other challengers Żejtun Red Stars 4-2 in a hard-fought game from the VMFA Hyundai Premier League. It was a very interesting game between two teams whose aim was to follow leaders MFPA. For Żejtun this was another disappointment as they failed to get any points and continued with the string of negative results in their last three matches. Despite being without their leader Andrew Cohen, Gżira produced an exceptional performance to take the final three points which puts them just two points behind their opponents and seven points off the leaders. Jonathan Pearson put Gzira in the lead so Nikolay Filipov equalized for the Red Stars. The same Pearson added another for the Maroons with Etienne Bonnici making it 2-2 for Żejtun. The last part of the second half was entirely for the Maroons who scored twice through Alex Muscat and Trevor Cilia. Referee: Alex Grech. Luxol St Andrews got their second win of the season in style when they beat Pieta’ Hotspurs 10-4. Luxol took advantage of some defensive frailties from their opponents to get the points that mattered. Ronnie Hartvig notched a hat-trick while Paul Murphy, Michael Galea and Jean Bert Gatt had a brace. Brian Said added another one for Luxol. Pieta’ replied after goals from Lawrence Vella, Leandros Calleja, Malcolm Camilleri and Roderick Farrugia. Referee was Alex Grech.

STANDINGS – VMFA Hyundai Premier League MFPA 25, Żejtun Red Stars 20, Gżira United 18, Birkirkara St Helen’s 16, Rabat Veterans 14, Pieta’ Hotspurs 10, Luxol 8, Żurrieq Wolves 3.