Pieta vs Rabat 0-0

Match Date: Sunday, September 28, 2008, 14:30-16:30
Venue: Victor Tedesco Stadium, Hamrun
Who Played: Jonathan Azzopardi, Jonathan Bezzina, Edward Azzopardi, Josef Tonna, Paolo Ciantar, Lydon Micallef, Emmanuel Muscat, Joseph Caruana, Glen Magri, Kayne Said (Adam Smeir), Darren Galea
Rabat Scorers: n/a

Description: This is a decisive match for the Magpies which must absolutely win to place themselves in the first two places of the group, and to be able to qualify for the next stage of the competition.

Again, this week Rabat will play against a team which last year used to play with the top Maltese football clubs, that is in the Premier division. Today's opponents are Pieta Hotspurs. This should be a good test for the Magpies to view the players condition and the complete team spirit.

A good game provided by both teams, with chances of goal on both sides. One negative note about the match is that the referee seemed a bit biased towards the Pieta team. Rabat were better than Pieta in the first half, with different occasions of opening the score. In the ending minutes of the first half a red card (2 yellow cards) was shown to Joseph Caruana, which influenced the playing style of the Magpies in the second half.

Pieta were a bit better in the second half were they exploited the fact that they were playing 11 against 10. Rabat also provided some good counter attacks in the last part of the second half with the help of the substitute Adam Smeir.

Considering everything, it seems that there was progress from the last match against Mqabba. It must also be noted that some key players were also missing for the Magpies, though their substitutes performed the job very well. This should be encouraging for the next match against Dingli and for the start of the league.

Mqabba vs Rabat 3-1

Match Date: Sunday, September 21, 2008, 17:00-19:00
Venue: Victor Tedesco Stadium, Hamrun
Who Played: Jonathan Azzopardi, Jonathan Bezzina, Dylan Falzon, Josef Tonna, Michael Micallef, Alan Zahra, Emmanuel Muscat (Darren Galea), Joseph Caruana, Glen Magri, Adam Smeir, Adrian Mifsud
Rabat Scorers: Josef Tonna

Description: A match between last year's Second division promoted team Rabat Ajax and last year's Premier division relegated team Mqabba.

Rabat conceeded a goal in the early minutes of the match and in the 80 minute of the match. After the 90th minute a confusing action resulted a goal for Rabat, with a goal headed in by Josef Tonna. This goal was soon cancelled a minute later by Mqabba. Overall it was a poor performance by the Magpies, which they surely can do better.

Rabat vs Vittoriosa 1-1

Match Date: Saturday, September 13, 2008, 17:00-19:00
Venue: Victor Tedesco Stadium, Hamrun
Who Played: Jonathan Azzopardi, Jonathan Bezzina, Edward Azzopardi (Dylan Falzon), Josef Tonna, Michael Micallef, Alan Zahra, Emmanuel Muscat, Joseph Caruana, Glen Magri (Keith Micallef), Kayne Said, Adrian Mifsud (Darren Galea)
Rabat Scorers: Adrian Mifsud

Description: An overall good performance by the Rabat Ajax team, which could have easily resulted in a victory. One can say that most of the match was leaded and controlled by the Magpies. Rabat scored in the first half from a corner kick, which was headed in by Adrian Mifsud. Unfortunately when chances are lost you get soon punished. In fact Rabat performed a good counter attack but was wasted and soon resulted with a goal by the opponents in the ending minutes of the match.

Mosta vs Rabat 4-2

Description: A friendly match as a preperation for the new season.
Match Date: Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Venue: n/a
Rabat Scorers: Emanuel Muscat, Adrian Mifsud