Spanish striker Jose Luis Armario Negrin scored four as Rabat Ajax ended the season in style with a 5-0 win over Balzan.

The game had no particular interest for the two teams after the Magpies had secured their Premier League status last week but Jose Luis Armario Negrin was chasing the top spot in the list of scorers. With these four goals, he now leads the list with 22 goals, two ahead of Daniel Mariano Bueno and four ahead of Michael Mifsud.

Photo: Copyright © Joe Borg / MFA

Both sides lacked a number of players including Clive Brincat and Manuel Moral Fuster for Rabat, Rennie Forace, Jonathan Francica, Elie Moises Akui N’Dekre, Jamie Pace, Renato Conceicao and Yessous Camilleri for Balzan.

After having a David Azzopardi goal disallowed for an offside, Rabat went close to taking the lead on the 6th minute when Diego Carrillo served Jose Luis Armario Negrin whose close range effort ended high. Balzan replied with a goal-bound shot by Kevin Camilleri from the left but Joseph Caruana came to the rescue clearing the ball into safety on the 28th minute. A powerful shot by Armario Negrin from outside the area was turned into a corner by Tabone four minutes later.

Rabat had the opportunity to take the lead on the 37th minute when they were awarded a penalty after Armario Negrin was brought down inside the area by Fredrick Tabone after being released on the left by Caruana. However the Spanish striker’s effort from the penalty spot hit the crossbar.

Firas Aboulezz went close for Balzan with a direct freekick on the 42nd minute which however ended just over the bar. Another Kevin Camilleri diagonal shot from the left scraped past the post two minutes later.

The Magpies finally managed to take the lead on the 45th when off a Diego Carrillo freekick from the left, Justin Felice headed the ball home past Tabone.

Four minutes in the second half, Firas Aboulezz received a good pass on the left flank but his first-time effort was neutralised by Sean Mintoff.

Rabat doubled the score on the 62nd minute when a Justin Felice effort was partially saved by Fredrick Tabone and off the rebound, Jose Luis Armario Negrin placed the ball at the back of the net from close range.

Diego Carrillo had a direct freekick from the left ending just over the bar on 64 minutes.

One minute later, the Magpies scored the third goal when Jose Luis Armario Negrin concluded a solo effort in which he rounded three defenders with a low shot from inside the area which beat the Balzan goalkeeper.

Kevin Camilleri hit the upright with a shot from outside the area on the 78th minute for Balzan.

On the 82nd minute, Diego Carrillo sent Jose Luis Armario Negrin through and the latter rounded substitute goalkeeper Matthew Camilleri to place the ball inside the empty net.

Three minutes from time, Jose Luis Armario Negrin controlled a cross from the left by Aidan Azzopardi and slotted the ball past Camilleri.

Jose Luis Armario Negrin was voted BOV Player of the Match.

BALZAN Fredrick Tabone (78’ Matthew Camilleri), Aaron Agius, Matthew Mendy, Stefan Giglio, Shaun Bugeja (68’ Matthew Mifsud), Jacob Borg, Bjorn Bondin, Firas Aboulezz, Christian Caruana (55’ Shaun Spiteri), Kevin Camilleri, Ryan Darmanin.
Subs not used: Daniel Miguelez Martinez, Jurgen Muscat, Daniel Spiteri.
Coach: Riccardo Tumiatti
Asst. Coach: Silvan Ciscaldi

RABAT Sean Mintoff, Ivan Carapic, Joseph Caruana, Justin Felice (72’ Malcolm Licari), Jose Luis Armario Negrin, Dylan Falzon, Patrick Borg, Diego Carrillo Pendas, Yan Cauchi (46’ Shaun Gauci), David Azzopardi (82’ Aidan Azzopardi), Clifford Gauci.
Subs not used: Jonathan Azzopardi, Neil Caruana, Etienne Scicluna, Adam Smeir.
Coach: Silvio Vella
Asst. Coach: Joseph Galea

Referee: Rui Miguel Maciel De Queiros (AND)
Assistant Referees: Hugo Jourdan Pereira, Robert Gonzales (AND)
Fourth Official: Chris Lautier
Yellow Cards: Borg, Tabone, Mendy, Giglio, Aboulezz
Scorers: 45’ Justin Felice, 62’ Jose Luis Armario Negrin, 65’ Jose Luis Armario Negrin, 82’ Jose Luis Armario Negrin, 87’ Jose Luis Armario Negrin
Attendance: 213