Gzira U. 1
Sliema W. 1
Gzira: J. Haber, F. Barbosa, G. Conti, N. Muscat, Z. Scerri, R. Soares, JC Corbalan (A. Cohen 17), H. Kone (S. Borg 77), A. Oyama, M. Davis, J. De Assis
Sliema W.: J. Galea, M. Sansone, A. Stelitano (A. Satariano 81), K. Shaw, M. Scerri, J. Cisotti, JC Gill, S. Seydou (J. Pereira 50), S. Miloskovic, C. Pani, JP Farrugia
Referee: I. Barbara
Asst refs: L. Portelli, D. Spencer
4th official: Emm. Grech
Scorers: J. De Assis 28, J. Cisotti 90
Yellow cards: A. Stelitano 12, M. Scerri 33, A. Cohen 54
BoV Player of the match: J. De Assis
TMI Top 3: 1. J. De Assis, 2. H. Kone, 3. JP Farrugia
The sharing of the spoils was the fairest result in yesterday's Gzira-Sliema derby encounter at Ta' Qali's national stadium.
Gzira took the lead through Jefferson De Assis in the first half, but Juri Cisotti earned the point for Sliema with his late strike in added time.
Gzira scored their first goal of the season, but were left searching for their first victory having been involved in two goalless earlier.
They now have three points from three matvches, while Sliema have one point, also from three games.
In the first half, the Maroons appeared to be slightly better than the Blues and deserved their one-goal lead.
Both sides created some good chances but the Maroons were rather unlucky not to have enjoyed a better lead at the interval. In fact, early in the game and later, they were twice denied by the goalpost.
But even Sliema had their own chances and could have, at least, scored a goal on at least one occasion when Seydou missed two opportunities in the space of a few seconds.
In the second half, as was widely expected Sliema tried to rally back, but the Maroons defended well and goalie Haber was never seriously tested by the Wanderers.
In actual fact, it was Gzira who again created the better chances going near on at least a couple of occasions, thus keeping the Wanderers within sight of a positive result till the very end.
And they did the most of this chance as they hit back to score a deserved equaliser in added time and also going close to winning all three points before the final whistle.
Gzira started on attack and in their first foray in the opening minute, from a Conti cross, Davis saw his header going just over the bar.
The Maroons were unlucky in the 13th minute when a Kone freekick hit the crossbar with Sliema goalie Jake Galea completely beaten.
Sliema replied on 19 minutes through a Miloskovic fine
effort which just missed the target.
Later a Jean Paul Farrugia freekick was easily controlled by Gzira goalie Justin Haber.
In the 27th minute, Sliema missed a good opportunity to open the score. Farrugia set Sow Seydou in the area, but his effort was blocked by the onrushing Haber. After some confusion in the area, the ball somehow returned to Seydou, but this time he hit the ball wide.
Immediately after, at the other end, Gzira took the lead when former Sliema striker Jefferson de Assis advanced on the left flank, dribbled round a defender and hit home from the edge of the area.
Sliema replied on 35 minutes when Farrugia advanced on the left flank. His low cross went to Scerri whose grounder hit a Gzira defender and went out for just a cornerkick.
Early in the second half, Gzira again started on attack and De Assis set Davis in the Sliema area, but the latter's shot was blocked by Galea to a corner.
At the other end, Sliema missed another good scoring chance on 63 minutes when off a Miloskovic backpass, Cisotti fired wide from an ideal scoring position.
The Maroons responded with a Kone shot which was well saved by the diving Galea.
In the 82nd minute, Cisotti had a good effort just missing the target, and at the other end, Nikolai Muscat also had the same fate with a shot from the edge of the area.
Sliema finally obtained a deserved equaliser in added time when off a Jean Paul Farrugia low cross, it was Juri Cisotti who got the ball first to flick it home past a bewildered Haber.
And soon after, Sliema could have snatched all the points had not Jean Paul Farrugia not missed a glaring chance, hitting wide with only Haber to beat.