Gzira Utd. 6
Gudja Utd. 1
Gzira Utd.: J. Haber, F. Barbosa Pereira, G. Conti, N. Muscat, Z. Scerri (R.Camilleri 86'), R. Soares, C. Gatt Baldacchino (J. Corbalan 68'), H. Kone, A. Samb (A. Cohen 68'), O. Arthur Enrique, J. De Assis
Gudja Utd.: J. Debono, J. Bondin, A. Friggieri, C. Santana Barroso, F. De Barros Anderson, M.A.Jimenez (G. Mensah 64'), H. Vella (R. Winchester 46'), L. Cremona, J. Bolanos, J. Grioli, A. MIranda
Referee: Matthew Degabriele
Asst refs: Duncan Sultana, Darko Stankovic
4th official: Etienne Mangion
Yellow Cards: Conti, Haber, Winchester, Scerri, Jefferson
Scorers: De Assis 2', 28', 69', 74', Samb 12', Cohen 89' (Gzira Utd.), Friggieri 31' (Gudja Utd.)
BOV Player of the Match: Jefferson De Assis (Gzira Utd.)
TMI Top 3 : 1. J. De Assis 2. C. Santana Barroso 3. H. Kone
Gzira United gained their fourth consecutive win when they easily disposed of lowly Gudja United by a 6-1 tennis score. Thus the Maroons along with Floriana remain unbeaten after eight matches played from this campaign.
This win put Gzira United temporarily in second place and four points adrift of leaders Floriana. On the other hand Gudja United are still in search of their first win after winning promotion from the First Division last season.
The start couldn't have been brighter for Gzira who took the lead inside the 2nd minute. A cross from the right flank found Jefferson de Assis who slotted the ball into the net.
The Maroons kept on dictating matters and on 13 minutes they doubled their lead. Amadou Samb and Kone exchanged the ball and the former back heeled into the net.
Three minutes later Samb made his way on the left flank and passed towards Gianmarco Conti but the latters shot went wide off the mark. And in the 26th minute came Gudja's first chance when a Carlos Santana Barroso shot was well saved by goalkeeper Haber.
But it was Gzira Utd. who scored their third goal on 28 minutes. Once again Jefferson de Assis made the best out of a moment of hesitation by the Gudja rearguard and found the going easy to place the ball past goalkeeper Debono.
Gudja managed to reduce the gap just past the half hour when Carlos Santana Barroso found Aidan Jake Friggieri who from inside the box fired into the net.
Six minutes from the end of the first half and it was again Santana Barroso whose shot sailed just over the bar. With Gzira failing to score their fourth goal just before the break when Hamed Kone missed a sitter with only Debono to beat.
The second half was played on the same rhythm as the first forty five minutes. On 49 minutes Llywelyn Cremona crossed from the left side with Rundell Renold Winchester meeting the ball but his header missed the target.
On the hour in a swift Gzira counter attack Kone passed towards Jefferson de Assis his shot ending over the bar. But the Maroons attacker was not to be denied as in the 69th minute he concluded Kone's cross past a helpless Debono.
Gzira were now totally in control of the proceedings and sixteen minutes from the end they scored their fifth when Jefferson de Assis was set up by substitute Andrew Cohen who scored his fourth of the day.
Veteran Cohen found also time to put his name on the scoresheet when he found the net a minute from the end of the match. A wonderful win by Gzira who are now on song after a slow start to the season. Things seem to be on the up for the Maroons.
